The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-24
Arrange Conference With General Crowder in Capi- tol on "Work or Fight" Order and Are Ready to Plead Their Case.

New York, July 24---This is the day when the fate of real big league base ball for 1918 at least and possibly for the duration of the war, will be de- cided. Major Gen. Crowder will re- ceive the brief of the National com mission this afternoon and has prom 1sed that he will make recommend ation to Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, when he has received it.
 What ground there Is for the gem eral belief that this recommendation will be of a nature to allow baseball stars of draft age to continue at the game for the remainder of the season was not made clear yesterday. Per haps 1t sprang from the orders sent out on Monday to American League clubs to continue to play their sched- uled games, the argument being that those in control of baseball knew something" on the side or these or ders wouldn't have been issued. There is certainly nothing in the news from the national capital to in dicate that General Crowder has pre- judged the case, and that he will rec ommend the modification of the Ba- ker decision so that draft boards may allow men under their Jurisdiction
 
 working or fighting. There may be another disappointment in store for the baseball owners, despite the op- timism prevalent.
 With league officials and club pres tdents hurrying to Washington for tn session today and with ball players secretly preparing for headlOng jumps into the shipyard circuits. if the de- cision is against the club owners, things were in ferment in baseball circles yesterday.
 The National League teams were all moving East and will open East vs West series in the four Atlantic coast cities of the circuit this afternoon.
 The American League leaders, the Boston Red -Sox, left Boston with a full staff of players to open the West ern series of the team in Chicago to- morrow. The New York Yankees are scheduled to leave tonight, to meet Cleveland tomorrow. If the Wash ington decision is adverse to the big leaguers many of the Yankee players may not start, as seven are reported to have received tempting offers from shIpyard teams on Monday, and three men are alleged to, have signed ten tative agreements already. They do rot want to go West and have to make the long journey back if their draft boards purpose sending them notifications to work or fight at once.
 The Baltimore Try Dock and Ship building company, according to ad- vices from Baltimore yesterday, have made big offers to Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and George Sisler. If they all accepted the ball fans of the country T, ( 4J,o Chesapeake.
 The contention of the National Commission to Gen Crowder will be that the number of men who will be affected by the work or fight ruling would be sufficient to disorganize the business that that fair play demands 8 reasonable time to meet the new conditions. The question of hardship to the men involved through loss o1 money in the change of employment they may have to make will also bt considered. In this connection the spreading of reports of big offers" by ship and steel leagues will not do great deal of good.
 The National League club owners and presidents met yesterday in Pitts burgh and decided to go to Washing ton with the American Lea guers fo the conference with Gen. Crowder ant representatives of the War Depart ment,
 The owners discussed the order ant its effect from every angle and ex changed views as to the advisabilit, of going on or going up" If tn decision today is adverse.
 Some were for closing down an some for keeping open, but no detinit decision was reached. That will com later if it has to come at all.
 In the meantime everybody who anybody in baseball is marking tim and IDDing.