The Washington times., 1917-01-26
HERMANN REFUSES
TO BE- ARBITRATOR
Sustains Johnson and Tener In
Severing Relations With
Fultz's Union.
BY JOE villa.

NEW YORK, Jan. 26.-August Herr
mann, chairman of the National Com
mission, has refused to accept an In
formal invitation to arbitrate the
trouble between the players 1nion
and organized baseball
Hermann has not received q d.
rect proposition from the union, but
certain persons who are In sympathy
with the high-salaried diamond stars
recently asked him II he would serve
in this capacity.
Hermann, in reply, says that he In
tends TO back up his fsllov-comnis-
sioners, Ban Johnson and Gov ernor
Tener, who, however, formally severed
all relations with the players organi-
ration.
Nothing To ArbItrate.
Hermann declares that there 10
nothing to arbitrate; that the major
league players have no grievances.
and that the commission has ne au-
thority to force the minor leagues to
yield to the dictates Of the union.
Hermann adds that the commission
always will be ready to consider any
SPECIFIC grievance filed by an individ-
ual player. and that such cases will
be handled with usual fairness. But
Hermann insists that the calling OF
the strike by the union Is q piece Of
injustice which will not be tolerated;
that the big leagues have decided to
refuse further recognition to the play
ers as body, and that q settlement OF
the present rufnpus Is out Of the CUES
ton, unless the strike is called on.
Clubs Are Able.
President Johnson. Of the American
League, declared yesterday that each
major league club Is well able to
handle theNstrike problem. Governor
Tener, president of the National
League, holds a similar opinion.
Ban Johnson and Tener have re-
ceived encouraging reports from
various parts of the firing line,
indicating that the strike is on the
wane. Herrmann's public statement
that he will sustain johnson and
Tener Is particularly gratifying to
the major league club owners.
= It also is q body blow for the
strikers, who were led to believe that
HERMAN would take their end Of
the argument.
Waiting for Decision.
q Meanwhile, the leaders of organized
baseball are patiently waiting to hear
the decision OF the American Fedora
tion Of Labor on the application Of
the players union for a charter.
The magnates say that they will be
greatly surprised II the federation
takes the, players in They point to
the fact that for three years the
players organization manifested in
tense satisfaction with the treatment
accorded by the national commission
and that the appeal to organized
labor was not made until the players
decided to hold a club over the heads
OF their employers. In other words
the players union had no use for the
federation until the magnates refused
to be bulldoZed.
Lack the Influence.
Another important point raised by
the major league club owners Is their
inability to influence the minor
leagues. The big fellows cannot com
pei the little fellows to increase their
expenses.
The minor leagues are tottering ands
refuse to submit to arbitrary sugxes-
lions. Under baseball law they have
the right to conduct business in &C
cordance with their own ideas, and
the major leagues have no jurisdic-
ton
Hence, the unfairness OF the play
ers' union, in holding the majors re-
sponsible for the attitude Of the min
orS.