Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-12
UNIVERSAL DRAFT
/. IS ONLY DRAWBACK
Minors Want Plan Whereby
All Can Survive From
Year to Year.
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

n EW YORK, August IL (C.P.
N A).-Major league men
Y will not be greatly averSe
to the formation of new
Glass AA organization in base
ball, unless the majors change
their sedate minds between now
and the next monthly forum.
Information at hand shows
there is no particular animosity
on the part of the majors toward
the minors, except in regard TO
the draft. On that question the
major mind is said to be "Sot.
It must be universal draft, II
the war has to go to an Appomat-
toX.
President Heydler of the National
League, not speaking for his organlza-
ton, but expressing an opinion tnat
has been formed after long period OF
observation of major and minor af1alrs.
can see where there might be general
clearing up of many problems that nave
to do with organized base ball II the
Glass AA leagues set out to handle
their own affairs, subject, of course, to
the majors as they always have been,
but not dominated by the leagues OF
lesser classification in the minors asso-
citation.
Seek Help for All.
Every minor organization in the
United States is interested in the re-
newal of an agreement that will have
a better basic structure than that now
in effect.
Some of the minors will get through
nicely this year and others will have
trouble. That is not unusual. 1t fol-
lows the tradition of base ball. What
which all of them may survive from
season to season on a better founda-
ton.
Those minor league clubs which have
been unable to get through the present
year were mostly poorly financed to
begin with. They were put together on
a shoestring and when they were I'M
able to win games there was no pat
ronage to keep them going. In addi-
ton, some Of them were backed by men
without experience and expense &C
counts were run far above the staying
power of minor clubs in smaller cities.
1t is suggested that there be put into
effect salary limit in Glass D, the
lowest classification of ALL which shall
be even more ironclad than any that
has been in existence. The penalty for
breaking the limit would be expulsion
of the club.
One Club Holds Out.
When the reorganization of base ball
took place at Chicago and Judge Lands
was elected commissioner, the new
agreement was based on the universal
draft, and since then base ball has got
a long way from it. In the very start
of his administration Judge Lands ad-
vised the minors to stick closely to the
draft If they wished to keep out of hot
water; but they didn't and the majors
went along with them.
Excepting one major league club, all
are in favor of going back to the uni
versal draft and not one at present in
tends to recede from its stand. The
majors have settled upon a program
which they will follow to the letter if
the minor leagues do not agree with
them. This program is being kept so
secret that not clue has been had to
it. 1t is the result of extensive PLAN
ming and consultation, and the major
leagues are ready to take the minors
at their word, whatever that may be.
Judge Lands has been criticized be-
cause he has not made some kind Of
statement.
Judge Lands was not elected COM
missioner to make statements" said
one of the National League men. "It is
his Job to act as an executive and not
as publicity agent"