The Washington times., 1917-01-18
UNION Is THROUGH,
SAYS BAN JOHNSON
Organized Baseball viii Have
Nothing More To Do With
Fraternity.
BY JOE villa.

BY JOE villa.
NEW YORK, Jan. 1s.-The an
nouncement by President John5oa
of the American League, that organ
lied baseball lad severed all relations
with the players union was con
frmed by Governor Tener, president
of the National League, today.
cit 10 absolutely true" said the
governor. an future the players Or
ganization viii receive no recognition
from the National Commission or the
various leagues operating under the
national agreement. The National
League il determined to cooperate
with the American League In q night
which involves the control Of the ma
tionaI pastime. The players have
burned their bridges behind them and
they must take the consequences"
President johnson left for Chicago
on the Twentieth Century Limited
yesterday afternoon. had q talk
with him at the wolcott before he
started for the train Big Ban did
not spare the major league players
while discussing the strtks which has
been called and the attempt to enlist
the support and sympathy Of the
American Federation Of Labor.
Unisn L. Dead.
The players union IL dead as far
as we are concerned" said Johnson
mo more hearings will be granted,
no concessions will be made, and tn
players will have to shift for their
selves.
Baseball history shows that the
major leagues have granted prac-
ticalfy all the requests OF the players
in former years, yet the players have
started q strike, though admitting
that they have no grievances Against
the big circuits. This appears TO be
breach OF faith, and you can say that
organized baseball Is through with
the players union for all times.
'If the players appoint q commit
tee to confer with Us there will be
no peace making. We intend to ig-
more the players In future. no matter
what happens This strike business
in hurting baseball, but we can stand
1t as long as the players, perhaps
longer.
Real Motive May out.
Some day the real motive for the
strike order will become known suf-
fee to say, intelligent baseball fans
cannot believe that the major league
players care q rap for the Welfare
of their feIlow-unionists employed
in the smaller circuits
Baseball belongs to the fans- The
club owners are managing the game
for the public.
Mu.f Proteet Game,
at Is our duty to the patrons Of p
baseball to prevent the players from
running riot and to keep the sport
above suspicion. Baseball has suffer-
ed much In recent years, but nearly
all the trouble has been due to the
avarice OF the players. We are GO
Ing to clean up the game this time
20 that the players will realize that
they cannot have their own way.
when the time arrives to send the
various teams South We will be pre-
pared for drastic action Our players
will be peremptorily ordered to report
and IL they refuse thefF places will be
hlled by new men. Then the strikers
will be allowed to flock by them
selves"
Masnates Are Busy.
The big magnates are extremely
busy. They are getting in touch with
their players as rapidly as possible.
1t has been decided to keep secret
names of players who sign contracts
until the teams are ready to leave
for the South. Presidents johnson
and Tener would not deny yesterday
that their leagues had received favor
able replies from players who are
known to be lukewarm in their sym
pathy for the strike call
Both leagues have scouts and secret
agents hustling around to line up as
many players as possible before the
crisis arrives In other words the
do not intend to let the
grass grow under their feet.
They have begun to fight in deadly
earnest but they are ready to make
public official news.
Is Seeking Admission.
Meanwhile, the players union IL Ar
lively engaged in trying to secure adj
to the American Federation Of
Labor. According to story circulated
asst night. the players were unsuccess-.
'ul two years ago when they first Al
empted to enlist the backing Of the A.
?. of L. While President Gompers has
been quoted as saying that he favored
he players strike. ii Is an open aues-
ion whether his organization will finally
decide to recognize the fraternity.
In fact. the talk Of union wages for
he players is believed to have caused
some opposition to the plan TO cut into
he big labor organization. 1t would
be a hard blow for the players IL
new scale Of wages should be fixed So
that outielders would receive a4N
zach: infelders, 5000 each: catcher
z. 100 each, and pitchers. $500 each. Tt.
doubtless would be glad L,
pay such salaries. but the high priced
,tars who are talking about the strik-
,roha hIv vuould kfcLr nvar