Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-16
PLAYERS DO NOT
Want A STRIKE
Minor Leagues May Have TO
Make Fight Alone
MAJORS FILLING UP RANKS


Forcing Masnates to Increase Sala.
ries-owners Not Pressing Players to
Sign Contracts.
Minor league players affiliated with
the Players fraternity and pledged to
support Dave Fultz in his strike move.
meut against organized baseball will
have 10 carry the brunt of battle
against the club owners II the major
league players continue to show their
disapproval OF the threatened strike
and sign contracts. Many OF the big
league players who are members of the
fraternity have already signed against
the order Of President Fultz. while
many Others have announced publicly
aud privately that they are not in sym.
PATTY with the strike movement and
viii sign just as soon as they can come
to satisfactory agreement with their
employers on the salary question.
Ii is simply case Of playing politics
with some of the players They are
using the fraternity order MS an excuse
for not signing their contracts with
the hope that the club owners will be-
come frightened and raise the ante Il
bit In order TO induce them 10 put their
naUeS 10 n contract. So far, however.
there appears TO be no evidence on the
part of the owners that they will
weaken in their stand, and the result Is
that quite number of players have
Wayered and sent in their contracts
with the request that their names be
kept secret untA the present differences
are adjusted. 1t might be interesting
to Mr.. tultz If he knew just how many
members Of the fraternity have cN-
pressed their disapproval of his strike
threats and have notified the club own
ers that they will sign when the proper
tine comes
The major league players are begin
ming to realize the futllity of waging
war against the club owners. Presl-
dent fultz has declared that all meln-
bers Of the order are in sympathy with
the minor league players aud their de-
mands and have pledged themselves to
hold out with the little fellows until
the minor league association is willing
to grant these requests. But, while the
major league players may be heartily
in favor Of the minor league men get
ting all they can from the club owners.
they do not see why they should make
a fight which cannot succeed and lose
money themselves by SO doing.
\ few players have expressed them
selves AS being in sympathy with
Eultz and his strike movement and
have declared they will not report in
the spring until the matter Is adjusted
lii manner satisfactory tn both sides,
but the majority of the players who
have not signed are holding off with
the expectation of receiving n little
more money for signing. AS Il matter
Of fact, the club owners have not
pressed the players to sign the con
tracts sent to them this season, They
realize what 1t means for player who
is member of the fraternity to sign a
contract at this time whether or not
lie signed the pledge to hold out until
given permission. They know what it
means to be ridden by the other play
ers during the season and realize that
their men can avoid this by holding or
until the very last moment.
1t is to he expected that the players
who are not satisfied with their con
tracts will use the fraternity's order
about signing without permission as
as an excuse, but with large number
Of players already under contract and
defectiOns from the ranks almost every
day. in addition to the statements from
well known major league players that
they are not in sympathy with the
that the minor league players can de
pend upon very strong support from
their brothers In the big leagues. 1t Is
fully expected that before Feb. 20, the
udlc SET lbT lUt ltsl VI llt uliioI
strength, rolls around there will be
some amicable adjustment of the trou-
bic so that the season will open as
usual on schedule time.
II there is not some settlement
reached it is going to be bad year for
baseball. The public has had its fill Of
factional differences in baseball, and,
while it Is freely admitted that there
are some cases in which the player IL
there are far more In which
he IL receiving more money than he is
worth, 50 that It Is matter for the
player and owner to adjust without the
patron Of the sport being forced to lis h
ten to the argument. According to
President Fultz, the minor league play \
er Is much abused and undergrad, and 4
the minor league club owner declares 4
II Is impossible to grant the demands I
Df the fraternity. but so far as the ma. \
jor leagues are concerned the players /
have received all they have asked and
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