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Show A. A. EXPECTS TOBECOME y LEAGUE "Change Host Come, Even If War Is Neces$arT., . Says Cochrane. T BDWARD W. OOCKBAKm-. OOCKBAKm-. KAKtAS CTTT, Aag. fl. TJnleaa tha Ajnarican aaatwUtioa Is graatad oartaln inmiaaliini It Is gotag ae daanaad of tba major leaguea, s aaaabaU war will Uka 17 braak eat this fall, which will snal, it not sorpaaa, tha bitter brotherhood hat tha American aeeoetation ia-tenda ia-tenda to become a major league, or ta have a eeparate elaaaificatioa from other leaguea, bat os aa aqnal footing wtth tha majora, ia evident. For three er foar yaara tba league baa beea eavtag money ia ita treaeury with which to fight for ita righta. The time ia at bead aaw for tha battla aad it la altogether probable that before aaether baeeba I eeaaoa rolla around tha aeeeeiatiea will ba givaa what It demaade from tba aa tioaal aammiaaloa aad major leaguea or will declare open war aad fight for it. Tha aaaoeiatioa 'a agreement with the Vatioaal Aaaaciatioa af Profeaaioaal Baaaball laaguea (which iacludea all minor laaguee) expiree aext moath. Laat year magnntee of tbia league voted agaiaat reaeeriag thie agremeat, which meant that it did aot intend ta remain a miaoi league, but ieteaded to eipand, become a major body aad give Ita pa-trona pa-trona tha elaaa af baaaball they deeerve. Whether they cauld do tbia with war ar without war waa tha all abeorbing qaaatioa. Had they beea aaaioua for war they could bava started trouble two yaara ago. But they wanted to allow (hair agreameat with the aatioaal aaaoeiatioa aaao-eiatioa to expire. They alee waatad more money with which ta carry oa a poaaible war and mora time la which to preeent their elaima to tha major league governing body and try to ra-oeiva ra-oeiva a major league alaeailcatioa without with-out a coatly war. ' Tha agreameat haa expired aad tba America a aaaoeiatioa, tha beet aunor league ia America, ia going to grow. The reaeoa for the demaada of the A. A. ia eimple. Dub ewnere af thie league want to retaia their atar play-era play-era aad to baild op their eluba until thaw can give thair patron aa good baaaball aa citiaa ia tbe majar laaguaa now enjoy. We order to do tkia they maet be aa aa equal footing with tbe major laaguee, aa that their playere will aot be eubjeet ta draft. Under the preaeat baaaball law, with tha A. A. a minor league, each team ia eubjeet te loae one player ta tha major leaguea- bv draft each year. Tha draft price ia STSO a head. Ia order ta avoid having atar playere drafted tba A. A. eluba bow ' aell their etare for much larger aama. If tha plavere could aot ba drafted, all etare eould ba retained aad eluba built up to tbe etaadard of tboaa ia the majora, which would give pat rone of tbia' league tha aama r.laee of ball aa ia sow plaved ia Chicago, New York aad ether big league citiaa. Tba draft rule ia tbe aaa tha A. A. wante to do away with and it alao wants tba privilege af drafting bmb from amaller minors at tba aama, time aa tha major leaguea, ao that tbey bava aa aqnal chance at all miaar league playere. Then, with repraaeatatioo on tba aatioaal eommieainn, ao that the league would get a fair deal la all thiage partaiaiag to players, (.hie organize organ-ize hnn will ba a major. Whether theee things era gained by merely being graatad by the major laaguaa to avoid war, ar by war, citiaa ia tba A. A. which deeerve major league ball are aura to have it ia s short time. |