New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-06
WAR CAN'T CLOUD
BASEBALL ISSUE,
SAYS HUSTON
Yankee Magnate Declares
Fultz Wants Excuse to
Bury Hatcher
RN W. ]. MACBETH

By ". ]. MACBETH
"If war develops between the United
States and Germany said President
David L. Fultz Of the Baseball Players
Fraternity yesterday, "or if the inter-
national situation continues serious,
there is only one thing to do in base
ball. as in everything else. That one
thing is u bury the Ratchet and get
busy on the important Issue. In case
war comes al bets arc of in baseball"
The attention Of Captain T. L. Hus-
ton. half owner Of the Yankees, was
called TO thc remarks Of Fultz.
ITS as plain as the nose on your
face" declared this militant and mill
tary individual. that Dave Fultz Is
looking for hole. lie wishes to save
his face. lie knows. as ! know, and
everv ono connected with the game,
that the strike ;s dead. lie knows that
i. has been dcad for weeks. His bluff
has been called. lie is looking for an
out-somc opening that will permit him
TO retire with vcstige Of grace
NO Hatchct Burying'
81 wish to 60 on record right here
for the benefit Of Mr.. Fultz and the
few players who may still be lined up
with him that here win be no Ratchet
burving. come what will. II our coun-
Wv becomes embroiled abroad it VIII be
: far more serious matter than most OF
us can possibly conceive. 1t VIII De
serious for the owners and for players
81 wish TO state further that the
owners will find ways ana means OF
self-protection N protecting thelr play
crs. Just what those measures ma! DC
the future alone will untold.
1Rut if MIR. Fultz thinks he can seize
,non his crisis TO turn the minds OF
tbe club owners and the pubic from
that common menace with when ne
threatened the health Of the game ne
i very. very badly mistaken.
sInoTensive and fair as they nave
ALWAYS been 20 their players, sara
Captain Huston. Owners OF big league
clubs do not propose now or at any
future time 20 permit this issue to pc
come clouded. No more will there be
Mating off trouble. The situation VIII
be faced squarely. The strike is peat
en-. and the fact will be driven nome
with force. And if the worst comes 10
Inc worst. the o'ayers will tind out that
,beir nresured Moses has led them go
doeplv into the wilderness that the
Lick telescope couldn't reaen the FROM
ised Land
From the remarks OF President Fultz,
the Fraternity's strike policy is either
bigoted or unfair.
while we are waiting TO find out
what's going 70 happen" Eve now quote
Fultz from an afternoon newspaper
its Just as well not 10 make 1oohsh
predictions about when the strike Is
going TO begin. 1t is not going TO pc
gin, as a morning paper says, on ths
18th. On that day the Portland lOre-
roh) club leaves for Honolulu. There
sTe few Fraternity men on that team,
but we will not call them out. SO tar
as the strike is concerned, we have
nothing at all 70 say to the Pacihc
Coast League
Condemns Proposed Strike
If the expressions above interpret the
true sentiments of President fuitz then
the Fraternity head once more con-
dennis his prospective stlLe OF major
players. -, Co.+
league. which is member Of the Ma
tional Association of Minor League Pro-
fesional Baseball Clubs, how can he,
with fairness. strike at The Natlona!
and American leagues? lie has sald
repeatedly that he has 10 complaint
against the two major leagues. NO
unfairness exists in their treatment OF
players. He intimated the club was 10
be used on the majors simply TO force
them 10 arbitrary action against the
minor leagues.
Il would appear that Class "A
minor league should be the last one OF
all 20 be exempted. How else can such
sentiments be interpreted but as plain
admission from the executive of the
union that The strike is dead and
buried?
Fultz declares he has just heard from
Flack. and that the outeldcr of the Cubs
repudiates an announcement from Chi
cago that he signed a 1917 contract
with Charles WcoChmau. Very fortu-
nately tn loyalty or disioyblty of Flack
either 10 the Cubs or the Fraternity can
make or break either one.
Sid Mercer. the John Anderson of
golf pool. is back from Dover Hall, the
Georgia shooting preserve OF the base
ball magnates.
al left Ban Johnson there Saturday.
said Sid. thoroughly satisfied with life.
but fretful for fear Captain huston had
taken French leave, as he appears to
have done.