The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-01-17
TO COMBAT
STRIKE FULTZ HAS
ORDERED FEB. 20

New York, Jan. 17-Chief officials
of major league baseball began yes
terday to plan a campaign of defense
against the impending strike of the
players and also against any moves
short of a strike, which the players
may make when their fraternity is
formally accepted a member of the
American Federation of Labor. Ban
Johnson, President Of the American
League, and John K. Tener, Presi-
dent of the National League, have an
important conference scheduled for
today--at which campaign plans
whether of an offensive defensive or
merely of a defensive nature-will be
worked out in detail.
AS far as the spoken word is con-
cerned, league rulers would not ad-
nit that they regard with gravity the
planned accession of their players to
union labor ranks. They took the
position that no more consideration
ers' Fraternity backed by union labor
than not so backed.
Johnson inclined to the boomerang
view of the fraternity's action.
eff they want to be- unioned, let
|
will be unionized proposition
throughout. We will unionize our
side of the leagues, too, and this will
mean the passing of high baseball
salaries and the coming of a system
Of unionized wages
Tener declared, that ''the attitude
of the National League is in no way
changed by the move to affiliate the
fraternity with the labor federation"
Captain T. L. Huston of the Yam
KEGS predicted that the active dia-
mond careers of striking players
would be ended, and added that the
leagues would develop new players
to take the strikers places.
The view of the fraternity was stat
ed by President David L. Fultz in this
sentence: "They have threatened to
crush us and drive the players from
a livelihood, so we have protected our
selves by joining hands with the
American Federation of Labor"
1.-THE real show down. predicted
President Fultz, will come on Feb.
20, when the Chicago Cubs are sched-
uled to start on their training trip to
California. Unless the concessions
asked for the minor leagues are grant
ed at that time. eighteen members of
the Cubs squad will refuse to go on
the trip. Then the club owners will
realize the seriousness of the situa-
ton"
By joining the American Federation
of Labor. the baseball players hope
to enlist the sympathy of the union
men throughout the country. Presl-
dent Fultz believes that in every part
of the country, with the possible of
exception of New York and Philadel-
phia, the fraternity will derive great
benefits through it's affiliation with
the labor men. The enthusiastic ap-
prevail which President Samuel Comp
ers has given to the organization has
greatly encouraged the fraternity in
it's fight for better conditions in the
minor leagues.
. The Players Fraternity will occupy
a rather unique position in the ranks
of the Federation Of Labor for there
Is no occupation which may he call
ed an allied trade to baseball playing.
Perhaps the only conditions under
which the baseball players might ever
be called out on a sympathetic strike
would be in a labor strife which in
volvedt the employees of concerns
the equipment used
by the players in the game.
IA Want dc