The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-07-20
BASE BALL IS
NOk-ESSElTIAL
Decision Sounds Oea h KneIl
TO Big Leagues.
MANY STARS MUST GUT
Secretary Baker Announces Work or
Fight" Order Includes the National
Game,


Washington. July 20.-Base ball
players must work or fight"
Secretary of War Baker, annnunc-
Ing his decision in the appeal of Ed
die AnSm!th. of the Washington club.
ruled thai base ball is non essential
employment, and that those H..t.iH
the draft age who are engaged in it
either must seek some work contrib
uting to the success of the war or
enter the service.
L have decided that the work or
fight regulations, include base bal" :"
said Mr. Baker in announcing his de-
cisiOn.
The ruling will sound the death
knell of professional base BAL for the
duration of the war. inaSmuch as but
Il small percentage of the players are
not of the draft age.
The secretary also expressed thc
opinion that the draft regulation
should be changed so as to include all
persons engaged solely in cn ertain-
ing without the work or fight proviS.
Ions.
IN answer to the three main points
of the appellants contention for de-
ferment. the secretary made three
answers, as follows:
base ball players differ in no
way from civilians, so far as the war
Is concerned.
80 long as base ball men are of
exceptional physical training, dex-
terity and skill. why should they not
turn their attention to occupations
that are productive in this time of
national stress?
3-Base ball is a sport in no way
necessary tn the winning of the war.
and industries that should be nurSed
are those that are necessary TO the
national existence
Il am of the opinion" Baker stat
ed, that the regulation in question
should not be changed, but rather that
the scope Of its provisions should be
enlarged as to include other classes
of persons whose professional occupa-
tion is solely that of entertaining.
"Our people will be resourceful
enough to find other means of recrea-
tion and relaxation if there be not
enough persons beyond the useful
military or industrial age to perform
such functions, and they will be wise
and patriotic enough not to neglect
the recreation necessary to maintain
their efficiency merely because they
are called upon in the obvious public
interest to sacrifice favorite form of
amusement.
"The appeal is denied. and the or
der of the local and the district boards
lin the Ainsmith case) is affirmed
''It may well be that all of the
persons who attended such outdoor
sports are not in need of them. But
certainly a very large preponderance
Of the audiences in these great ma
tional exhibitions are helped physi-
cally and mentally, and made more
efficient, industrially and socially, by
the relaxation that they there enjoy"
Baker said.
But the times are not normal. the
demands of the army and of the cOun-
try are such that we must make all
sacrifices and the non7productive en-
ployment of able-bodied persons, use
full in national defense either as mill
tary men or in the industry and COM
merce of our country, cannot be just
fled
"The country will be the best sat
isfied if the great selective process
by which our army is recruited makes
no determinations among men except
those upon whom depends the preser
vat:on of the buSipeSS and industries
of thc country essential TO the sue
cesSful prosecution of the war