Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-10
MUST ACCEPT It,
BIG MINORS TOLD
Attitude of Some Officials of
Little Fellows Gives Indi-
cation of Fight.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
~ HICAGO, July 10.-A new front
in the base ball wars took form
Y 4 today as the three big" minor
leagues and two smaller cir
cults considered an ultimatum from the
American and National Leagues which
demanded that the minors either accept
the universal draft or hunt alone for
players.
In their first midseason joint meeting
yesterday, American and National
League club owners approved a resolu-
ton that all player relations with the
three class AA leagues-the Interna-
tional, Pacific Coast and American As
sociation-the Three-I League, a class
organization, and the class A Western
League be severed December /, 1880,
unless the latter agree to become SUBJ
ject to the universal draft. The drastic
step means that the major leagues will
release no more players to the minor
groups involved or buy any players from
them.
From the Pacific Coast, officials OF
the San Francisco club said they would
not submit to the universal draft with
out battle.
George A. Putnam, secretary of the
Seals, characterized the edict of the
major leagues as IAN autocratic move
that will not be foisted off on us with
out fight"
Final say in the situation" Putnam
said, rests with the Pacific Coast
League as whole, but we have taken
up the challenge now. The working
agreement Ga modified draft agreement)
we have had with the majors for the
past several years has been satisfactory
and we feel that any attempt to revise
1t to the benefit of the big league clubs
is an injustice"
Dale Gear, president of the Western
League, called the action merely q
move on the part of the majors to get
complete control Of base ball.
ut simply is peg on which to hang
lot of trouble" Gear said. THE right
of selection means nothing, as so few
players are drafted, and the purchase
price generally is much more than the
draft price"
Hickey Of A. A. Calm.
President Thomas j. Hickey of the
American Association expressed sur
prise at the action of the major league
owners, but would make no comment
on the probable attitude of the direc-
tors of his league.
Mr.. Hickey, however, said the problem
would be discussed at a Joint meeting
of the big" minors-the American AS
ISOLATION, International League and
| Pacific Coast League-in Chicago Au-
gust 5, and expressed the opinion that
things would be ironed out"
Robert j. Connery, owner of the st
| Paul club of the American Association,
said the draft will not solve the prob
! lem.
"The major leagues are drawing big
crowds, they are enjoying prosperity,
but most of the magnates in the Amer
lean and National Leagues have no idea
Of what is going on in the minors" said
Connery.
1.-THE minor leagues are in bad way.
and instead of trying to force something
down their throats, the majors should
be offering to help them. If the draft
will solve the question, as the majors
believe, then I would like to know why
those leagues which subscribe to the
system are going out of existence.
"a conference between practical base
ball men, from both the majors and the
minors. could iron out this difficulty"
President L. j. Wylie of the Three
Eye League said he did not believe the
situation would seriously affect his cir
cult, but thought it might start row
between the majors and the big minors"
| Five of the eight Three-Eye League
clubs are operated or controlled by
major league organizations.
Major league owners, with one ex-
ception, approved the resolution. the
one dissenter, whose name was not di-
vulged. suggested further attempts TO
arbitrate with the minors, but the other
is indicated they felt such action would
be vain.