The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-12-01
DRAFT WAR
SINNERS
AGAIN
Harry Nelly opines That sys-
tenn Of Acquiring Play
ers Is Best.
By HARRY NELLY.


CHICAGO, Dec. Much fuss
ing now is in progress concern
ing the baseball draft. This
became the annual custom when
the old national agreement was
ditched in favor of the consti.
tuition md by laws which set
Z. M. Lends into the office of
commissioner.
There are five nondraft
league and all of the off-season
fussing centers in them. One
faction IN the Pacific Coast
League is in favor of returning
TO the draft. The American As
ISOLATION and the international
League are steadfast in refusing
to subscribe, while the owners
OF the Three-I and Western are
being peged for an expression of
opinion by President Al Tearney.
The u nallyfiaI agreement de-
clare ed in S preamble as one OF the
objects OF its existence:
Promotion Of the welfare of ball
players as ,ss.ss by developing
and I,e9facting them in their pro-
fession and enabling them to secure
adequate compensation for expert
ness"
The new agreement provides FOR
appeal to Commissioner Lands in
matters involving breach of con-
tract and excessive disciplining on
the part of club owners. But the
draft was 0nfionai
Under he old scheme q young
AL player working In minor
league wak sure TO get a big
leagnC trial at the earliest possible
moment because he was drafted
rs soon as he became expert.
Now, IL he be employed in q
nOladraff league, he must remain
there until some major club owner
offers the price established by the
minor proprietor. He may be
doomed for Iife-all at the option
Of his original employer. He may
be worthy of major league EN-
playment, but he must remain in
the bushes until purchased.
There is another feature of the
nondraft situation which works tu
the IL OF the ball player. The ma
tors, in sending hack youngsters for
seasoning. Jump them over the
Class IA leagues into organizations
from which they may DE recalled
Often a Lad capable of playing il
the American Association or the Pa
cific Coast League is relegated T.
come Class A or B circuit where
he cannot make as much money a.
he would obtain in the higher clas
etfication.
Manifestly this is not just 10 the
athlete. He is compelled to sign q
peculiar contract involving perpetu
tty through the reserve clause BY
which he Is held from year to year
Commissioner lands had this IN
mind two years ago when he told
the minor magnates that they were
not just to their employees. How
ever, such vast sums had been paid
Class AA clubs for budding talent
that the minors turned a deaf ear
The sO-caIled Lasker plan by
which Judge Lands was nut into
office was adopted at q time when
baseball was skating on thin ice.
The war was over and nobody
could predict what would happen.
Everybody was afraid of every
body else. Efforts to revise the
rules have met with strenuous
opposition.
The draft should be re-established
the majors paying a substantial
sum to men they select. It is mo-
Just to compel a young ball player
70 continue on employment les
profitable than he might have else
where. After all, 1t is the ball
player who is the most importan
cog in the national pastime. Fo
signing away his perpetual right t,
make a contract where he please
he should be permitted to adyanc
with all possible sneed