The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-20

WdSulnBlOnI July 6U-bdSeDdh IS a non-productive and, non- essential industry. Ball players of draft age are hit by the work or fight" order; they must shift into essential indus tries or lose such deferred classifca- ltions in the draft as they have re- ceived through dependencies and other reasons.
 Such was the decision of Newton D. Baker, Secretary of War, yester- day, in the appeal of Edward Ain smith, catcher of the Washington team of the American league.
 The opinion was also expressed by Secretary Baker that the draft rules, so far as was concerned the work or fight" order, should be altered to include all persons engaged solely in entertaining.
 Summarizing his statement, the Secretary held 1t is far from certain that complete Reorganization of the baseball enterprise will follow, as so many players are beyond draft age.
 Ship Leagues to Thrive
 The decision is regarded in base ball circles as tantamount to the dis banding of organized baseball for the duration of the war. While many ball players are beyond the draft age, it is said there are not enough left to furnish the brand of baseball ma jor league patrons demand, and base ball next year probably will be fur nished largely by semi-prVessional leagues.
 However, the rush of baseball play CTS to leagues similar to the Steel in the Middle West, and the Shipbuild- ing leagues on both the East and West coasts, may give those leagues teams of strength almost equal 10 the class A leagues, or the American As sociation and the Pacific Coast league, and afford such territory fai1 ball playing.
 The Ainsmith case went up to the secretary on appeal from the local board in division g of the District of Columbia. He had been placed in Class, previous to the work or fight" order. The local board order ed him to appear to show cause why he should not be reclassified and placed in Class 1, because of the na- ture of his occupation. His deferred classification had been granted be. cause of the dependency of his wife and child.
 Ainsmith and representatives O. organized baseball appeared and pre- sented arguments against the reclas sification, but the board held tha the occupation of a baseball playei is non-productive in the sense of tn, regulations, and ordered that Ain smiths deferred classification be re voked.
 match than against Miss Winn ant
 Baker Upholds Board
 The case was appealed to the dis trict board for the District of Colum bia, which sustained the local board and was then appealed to the Score tary of War.
 The section of the regulation bearing on the case of ball players is Persons, including Qshers an other attendants, engaged and occu pied in and in connection wit games, sports and amusements," etC The Secretary of War says:
 Obviously, baseball players ar persons occupied in a sport, so tha . the ruling of the local and distric boards must be sustained as plainl correct
 He points out, however, that tn appeal was not so much on the bas of the regulations as an appeal fu the change to exclude baseball play CTS from their operations. The argu ments on this were three fold:
 Arguments for Continuance
 That baseball is business which large investments of mone have been made, involving the eret tion of properties. useless and unprt fitable unless permitted to continl in the use for which they were cree ed; and that the application of tl rule to professional baseball playe would so disorganize the business to destroy it and render this proper valueless.
 The situation of profession baseball" the Secretary ruled this argument, differs in no wi from other civilian peace time bu! ness which, by reason of the stre of war and its demand upon the dustries and energies of the count must be content to bear whatev burden is imposed by temporary i activity" He points out the fact tn many ball players are over draft a and that it is possible organized bas ball may be continued.
 2-That the occupation of the pl fesstonal baseball player requires very high degree of specialized trat ing and skill, procurable only by substantially exclusive devotion of t time of persons aspiring to beco1 professional ball players, so that tht is not much likelihood of such plf CTS having any other available ocC patton or fitness for any other ocC patton at all adequate in it's return maintain for themselves and tn families the standards of living wh has been established on their ca, ings in their professional occupatio
 Can Find Occupations
 ed as follows:
 Baseball players are men of usual physical ability, dexterity z alertness. It has been necessary us in this country to institute D cesses of rapid industrial traini and it is quite inconceivable that equations cannot be found for tn men which would not only reli them from the onus of non-prod tive employment, but would mt them productive in some capa, highly useful to the nation. I change will be welcomed by the dividuais involved, and It's usefulr to the country, both direct and ii rect, is obvious"
 The third argument was the one