The Washington herald., 1917-01-25
President Of American Fed
Grafton Of Labor Is Still
Considering Application of
Fraternity.
By JOHN A. DUGAN.

Samuel Gompers, president of the
American Federation of Labor. last night
denied the report that the application for
cnarter by the Baseball Players Fra
rrnfty had been declined.
The grand old man OF the labor game
stated that the executive committee of
the A F. Of L were not ready to give
out any official Information on the action
that had been taken in reference to the
rraternitys charter, but that II positively
mad not been denied.
You can say for me that the charter
or the Baseball Players Fraternity IS
stiu under consideration and is a ques-
uon that must be given great deal Of
consideration. The players application
Tor charter Is still under consideration
oy the executive committee, and do not
expect that We will reach decision be-
lore Saturday or the first part Of next
week"
The labor organizations are conducting
thorough investigation of the. players
alleged grievances and their salaries, and
despite the persistent reports that the
A Z. Of L. have turned them down, they
VIII be given every consideration by the
executive board"
The big boom which was handed to the
Fultz clan a few days ago by the re-
port that the charter had been turned
down now bounces back with a big ex-
plosion at the magnates Of baseball.
Although in a recent interview in Chi
caso President Ban B. Johnson. Of the
American League, stated that the baby
'srcutt had a working agreement with
the A +. OF L., and that when Fultz ap-
preached the headquarters Of the AmerI-
can Federation he would find that the
baseball magnates had the harbor Of
headquarters of the A F. Of L. mined
he Of frfandabfn . ha
ent outlook it appears as if the American
Federation OF Labor is lending a help
Ing hand to the "Fultz clam and that
Ban B. has second guess coming.
Recalling the revolt Of the brotherhood
players in 1880, 1t would seem that the
present strike OF the Players Union has
absolutely no chance to succeed.
The players today are divided. Some
OF them are under contr, ct and will play
ball. The others cannot hold out long
when they realize that their comrades on
the field are drawing liberal salaries.
When he Brotherhood was organized
by leading stars, including John NJ Ward,
Buck Ewing. Tim Keefe. Mike Kelly, and
Ned Hanlon, the players not only had
genuine grievances. but also were not re-
ceivtng big salaries. The decision to
strike was called after the Brotherhood
had secured financial hackers in prac-
ticaIly all the National League cities.
Ball parks were built and more than s.
per cent of the players deserted the old
circuit. The public, at first in sympathy
with the Brotherhood, soon lost interest
in the fight because conflicting games
were played each day. At the end of the
season of 1890 the hackers Of the Brother
hood, convinced that baseball slavery did
not exist, made peace with the National
League magnates and threw the players
overheard. but not before several stars
had turned their backs on the so-caIled
union because they had chances to re-
turn to the fold for large salaries
The National League won that memo
raole fight because the club owners filled
the places Of the Brotherhood strikers
with young recruits and thereby reduced
expenses. The present strike can be
beaten by employing the same tactics
But sensible major league players, who
realize that they have been placed in a
trying predicament, will not remain out
in the cold.