Evening star., 1917-01-22
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.


Whether the base ball players frater-
nifty will be granted charter in the
American Federation of Labor should
become known almost any time now.
David L. Fultz. president of the play
ers organization, was in Washington
| saturday. and appeared before the
executive council of the federation He
was closeted with the council for more
than an hour and presented his case at
length. 1t has been taken under ad-
visement and soon as it is acted
upon the result will be made known in
statement given out at headquarters
of the federation. as is customary.
1t is understood that the question
being debated by the council is whether
ball players are wage earners in the
sense of the term a construed by the
federation--in other words. whether
they are eligible for affiliation with
union labor
If the question is decided in the af-
firmative charter will be granted to
the fraternity. otherwise it could not
be done. Considerable difference of
opinion has been expressed on this
point, many persons prominent IN the
! base ball world contending that ball
a trade, and that the regulations gov
erning skilled workers who specialize
in trade and industry cannot be made
applicable to players of base ball-a
sport.
Fultz did not tarry long in Washing
ton. AS soon as his business before
the labor chiefs was finished he is said
to have taken a train back to New
York, where are located his law Offices
from which he transacts the business
of the fraternity. AS far as is known,
he talked with no newspaper men while
in this city.
Another contract signed by Wash
ington player arrived in the mail Clark
Griffith found awaiting him at his office
today. Griffith declined to say which
one of his men had sent it in, as he
did in the case of the first two that
reached him. but he said it was from
one of his 1916 team. which means, OF
course. that he is a member of the
players fraternity, as all of them were.
! This makes a total of eight signed
contracts held by Griffith. four held
over from last season and four signed
this year, three by members of the
Nationals squad last campaign.
Notwithstanding the loss suffered by
reason of the national commissions rul-
ing of Pitcher Goodwin, who was award
ed to the Milwaukee club, the local squad
will consist of thirty-two players as orig
inally announced by Griffith, If not more.
Griffith expects to have with him at the
training camp young Barry, the, sensa-
tional amateur pitcher of Chicago. whose
work the lots of Chicago attracted
Ban Johnson's attention last summer.
Griffith has sent Barry contract, in care
of Johnson, and is confident Barry will be
on hand at Augusta to show the Ma
tionals' boss his wares. Barry is a right
handler.
1t is not unlikely that Mike Moran. the
local player, also will make the trip.
Moran was headed for the Boston Ameri-,
cans as Scout Doyle induced him last
year to give Manager Carrigan first call
on his services.
Jack Barry. who has succeeded Carri-
gan as Red Sox pilot. does not appear
to be interested in Moran. however, and
Griffith intends to look him over if he
will sign at reasonable figure.
Griffith received a letter from Nick
Altrock this morning. In it Nick con-
firms the report that he has forsaken
the stage. He informs his boss that
lots of strike talk can be beard in
Chicago, but says the movement will
not affect him, and voices the opinion
that the majority of the players are
not in sympathy with Fultz's ideas.
Nick says base ball has been good to
him and that he is not ungrateful.
The Blue Ridge League, to which
many of the local sandlotters graduate
and which has proved stepping stone
to faster company for quite a number
of Washington ball players. will be
among the eght-club circuits of the
class d standing this year, having ad-
mitted Piedmont and Cumberland for
the coming season. The salary limit Is
81 900. including the managers fee, and
the monthly payments will be so ar
ranged this year that it will be impos-
sible for any of the clubs to violate it.
A limit of thirteen players to a team
has been decided upon and ninety
eight game schedule adopted. the sea-
son to start not earlier than May 10 and
close on Labor day. The expansion of
the league to eight clubs should mean
more prestige for the circuit. It's sup
porters in Maryland. West Virginia and
Pennsylvania are hopeful Of a success
full season.
All the facts in connection with the
players fraternity trouble viii be set
forth for the perusal Of Samuel Com
pers, president of the American Fed
Grafton of La Dor. by Chairman Herr
mann of the national commission.
cording to report from Cincinnati. 1t
also is planned that every ball player
in the country will receive at the same
time-about the first of the month--an
equally explicit, condensed statement,
showing the alleged grievances claimed
by Fultz and organized base balls
analysis of them. Hermann is conf