The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-01

salary agreement. The professional gets just what he is worth.
 Therefore. with nothing particular to complain about, the unions have failed for lack of omething to do. The players grow tired of seeing their dues go to pay the salaries of men who either sit in the offices looking important or travel about the country at the expense of the contributors.
 No Real Objections.
 Mind you. l have no objection to baseball unions. Often l have told the players this. l do object, though. to them going ahead without any program that will accomplish some thing of actual benefit to the player. I am a ballplayer at heart, even though l am manager and part owner. My sympathes are always with the player and particularly with the old player whose days on the diamond are done. I think any of them will tell you that l am.
 For reasons that are obvious I will not give names. but it is rarely that a Christmas comes around that l do not have to help some old and indgent player. Not so long ago l had prGpa; ed baskets of food for a former major leaguer's family and took the children downtown and had them clothed. This man was mighty well known in the big league in his day.
 The one great fault with the so- called fraternities is that lot of older men, mediocre at their very best. get together and elect some young man, star, as their head. They take advantage of his position and popularity to keep them in the game. thereby preventing younger men from coming in.
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 No Real Complaint.
 Not so long ago leading mem Der of the present fraternity called on me. He wanted to know if I would confer with him and if I was opposed to the union.
 'I have no objection to the union or to players belonging to it. I told him. "If there is cause for com plaint or if you feel that there is un- fairness or injustice, let's have It. I'll listen."
 He hemmed and hawed for a min ute.
 What have you to complain of?'. I asked. What Is your first aim?"
 Well" he finally admitted. q don't know just yet. But--well. there is the reserve clause"
 The United States supreme court had just decided that the reserve clause was perfectly legal. All base ball men know that it Is really the backbone of the game I told the young man of this. He had not yet heard of the decision. In fact. he didn't know justs what he had called for. except to find out If was hos tile or friendly.
 Right there Is the trouble. They don't know exactly what they are about. They are without definite aim. I sat down and gave this young l mana fine fellow. too-the best suggestion that l had. If they will 1 follow the advice that l offered De- | lieve the baseball fraternity could be 1 made into wonderful institution. 1 would be one of It's most ardent supporters. and I think every other manager and old player would.
 Caring For Veterans.
 The prime motive of baseball union should be to see that the vet erdn prayer when ne 1S dOWn and out Is cared for Very few of them have the foresight to prepare for old age. They have good time while the | good days arc on. When their mus cles begin to slip they find their | pocketbooks Just one or two slips ahead of their muscles. Their sal aries gradually dwindle to nothing. Now. if tho union would devise a plan by which these old timers could be cared for--so there would be no acute distress in old age-then the fraternity would be great and growing institution. It is perfectly practical, The ball player is fully protected in the matter of contract by the commissioner of baseball. The commissioner is even more mindful of the players interest than of the owners, because of his appar- ent helplessness and lack of bushes 5 knowledge. If the player can deliver the goods lie never has complaint about the amount of his salary. II