New Britain herald., 1930-12-04
LONG BATTLE 0N
 DRAFT QUESTION
Relations Between Majors and
 Minors at a StandStilI

Montreal. que. Dee. f fP'-Thc Gva uon-draf' leagues sought 60 uGhtcu their dcfonscs today in Iroparation for what is expected 10 bo long drawn out struggle with the majors on the draft qucs. }ion
 All relations between the two ri- val groups-tho American and Na- IonaI leagues on tho one hand and the International Pacific Coast. American association. Western and Three Eye leagues on the other were at complete standstlll, at least temporarily, and there were no indications that their differences could be patched up in the immedl- ate future.
 The majors insist that they he given the right to select or draft at q fixed price players in these five leagues just IS they do in other minor circuits. They already have the right to draft from the A leagucs-International Pacific Coast and American association -- any player previously Tn the majors but they want 10 obtain tho right to ln- cludo young stars who never have l reached the big leagues
 They backed their demands ~i,h drastic action-complcte sever auco, from December l of business relations with the nou-drart leagues until they accept tho draft.
 The five leagues affected offered 10 reopen the question with a view to possible settlement. provided lho majors rascindcd this action within -5 days, but replies from President Hcydlsr and Barnard Of the National end American leagues indicated therc Was no chance of the majors doing this and tho war was on lu earnest.
 Anticipating that there will bc no move toward an amicab}e settle men' at the joint major league meet ing n New York next week. tho nou-dratl minors planned 10 confer on ways and means Of carrying on without tho aid of rua majors The mos' pressing problem was tho aI- Vays rroublosom" question or where first grade players arc to h" oh- 'amod in sufficient quantities. Ii WAS -eHerally regarded that the minors aoulI make no further 1uoy" To- aa arl pace at least at thjs fmo.
 Another Of haSahalls sore spots rrep' ou. at 'nc rrst session of the -glh annual convention Of rh, Na- tional Association of Professional Baseball lsagGos. Branch Eickcy, ylsr president and business manager Of the St. Louis Cardinals. largest operators Of 'chain store' clubs in the country. told the convention 'har 'ha majors Wrra ready 10 come 10 tho aid of hos minor leagues W hich may he running into financial diftj- rultic- iut that no further moves in that direction could bc made un- Lss some further 'protcctjon" Was given the majors.
 EIckov. whose club has run into -rouhl. ar inc office ot ComlnisslOn- er K M. Lands ID some Of its com plca'cd minor league deals. cAplaiu- n that hc thought minor league cIups operated by major loag1lo outtt should bo regarded in exactly tne same light ae clubs owned md"- peadenalr. I'll, hole point seems 10 10 bc tha, Eick,y considered it un- fair that d player Saut 10 one o' the Cardinal farms and then 10 anoth- rr should still he regarded as lIn- der option 10 the Cardinals. Under the rules major league clubs cannot keep a player under option in the minors for more than two years.
 \ resolution vas offered suggest ing that the commissioner and the national board of arbitration inter- prct tho rules and regulations with ou discrimination pertaining 10 ownership Of clubs" but 1t suhso- quentIr was njrhdra and the en- flro subject dropped Rckcy pos sibly may attempt to get inc majors lined mp behind his proposal al their mce,tnG noAt week.
 Largely bcc1usa ol tbe draft drs- pufe. trading has been very light % far, A score of deals have been . completed but none ot outstanding importance. Few deals, if any, were . expected since the majors cannot do business with inc A circuits, the l strongest organizations in the minors.