The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-18
MurphyAsk For New Deal To Players
By JOSEPH T. NOLAN Limited Press GpOrts Writer

CUn1ted Press DpOrtS WrlterD
 Boston, April l8 - (UP)-The American Baseball Guild, an inde- pendent labor un!en, aimed today for recognition as a collective bar gaining agent in negotiations with Major league club owners to inc prove the lot of the nations dia- mond stars.
 Headed by scholarly Robert Mur- phy, a Harvard law graduate and former athlete himself. the union already has substantial member ship" in 10 Major league clubs and Is out to organize all professional players in the United States
 Although Murph emphasized that the guild intended to work in "har- monious relationship with club arrangements, he was bitter in his denunciation of the "despotic tac- tics" which he said had brought about baseball serfdom,"
 Organized baseball no longer can rule with the iron hand of an abso- lute dictator" Murphy said. Prom now on 1t must deal with organized baseball players in the form of the guild,
 "Th guilds purpose Is to right the injustices of professional baseball and to give square deal to the players, the men who make possible big dividends and high salaries for stockholders and club executives"
 "WOn't Work" Says Griff
 In Washington, owner Clark Grif- filth of the Senators belittled the reported progress of the guild and said that a labor union for baseball wouldn't work,
 Tt just can't be done" he sad. "Dickering between owners and players has to be carried out in- dividually, There are big differ ences in players abilities, and can't see a $40,000 a year man re- fusing to play ball simply because another fellow wants $l0,000. The men are being paid very well now and I for one, prefer to keep con- tract negotiations on an every man for himself basis"
 Griffith emphasized that unioniz- i Ing had been tried before and had | failed
 There have been repeated att tempts at organization since the days of the Federal league in 1912, but none ever succeeded. During | the war, labor representatives of the Congress of Industrial Organi- zationS were active in efforts to unionize players,
 Murphy said that whenever any team had sufficient organized strength 1t would petition for labor board recognition as the collective bargaining agent and that from then on 1t would conduct It's busi- ness In exactly the same manrer as any other efficiently operated union.
 There arose the possibility that baseball players might actually at some time 90 on strike and picket the parks, although Murphy said he hoped that mutual understanding would make 1t possible for the best interests of all parties to be served.
 He said that several "big name" baseball players were guild organiz- CTS. but that names of all players In the guild were held in strictest confidence SO that relations with club owners would not be jeopar- di2ed.
 Under Federal law, every player has the right to join a labor union without influence or coercion by managers or club owners, Murphy said.
 The, organizers, he said, gained | new members by soliciting players In the Spring training camps. The organizing drive will go on With more intensity from now on, he emphasized.
 The following specific aims were | outlined by Murphy:
 l. Freedom of contract SO that a player would not be forced to ac- cept sale or trade to another club against his will.
 ?. Players to receive a percent age of the purchase price when sold to another club.
 3. Disputes between players and on salary and other conditions of employment to be set- tied by collective bargaining.
 {. Provision to be made for se- curity of employment, insurance, bonuses and other conditions of work.
 Murphy said that the guild also was enlisting number of members In minor leagues but that no at- tempt would be made for the pres ent to unionize Mexican league players, where salaries paid to stars are considerably higher than in the United States.
 "A majority has been virtually achieved on three or four teams In the American and National leagues" Murphy said. "The days of baseball Serfdom will soon be over, Today when a player signs up with any professional club he must go where he is sent without regard for home and family ties. He must work for the club that is his master, whether he likes it or not, or as an alternative be barred for ever from playing in what is called baseball.
 "A laborer, an electrician, an ac- tor can work wherever or for whom [