New-York tribune., 1918-07-20
Secretary Bakers Statement

Secretary Bakers Statement
WASHINGTON, July 19.-1n passing
upon the appeal from the distric
board, which had approved decision
Of the local board, Secretary Baker
said:
The language of the regulation
pertinent here occurs in Paragraph
c, Of Section 121-K, as follows:
"Persons, including ushers and
other attendants engaged and occu-
pied in and in connection with games,
sports and amusements,' etc.
"Obviously, baseball players are
persons occupied in sport, so that
the ruling of the local and district
boards must be sustained as plainly
correct.
ut is suggested, however, that the
regulations ought to be changed to
exclude baseball players from their
operation, and this appeal is not
really based upon any doubt as to
the correctness of the determination
made by the local and district
boards, but is addressed to the wis
dom of the regulations.
"The arguments in this behalf are
three in number:
II. That baseball is a business in
NhASH NCAy AuIEC investments OF
money have, been made, involving the
erection of properties, useless and
Improbable unless permitted to be
continued in the use for which they
were erected; and that the applica-
tion of the regulations to members
of professional baseball teams would
so far disorganize this business as
to destroy it and render this prop
erty temporarily valueless.
"2. That the occupation of a pro-
fessional baseball player requires a
very high degree of specialized train
ing and skill, procurable only by
substantially exclusive devotion Of
the time of persons aspiring to be-
come professional players, so that
there is not much likelihood of such
occupation or fitness for any other
occupation at all adequate in its re-
turns to maintain for themselves and
their families the standard of living
which has been established on the
earnings in their professional occu-
pations.
"33. That baseball has been accept
ed as the national sport of the people
of the United States. that it affords
wholesome outdoor relaxation and
enjoyment to large numbers of the
American people, and is to many
workers and business men of the
UNITED States almost the only oppor-
tunlty Tor such recreation, SO that
to bring about the cessation of pro
fesslonal baseball would work a So
cial and industrial harm far out of
proportion to the military loss in
vowed by the exemption of the lin
tied number of players in question.
Upon each Of these grounds sepa-
rate comment is appropriate.
AS to the first: The situation of
professional baseball in no wise diff
fers from other civilian peace-time
business. which, by reason of the
stress of war and its demands upon
the industries and energy of the
country, must be content to bear
whatever burden is imposed by tenn
porary inactivity. While the num-
Der OF men affected by the order
may be sufficient to disorganize the
business, many Of the players arc be-
yond the present draft age, and it is
Dy no means certain that complete
dlsorganization Of the business would
FOLLOW adherence to the order as
made.
"As to the second: Baseball plav-
ers are men of unusual physical
ability, dexterity and alertness. It
has been Necessary for us in this
country to institute processes Of
rapid industrial training, and it is
quito inconceivable that occupations
cannot be found by these men which
not only would relieve them from
the onus Of productive employ
mcnt. but would make them produc
tive in some capacity highly useful
to the nation. This change will be