Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-07-15
| HENRY'S AFFIDAVIT
STATES PLAYERS CASE
Sums Up Reasons Why Work or
Fight Order Should Rank
Him With Actors.


John Henry. of the Boston Braves
III the affidavit that he will file witt
the Bridgeton Local Board No, 2d, val
make several interesting points regarding
the position Of basehaIl and the baseball
player The afant will probably, by
inference at least, answer some Of the
statements made by Chairman Dowing,
Of the BOARD, at last week hearing and
contained in a stenographih report taken
nj that hearing
That those who are engaged m baaeball
are IN n theatrical occupation and should
be gwen the same consideration es actors
appearing on the stage indoors, or rs
persons appearing before moving
picture camera. either indoors or or Hoars
will he one Of the contentious of ia
afant He will show. in support of hi-
contention. that y baseball team trgvcis
around tho country, that the railroads
have always gwen to ball clubs the Same
rates as accorded all theatrical co psnles,
that special or theatrical rates are 3ccord-
cd 10 hall pnyers at the hotels, :rd 'b;
The minority of playhouscs extend To
members Of he baseball profession the
snrne privileges Of the pass rs 70
theatrical performers
The afiant viii maintain n he
broader Interpretation 81 th. words
theatrical performer a per-on rrondng
entertainment and amusement = - " .
regarded whether that persn
indoors, upon q stage. or o.itt't
anphitheat like Praycs fn'f8 'lll
assert TINT an athlete, VII IN
exhibition Of his prowcss upon -'agc -
the course of vaudeville lerfoT ,sHnt y
regarded as 3 theatrical perfo mr. he
affiant fnrt rts that i shoa rakc
no difference whcthcr ~" pcr.mG 0ra y
gwen indoor or outdoors rrr
or not such person shall ic rg rs q
theatrical performer. iu ii easo
the individual is furnish as mt
and recreation
RfG ctfT ~ @At.tRr
Tie afFiant will assert the vh.lc here
may &c some question raiscd ecn though
wror ". rs t. whether n haecla'i player
Is 10 be regarded az theatrical performer
that there certainly can lie no question
but that the regulations governing all local
district boards distinctly pr Yic that
no rcglstrant shall bc taken fro Q dc
ferred classification ;lf. IS aoh act.
sui stantIal financial hardship eprked
upon himself, his depcndeIt ur ms
employer
The affiant will assert that I'll, own
salary i very greatly IN excf pf $500
per month during the playii season,
that he Is killed in no other o"rapation
IN which he could reasonably expect or
hope 20 derive even an amount af one
half of what H. now receives from playing
baseball
Aiiiani will say that to compel himself,
As we'll as nine other members Of the
Boston club now within the draft age
To seek other occupations, would mean
that an investment Of upwards of one
million dollars. in Braves Field. in the
club and in the services Of the players.
wouIc become absolutely useless and nom
productive during the entire term Of the
war lie viii also assert that were the
government 10 compel all ball PLAYERS n
the major leagues approximately 200
Of them in all-between The draft ages to
seek other occupation. then this govern
ment would lose the revenue II Is now
deriving from TIRE var tax on major
league baseball which amounts 10 not
much less than 5000 per day, on an
average
Indirectly. 10 other words. it would
cost the government a loss Of revenue Of
81 800 for each man compelled 70 enter
some other occupation. were all major
league PLAYERS To be 80 compelled. ms
revenue to the government. with other
revenues. is essential, in the atlant :
opinion. to the quickest winning Of the
war
He will cite evidence to show that on
the other side. toTneet the requests
from the million u men rhIs country nov
has in service there, that the scores bv
innings of the major league games are
being published daily IN the French
papers Officers of both army and nav
he will assert are OF the beIef that base
ball and It's continuance by the major
leagues Is desirable TO the soldier morale
tinally aihant viii say that il decision
should be that rcglstrant and I'll other
major league players within the draft
ages must cease ball playing, then many
men, at great financial loss to themselves
and dependents would Al once engage
III tbs. occupation that engages them dur
ing the otf-scason, 80 called. Ahant
Will say he knows that many bail players
owning farms and engaged IN agricultural
pursuits who would if the order became
operative, TO seek occupation elSew here
merely go back 10 the farms, but that
their agricultural operations would have
To tte curtailed through lack OF capital,
resulting from the loss OF baseball salaries
hitherto applied to the conduct Of the
farm and 10 meet the expenses OF crop
production and OF improvements.
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