Evening star., 1917-01-14
END Of FRATERNITY
APPEARS imminent
Union of Base Ball Players
Seems Doomed, at Least
as Now Constituted.
LACKS SUPPORT OF PUBLIC
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

Unless all signs fail, the players
fraternity is doomed. That it will
not long continue in existence as
now constituted is assured. at any
rate. The issuance by President
Fultz OF his strike ultiInatunl
marks the beginning or the end
for his regime, and that the Or
ganization will be able to with
stand the pressure brought to
bear by the leaders of organized
base ball may we'll be doubted.
Public opinion is the factor
which decides all such issues as
the present controversy between
the fraternity and the owners, and
in the present instance it is not
believed the PLAYERS will have
much sympathy from the public.
The fans know the players have
been treated fairly, in many in
stances better than they deserved
II the players were contending for
some reform vital to their welfare the
situation never would have reached the
point it now has. where a clash seems
imminent. Public opinion would have
forced the concession demanded by the
men, such is not the case, however.
What Fultz proposes to do is to use
The ma for aaeue nlavers az . c,ub with
Which 10 intimidate the national COM
mission and force 1t to grant to the
minor league PLAYERS their demands
$1,000
io' s"~ same Seeo os"ieioh ho" aceoroeu
players in tn majors. II must be ap-
parent. even TO Fultz. that the minor
Ie,oue o,n.. M. en,ro,.,1, .h,.
TO meet the obligations the big league
owners have assumed. Base ball in
,he bushes ;s ,rcan.h,a h,s;n.ss
oi sNins ene returns on the invest
ment that IL does IN urban centers
no one knows this better than Fultz,
Het ne persists tnat there De no diner
nee IA ,ne care taken OF the players,
~nether they play IN Hicksville or are
members OF world champion team
Il predict FuI.z viii ,ose hi. 6,bt be-
cause il is an unjust one: hi. demanS.
De,t nsds ~ss,sra.r -, &c. Cr,Tth
How snv one co,iS .Hnsc, nnafnr
League hall nIavers 10 i~onsrdiza their
welfare bv engaging in a struesie over
eomethiny that does NOT concern them
a. bard ,o nnder.tand' he ,ddsd ..rbe
P,avers. Fr.ternitv v,;,i not have the
Support of the major lea que PLAYERS
but il could not succeed in obtaining
the concess,ons 4. den,ands even IN II
aI5
.or ~, .h. o,,s~,. ~ ,h. n,ovam.n+
e. N oh,ain navmenf nv thu minor
ye,1ue cIuhs ~ tba fraveiin1 exnenses
~ shs nisyers to ara from tbeir homes
and the training camps. with the big
sho,,, e. ooo II cos,s inst as
r,nrh ~ ,ransnort a hnsber az II does
W.. " ,enn.n rh. b;n i.se,ss can
.gord ,o AZ this hut ,Ss minor league
sHoro 10 oo 'nis' ou' the i"-oi
.r S1..o, ,,o ,;,,,. ,.1,o,yz OILY los,
~ Thnr 80 Lsn+ dou.n ~ he'd
49,; .E1n;,S and
AOSh o. ~ 80, ,,s1a,aa -
scraplns mos. VI M" III 20 .ha tacsJ
heeP kous 60 ana hafora the
Al eApenutu ,,ISr,, e,.sn s,ar.
pDSi5, parrow .aid the m
ternationai LEAGUE "ouiI nh,.a
year stIihe, ma ~ ra,nor iea eue
out many ansi-s ~ , n, -, - 10 nl
situatioh, ne miea' an, ~, :hnr ,;nor Ieague
on u th&t az 'ne o.h IL -, ~
owners teei tue sdi"e ""'
. .,,.,,,, IN MA
inat ruiz MtenuS eno. - e nt
his trump caro- is ihoIcateo ~ ~"
that meetihes OF hehho oeis y. .to ~.
ers FRATERNITY IN Naus 81 ,t;s
1he country nave oesn caleo III
week. Players III ChIGaso ;t,
ceived notices 10 altenu
meeting IN that city ioesday' anu