The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-01-07
GOVERNING BODY OF GAME DEFINES THEIR STATUS AS TO AYERS
No Free Agents is the Rul ing As to Players-Defer
 Draft Question.

Cincinnati. Jan. - Requests for changes in the draft provision of the national agreement, as well as that concerning optional agreements. on baseball players, made by a commit tee from the National Association of Baseball Clubs were the chief busi ness before the National Baseball Confusion here yesterday. Following the presentation of the requests by A. L. Tearney, president Of the Three-I League and chairman of the committee, the commission promised to see that tho matter was presented before the joint meeting of the National and American Leagues i! at New York on Jan. 16, but refused : to statew neither they would be in | dorsed or disapproved.
 The National Commission did not 1 holG any election yesterday. Chair mar August Hermann in his annual i address recommended that reor- ] gauization be deferred until after the 1 joint meeting of the two leagues or until one of several ideas relative to ! a reorgantZati ton of the commission 1 or q substitution of one-man com mission could be definitely deter rniEed
 Before the commission adjourned sine die, the following notice was is sued:
 Status of Players. The commission has received in quiTies as to their status from several rational agreement naH players, who before the completion of the full term of their 1918 contracts were given their releases and now contend that they are free agents. .,
 This action by the various ma tional agreement clubs was taker with the sanction of the nationa commission because of the strict en. forcement by the federal governmen of it's work or fight order
 "All national agreement player! are notified that the priority of theil respective 1913 clubs to reta.n then for this season. as reserved by tht various clubs, will be respected in or i der that the organization o2 majo, ! and minor leagues and the equipmen of their respective clubs may be re tained and the resumption of tn game can be effected withoat i'm rairment of the interests Of clubs O. i players"
 The committee from the |ationa Association was the only body tha presented anything to the rommis sion yesterday and the remainder o the session was taken up in consid cring the years budget and othe minor matters.
 The schedule committee of :ne Ma tional and American Leagues, con sisting of President John Heydler, 0 the National; President B. E John soE. of the American, and Barne Dreyfuss, of the Pittsburgh clgb, wi Told a meeting today and take u their problems where they wer forced to leave off at French Lie Springs, Ind, owing to the absenc of Mir Dreyfuss.
 Chairman August Hermann. in hi annual report, said:
 T do not deem it advisable to dis cuss suggested changes in the con
 position or prerogatives of ths con mission, or amendments to the na tional agreement in advance of tn conference soon to be held EAtwee
 the major leagues and National AS sociation representatives.
 "1nasmuch as there is a divergenc I of views between the two parties
 the first part to the national agree
 inent, as to the continuation of th commission as constituted, aud tn
 qualification of it's chairman, or tt
 substitution therefor of a one-ma tribunal, I strongly recommend tk, the election of officers be deferre i until an agreement has been rcache = on these points, which in my juds
 meth will be arrived at the tonfe
 ence on Jan. 16."