Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-07-27
Secretary Baker An
nOunces Decision
On Friday
SAYS RULING
SHOULD NOT
STOP GAME
Declares Purpose of Work or
Fight Order is to Strengthen
Military Forces and Not to
Control Labor Situation
Results Win Be Indirect But
of Great Importance

Washington. July 2t.-Secretary
Baker today decided that the ,y,,k
or fight regulations Will not apply to
baseball players until Sept. j. TIE
ruling means that professional base
ball players Of draft age will h.tve
until Sept. l 20 find essential occu-
pations or go in the army. The base
managers asked to make the time
Oct. l.. The time fixed by the secre :
tary is five weeks short Of the fin
ish Of the major league season.
The secretary's decision pointed
out that the baseball managers had
been able to show only 237 pIa gcrs
vino would be affected by the order
So as to give ample time for read
jGstment. Mr. Baker said ,c would
fix the date at Sept. J. The winning
Of the war, he emphasizes was tie
task before the country.
Secretary Bakers order, in the form
Of a memorandum for the provost mar
shat general follows:
"A petition has been filed for an ex-
tension of time within which profession
al baseball players shall seek essential
or productive employment and the or
der asked is one which will extent IN
til Oct. Is, 1918. AS grounds for this re-
quest il is alleged that there are but 237
persons affected by the so-called work
or fight orders, bat that in spite of this
-.
the immediate breaking up Of the entire
game.
1T is further said that the notice is
too short to allow the leagues to adap.
themselves to the ruling, and that the
failure Of the clubs to adapt themselves
to the ruling is due to the fact that the
secretary OF war caused it to be known
through the newspapers that the ques-
ton of the application Of the order tn
baseball players would not be decided
until an actual case arose.
"A hearing has been held on this sub
iect by the provost marshal general,
who reports to me that It is not clear
to him that the game will have 10 be
discontinued even if tho order is made
Immediately applicable.
The purpose of the work or fight or
der. so far as the war department is
concerned is to strengthen the military
forces of the country and not to control
the labor situation. Incidentally it will
undoubtedly have the effect Of adding
to the number Of persons usually en-
ployed ana decrease the number of per-
sons usually unemployed In this way
the order Will strengthen the military
forces by making 1t less necessary to
exempt for ndustrials reasons men who
would otherwise he taken into the mill
tary service. This Is an indirect result.
but one of very great Importance. and il
exceptions are made or postponements
are to be made in the enforcement Of
study to determine whether those ex-
ceptions ought 70 be the persons in
whose behalf this petition is filed or
some other group out of the large num-
Der affected by the order many OF
which have already complied with It
and brought about readjustment OF
the trades and occupa tons which they
had previously followed.
Il think it would he m unfortun-
ate thing to have so wholesome o
recreation as baseball destroyed il it
can be conducted BY the use Of per-
sons not available for essential war
service. But it would be a much
more unfortunate thing to preserve
Continued on Page S, Column 81