The Washington times., 1917-01-22
BARNEY DREYFUSS
READY FOR STRIKE
viii Close Forbes Field Before
Yielding to Demands of
the Players.
~ JOE villa.

NEW YORK. Jan. 22.-"seriously,
! believe that baseball would be
benefited by . years iay-oR.' said
Barney Drsyfuss. owner OF the
Pirates. the other day. $50 far a.
am concerned would be willing
TO shut up Forbes Field for the sea
son OF 1917.
I'm fact, will 90 TO that extreme
rather than surrender TO the players
union. Our club has not made q dol
lar for three years. We have been
paying to the players practically all
the money taken In and sometimes
more.
IF there was any justice in the de-
mands Of the union I would be In
favor Of giving q respectful hearing
and granting whatever seemed rea-
sonable. But Il II ridiculous to make
the major leagues suffer because the
minors do not feel able to eoncsde
the requests OF the players organi-
cation
Won't Hold Water.
what are the demands of the un-
ion. anyway? There Is not q single
one Of them that will hold water
The FIRST demand. concerning the pay
ment Of injured players, Is worthless
because such players always have
received salaries In full.
THE second. relating to the imme-
diate release of q minor league player
uncoaditional1y instead OF giving
do at pre:Int, IL unreasonable and
foolish. The players now are paid
for i've days. Perhaps some OF them
want to collect from two clubs at
the same time.
Third One IL Unjust.
The third demand. asking for the
payment OF transportation from
homes to the training camps IL un-
just, 50 far as the minor leagues are
concerned. The majors are able to
do this, but the minors cannot stand
the extra expense and live.
II do not fear the issue. ! can
sign many OF my players right now.
Several have asked for advance
money on this years salary. That
doesn't look as IL they were eager to
remain on strike.
But j will not advance q dollar
i am tired OF being guardian for men
who are absolutely ungrstefuL In
future any player who works for me
will earn what he gets and he won't
get 1t until he has earned IT,"
Carey Forsets Rules.
Max Carey, the Pirates best player.
who was the National Leagues cham
pion base stealer last year. should
become familiar with the intricacies
of baseball law. Carey has notified
Barney Dreyfuss that he IL free
agent because his 1915 contract did
a..
for this year.
In spite of the fact that Carey was
placed on the Pirates reserve list. ne
has been Offering his services to
other National League clubs Under
baseball law, without which the
sport could not be successful, no eluo
in the National League can enter
tain a proposition from Carey with
oyt the consent of the Pirates owner
or course. Carey, under those circum-
stances, has been turned down by the
other clubs in Governor Teners cir
cult.
Carey drew 5000 from the Pitts
bur1h club last year and the same
amount in 1915. He has been hold
ont every time that his contract has
expired. Dreyfuss says that new
So. 900 contract has been sent 10
Carey. and that II he refuses to sign
n he will receive still another con-
tract for less money.
showed Some Hostility.
AT the annual meeting Of the minor
lea-ues In New Orleans recently, the
delegates showed considerable hostil-
ity toward the majors. They framed
up a score of impossible demands, In
Guiding the appointment of new Ma
tIonal Commission.
These demands have been practical
ly denied, but the minors, as usual.
will gamely take their medicine for
the good of baseball. What would
happen II the minor leagues went on
strike and closed their parks?
Why don't they strike, anyway, and
avoid more financial losses? Then,
perhaps. their players would realize
that present conditions are preferable
to idIeness and empty pockets. II
the minor league players were sud
denly thrown out OF employment,
would their major league brothers
pay their living expenses? It's an
Intereating question.