The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-04-11
Internationals Plan To Tn wade Providence Cast to Wind By Refusal to Sell Franchise.
.rAF,F CORRESPONDENT.

By A STAFF CORRESPONDENT c PRINGFUEID, MASS, April Il A| When the sun dawned on this beautiful municipality today there arose one gentleman from his com fortable bed in the Cooley hotel to whom such an event meant absolutely nothing. With the rising of the sun he started his 1OO-mile automobile ride back to the city he calls home.
 The gentleman referred to is none other than Benjamin P. Moulton, president of the Providence, Eastern League club and Police Commissioner of the Rhode Island capital. He was far from being a happy man. He had come to this. city yesterday pur- posely to attend the first pow-wow of the Eastern League. He came with @ bankroll that was enough to tempt any man.
 But he carried back the roll with him. Not a nickle of 1t did he spend. The other moguls would not permit him. They advised him to save it, fer he will need it for the Providence club this season. Person ally, Police Commissioner Moulton would have preferred spending that money as he had planned to spend it
 To see that he spent it wisely he took an escort along with him. He was none other than Michael J. Lynch, prominent Rhode Island law yer, member of Governor Beeckman's staff, secretary of the Providence club, politician extraordinary, and a former Brown University and Pittsburgh National star finger. Mike, too, would have been much happier today had Ben been allowed to spend that much
 But the league would have
 none of that. While President
 MouIton and Secretary Lynch
 were arg11lng with the Eastern
 League mogu1s-pleading that
 they permit him to withdraw
 from the Eastern League so that
 Providence might again return to
 it's first love-the International
 League Governor Beeckman
 was signing the Sunday baseball
 bill. The moguls listened at
 tentfve1y to his p1eadings and
 were about to sympathize and
 grant him the request. when this
 message arrived. With it's ar
 rival the sentiment and attitude
 of the league changed and Moul-
 ton was politely informed that
 the F. L. intends keeping Provt-
 dence in the league.
 ''But gentlemen" said MT. Moul- ton, eft Is shame to force a big city like Providence to remain in the Eastern League. It is outrageous. We simply won't stand for it."
 q am very sorry, MT. Mou1ton," replied MT. O'Neil but the future of the Eastern League must be consider ed. If it was good enough for Provt- dence during war time, it is good enough for your city today. We have made up our mind and we will keep Providence in the league. No propo- sition to eliminate 1t as such will be considered"
 But I'll give s5,oOo fiat cash. Right now, too," said MT Moulton, as he studied the expression on the faces of those about him. But none stirred. Their president had given the verdict and 1t was final. Ben's roll held no temptation for them.
 With his case lost, Commits
 sioner Moulton sat down in his
 chair and thereafter acted as one
 of the Eastern League family.
 But he was uneasy and had
 nothing to say to the magnates
 regarding what steps his club
 would take now that 1t will be
 impossible for it to secure Inter
 national League representation
 without the latter circuit violat-
 ing the territorial rights clanse
 in the agreement existing among
 organized baseball leagues and
 clubs.
 While the Eastern Leaguers gave their decision in regards to the Prov idence question, the situation is far from cleared. Today Mir. Moulton in formed The Times correspondent that Providence will never stand for Eastern League baseball" He added: 'Tt is suicide to attempt to play Eastern League ball in Providence The fans there do not want it. Per