Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-25
BASE BALL MOGU[S
FAIL TO RETRENCH
Few Of the Much Discussed
Economy Measures for
Majors in Evidence.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

Retrenchment, widely heralded as
planned by every owner of major
league club in the American and Ma
tional leagues, thus far has been con-
spicuous by its absence. When it first
became recognized that the United
States was likely to be drawn into the
conflict raging in Europe. stories OF
what the magnates would do in the
way OF cutting expenses for the 1918
season began to appear, and since that
time divers and sundry stories, detail-
| ing the varied and multifarious means
Of protecting their exchequers. contem-
plated by the moguls have been re-
corded in the public prints. The player
| limits were to be reduced from twenty
FIVE in the American and twenty-five in
the National League, to teen; the
playing season was to tz-k D 140
games in five months, spring training
trips curtafled or abolished altogether.
! and aging veterans OF the pastime,
| whose services could be obtained for
| the asking. were to be signed up to re-
place the brilliant youngsters expected
| to be called to war.
In face of these dire predictions, more
money was exchanged in one week for
the acquisition of desirable players
than ever before was spent for athletes
| in such a short space Of time in the
history of the game, s15O.00O changing
hands in the deals that sent Alexander
and Killefer to the Cubs, Strunk,
Schang and Bush to the Red Sox. and
brought Lavan and Shotton to Wash
| ington.
Then the old 154-game schedule was re-
adopted, the player limits left unaltered.
| with tacit understandings that each club
could carry as many men asst saw fiat
] least as regards the American League
and several clubs, including the Indians.
Giants, Phillies and Dodgers. have an
nounced plans for spring training trips
every bit as extensive and: elaborate as
! any they have taken in recent years. Just
mates in drawing up contracts for the
players remains to be seer In this re-
spect q radical departure from the prac-
| tice Of recent years undoubtedly, will be
| taken, but a reduction in the size Of the
athletes envelopes would have ensued re-
CARELESS of the world war, the figures
| written into the documents at the time
the Federal League was factor in base
ball admittedly were out of all proportion
to the worth of the players.
1t hardly can be said that economy has
been the watchword in base ball in prep
farations for the 1918 campaign as far as
they have progressed to date.
! 1t is sincerely hoped that Fred Topey,
star pitcher of the Cincinnati National
League team, will, be able, to clear
O. ~
evade the selective draft law. which
resulted in his arrest at Nashville.
| Tenn. where yesterday he was released
| on $4,000 bail for appearance at the
March term of the federal court, when
| his case will be presented 70 the grand
! jury Jesse Webb. tax assessor of
Davidson county. Tenn, and q member
of the local exemption board there, was
| arrested with Toney on. a similar
charge and released under, bail in the
| same amount.
The charge on which Toney and Webb
| States Attorney Lee Douglas, who has
| been engaged in an Investigation of
| the draft situation in Davidson county
| for a number of weeks.
In the warrants on which they were
apprehended IT is charged that Toney
at the time he registered for the draft
June s, falsely swore that his wife
child, mother and stepfather were sole
ily dependent upon him and that they
were supported by his salary OF Sa,ooo
| a wear. District Attorney Douglas, it
is said, charges that Toney ana nus wire
have been separated for three years
| that Mrs Toney Is employed as tele-
phone operator and that the Reds pre-
| mier HEAVIER has contributed practically
nothing to her support since they CEASED
| to live together. 1t is furfher charged
that other claims for exemption made
Inv Toney are not supported by facts
The charge against Webb is that he
made false affidavit supporting
Toney's statements. At the time OF ar
raignment. following his arrest Toney
refused to make any statement or 70
discuss any angle of his case 49,,
Tonev's friends are confident Ire viii
The able to satisfactorily answer the
charges lodged against him. The pen
aIty for a conviction under the charge
Toney must answer Is one year In
prison, followed by immaculate ihouc-
| ton into Army service