Salt Lake Tribune | 1916-11-06 | Page 9 | Frat Sincere in Demand for Clause Change

FRAT SINGEHE IN DEMAND FOR CLAUSECHANGE Ban Johnson Denies Charge That Clubs Stop Salaries; Fultz Determined in Stand. NEW YORK, Nov. 5. That the baseball base-ball players' fraternity is determined to carry Its demand for a revision of the "injury clause" in certain players" contracts con-tracts to a finish, is indicated in n statement state-ment made public today ly Prominent David Fultz of the fraternity. The statement says in part: "Mr. Johnson is reported to have paid .n a recent interview that the fraternity petition accused certain American league clubs of suspending injured players without with-out pay. We made no siu'h accusation. We stated that certain contractu Rave the owners 'the right to so misuse players if they saw fit. "Mr. Johnson made a somewhat heated denial of the supposed accusation, and said he had demanded of us the names of players so suspended. Me lias made no such demand. Mr. Herrmann, however, did wire for copies of contracts containing the objectionable clause. We replied that contracts could not he forwarded without consent of the players, hut that the provision pro-vision is in section 1 of some of the Washington and New York contracts. As copies of u 1 1 contracts are already lodged In Ills office, our compliance seemed un-necessu un-necessu ry. "The clause reads as follows: " 'Should the player be disabled or his ability to perform Ids duties he impaired at any time during: the term herein prescribed, pre-scribed, the club may deduct from the amount then due, or to become due unOer tii is con tract. such proportion thereof as the period of said disability or impairment impair-ment may bear to the term herein prescribed, pre-scribed, and may, at its option, termtnace tills cont.ract; but no such deduction or termination of the contract shall be made by reason of any accident or injury received re-ceived by the player while in ner form .moo of ids regular duties under the direction of the club, unless such injury or accident acci-dent shall wholly or partly incapacitate the player for a period of fifteen (15) days, in which event such deduction may be made for the period of disability or impairment im-pairment in excess of fifteen (15) days, and this contract may be terminated at the option of the club; provided, however, that the player shall he given written notice thereof by the club.' "The words in which such deduction may be made for the period of disability of impairment In excess of fifteen (15) days are new, and the ones in which the vice is contained. There is no ambiguity In the clause. IL permits a player to be held in bondage without salary and prohibits pro-hibits him from seeking' employment elsewhere, else-where, simply because be has been so unfortunate un-fortunate as to be injured in the service of his employers."