New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-16
American Federation OF
Labor to Welcome
Cobb and Speaker
By W. o. McGEEHAN

The downtrodden baseball players
weary Of lorg hours. unsanitary work
ing conditions and the tyranny OF their
masters. men Of the stripe of Bancroft
Johnson and John X. Tener, yesterday
made a move toward attaining the PRIV
ileges and freedom enjoyed by all union
mechanics ana laborer5. The Baseball
Players Fraternity has applied for a
charter in the American Federation OF
Labor.
That the application will he granted
and that union ball players will he
subject to call in sympathetic strikes
seems certain. Samuel Gompers. pres
ident of the American Federation Of
Labor, left New York last night and
is expected 20 hold conference with
David Fultz. president of the Baseball
Players Fraternity, in Washington to-
day.
Will BE Welcome
David Berry, the Pennsylvania lead
err who talked over the matter of tho
baseball players with Mr.. Gompers
before his departure, said: certainly
the baseball players will be welcomed
into the fold Of organized labor on the
same basis "a other workingmen.
There is no dot bt that the Fraternity's
application for 2 charter will be acted
upon favorably.
"Also in the event OF a baseball
players strike. organized labor will
stand behind the baseball players TO
the bitter end. can say that there
are 100000 union men in the State Of
Pennsylvania alone who will back the
union baseball players and who will
-
II was also intimated that reciprocity
might be demanded from the baseball
PLAYERS as a matter Of course. Union
baseball players might upon occasion
be commanded not 10 play in parks
where the grass did not bear the union
label.
Every courtesy that is granted 20
any other union would be granted to
the union baseball players" continued
Mr.. Berry. Naturally. such PLAYERS
who refused to join the union would
be looked upon as scab players and
would be treated as such.
No Scab Baseball
"The unionization of the baseball
players is more serious than their mas
ters believe Ny own city, Pittsburgh.
which is a strong baseball city. is also
A strong union labor city. Let the en-
ployers try to iniict scab baseball on
Pittsburgh and see what will happen.
81 am sure that the players OF at
least fourteen OF the big league teams
will find their positions strengthened
by the afiiliation with the American
Federation Of Labor. Chicago. New
York. Cincinnati. Detroit and Cleveland
would revolt against baseball PLAYED bv
he In "a | 81,
cent Of the persons who patroniZe base
ball are members Of labor unions.
"While the baseball players would be
entitled 10 all the privileges OF other
union workers, they would be subject
70 the same obligations. They would
be subject TO call in sympathetic strikes
and they would be subject to pro rata
assessments
Then you consider baseball players
workers ," Mr.. Berry was asked.
Absolutely" replied Mr.. Berry.
They play for pay and are in the same
category as plasterers, bricklayers and
other skilled craftsmen
Sallee Out in Cold
Once the Baseball Players Fraternity
is admitted into the American Fedora
tion Of Labor Slim Ssllee. who has re-
voted from the fraternity, and other
prominent players who have refused 10
join. automatically become non-unior
players. Good union men like Ty Cobb.
Home Run Baker and Iris Speaker are
restrained from sssociating with them
or from extending them aid or comfort.
The more prominent Of the union
baseball players are just the least
bit fearful OF change in the
wage scale. They fear that in enjoy
ing the same rights as the brick
layers and plssterers they might
be asked TO enjoy the same wage. Ty
Cobb. who gets mere $4,000 per
season without the benefit of the
American Federation. and Iris SPEAK
er. who is struggling along on mere
81 900, are ito who do not care TO