Evening star., 1917-01-19
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

ers are not a unit in supporting the
strike movement instituted by Presi-
dent Fultz on behalf of the players
fraternity, is given by the fact that
signed contracts already have begun
to arrive at the office of the club here
and that assurances also are being re-
ceived that others intend to sign just
as soon as minor differences over terms
are settled.
Seven of the Nationals now are IN
line, four under agreements which hoio
over from last year. Another is Ed
Flaherty, the local pitcher. and in ad-
dition to these two others have sent IN
their contracts with signatures at
tached. The latter two players are
members of last years team and belong
to the fraternity.
1T would not be fair to the players
to give out the names of those VINO
have signed" said Manager Griffith to-
day, "but the fact that they have
shows which way the wind is blowing
1 have contended all along that tne
players were not in sympathy with TINS
strike movement, and the fact that the
local players are getting into line SIM
ply bears this out.
There has been no time limit set by
the American League by which players
must have their signed contracts IN
That is a matter left entirely with the
individual club owners. In the case OF
the Washington club the time limit is
the start of the spring training season
Any players who have not signed p9
that time, no matter from what cause.
will be left out. but they'll all be on the
job, you can wager on that
Griffith confirmed the report that
Marvin Goodwin. the right handed
pitcher who played in the Blue Ridge
League last year and who was num-
bered among the thirty-two players to
be taken to Augusta in the spring, mad
been awarded to the Milwaukee club
Of the American Association.
Goodwin is green yet Grlfhth saia,
'and it is doubtful if he would have
been able to hang on with US this year.
He is promising youngster, however,
and with a years seasoning may DE.
velop into quite a capable performer.
Dave Fultz is maintaining his er-
age in the statement league. lie is out
with another in reply to arguments OF
the club owners. particularly one by
President Johnson of the American
League. that affiliation with the red
Grafton of Labor will standardize play
ers' salaries. Fultz asserts such arSu-
ments are intended to strike terror into
the hearts of the high-salaried boys.
and he also contends that organized base
Dall already IL one OIL IHe Sli Ohe Co
unionized bodies in the country. Fultz
says:
Some very ridiculous statements
have been circulated in the public press
during the last few days regarding the
effect affiliation by the ball players
with the American Federation of Labor
would have upon the base ball busl-
ness. Mr.. Johnson is reported to have
said that it would mean wage scale.
In making such statement Mr.. John-
nf ry,in
He also states that If the ball players
want to unionize. that so will the mag
mates, and enforce a scale OF wages. he
seems to forget that where wage scales
exist they have been brought ABOUT by
the employe and not by the employer.
He also forgets that base ball owners
unionized long ago. and now have one
of the strongest organizations in the
country"
Can it be that AL Demaree. director
of the Players Fraternity. an exceed
ingly active member of the organ1za-
ton, the man who called and presided
over the meeting of the fraternity mem
bers in Chicago last Tuesday, is losing
some of his enthusiasm for the cause?
Demaree recently was acquired by the
Chicago Nationals in trade that sent
Pitcher Lavender to the Phillies and he
is quoted as saying that he intends to
protest to Dave Fultz against Fultz's s
action in calling a strike on February
20. the day the Cubs leave Chicago for
their California training camp. Dema-
rec says:
strike on February 20 makes the Chi
cago ball club and its players the tar
gets The attention of the base ball
world will be centered upon the play.
ers of the Chicago team and they Will
Nor Is it fair to discriminate against
Mr.. Weeghman. He's fine man. has
gone to a lot of expense in giving the
players this trip and 1t isn't right that
he should be selected as the object OF
the first attack.
"T'm opposed to the fraternity keep
ing it's men from going on the train
ing trips. We have to get in condition
some way, and it's my idea that we
should be at liberty to accompany the
ers can't get together it will be time
enough to take decisive action. Tn
going to write these facts to Fultz
too"
In addition to Lefty" Williams, who
. already has signed his contract with
the Chicago Americans. Eddie Cicotte
and Joe Benz also declare they will no,
heed strike call. Williams is reported
to have said that those ball players tc
whom he had talked were mystified as
to the reasons for strike threat, and
that if it is merely in sympathy with
the minor leagues he believed few OF
the major leaguers would favor a
strike.
FultZ made poor choice in the selec-
tion of the Chicago Nationals as a
gauge of the integrity OF the players.
in the opinion of John A. Heydler. sec
retary of the National League. Fultz
has announced that the strength of the
strike movement would become known
February 20, the day set for the Cubs
to leave Chicago for their spring train
ing or the Pacific coast.
..The Chicago Cubs have to observe no
roster limit until the beginning of the
1917 season." Heydler is quoted as say
ing This team. as well as the St.
Louis Browns. was granted this boon
as part of the peace agreement with