Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-25
PRESIDENT WILL
NOT FAVOR BALL
KILLING, BELIEF

] and belched forth rain contained a
silver lining for the baseball mag
mates and fandom. The ray of sun
/ shine in the second day of suspense
following the issuance of Provost
Marshal General CTOwder's well
/ known Work or Fight" mandate
was furnished by President Wood
/ row Wilson himself when he for
sock the White house yesterday
and, with Mrs. Wilson, went to
/ the Washington ball park and
threw out the sphere inaugurating
hOstilities between the Senators
and Tigers. 1t was the first time
/ the president had attended a COM
bat since 1916.
The nations chief executive left
his desk that he might further do
his bit in the interest of the Red
/ Cross, which received the proceeds
j of the contest. Always an ardent
! deyOtee of the national pastime, he
! had been prevented by pressure of
business from witnessing a game
during Americas participation in
/ the world war until yesterday, and
{ he seemed to enjoy the brief recre-
alton immensely, according to re-
ports from the capital.
In assuming that the Work or
! Fight edict will not necessarily
mean the closing of all ball parks,
+ but will deprive the various clubs
of athletes within the draft age. the
magnates ventured the belief that
the president will continue to look
with favor upon the playing of
games.
AT the time America entered the
great conflict Wilson issued a state
ment favorably to the continuance
of all clean, wholesome athletics
( something to lift the pressure of
the grim phases of warfare from
/ the minds of the public.
! He put his stamp of approval on
/ the Charge Griffith bat and ball
fund and encouraged the introduce
ton of baseball into camps behind
the firing lines.
/ That the president is for the con-
tinuance of baseball and other ath-
letics is the fir mbelief of the mo-
guls, who are willing to make any
sacrifice to help Uncle Sam put
over the final wallop spelling taps
for the bOche.
Baseball will yield a tremen-
dous sum for the national Golfers
this season in the event the stand
ard daily attendance at games con-
tinues." said Business Manager
Walter Craighead of the Cubs last
night. The ticket tax alone, at a
/ conservative estimate, should net a
half million dollars, and this money
will help swell the war chest There
is no one in baseball who questions
the logic in General Crowder's rul-
ing. as it pertains to all individuals
of draft age who are now engaged
in any field of endeavor which is
not helping to win the war
! but even if the players were
taken in the order of their call for
/ seleCtiye service. or were indicted
into some essential service which
would enable them to do something
/ really substantial for the nation,
/ there would be no need of shutting
! up shop. Talent, under or above
/ the draft age, could be engaged to
keep the baseballs flying and cheer
/ the public"
| Baseball fans yesterday advanced
1 the argument that the game should
! be given an equal right to survive
with theatrical enterprises, which
under Crowder's ruling are permit
/ ted TO go on unmolested 1t was
/ shown that war industries of the
army would gain possibly a hun
dred men by application of this
rule On the other hand scores of
/ youthful thespians would be i'm
mune.
/ Practically every member OF the
[ Cub team has a vocation to which
! he can return should he be ousted
( from the national pastime. A sur
vey of the field yesterday showed
/ that most Of the North Siders who
hail from small towns were farm
ers before blOssoming out as dia-
mond miracle workers. The same
holds in the cases of virtually all
the big leaguers-
The Cubs occupations as given
yesterday follow:
Jim Vaughn-Farmer
Fred Merkle-Farmer
Max F1ack-Stoye maker.
Dixie er-Blacksmith.
Claude Hendrix-Chemist
Charlie HOllocher-No trade.
Turney Barber-Farmer
Nick Carter-Farmer
Phil DOuglas-F'armer
Bill Wortman-No trade.
Bill MEGA be-Chauffeur
Bob OFarreIl-No trade.
Vic dridge-School teacher.
Harry Weaver-Oil worker.
Pete Kilduff-No trade
Charlie Deal-EIectrician-
George Tyler-No trade.