Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 213, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1916 — SALARY CUT IN FALL [ARTICLE]

SALARY CUT IN FALL

Managers Contemplate Reduction in Players’ Stipends. V .1 " ■ ■ ■ Baseball Magnates Agitated Over Result Likely to Follow When Wages Are Reduced—Most of Trou- - ble Be From Mouth. One of the many questions agitating the baseball powers that be is this: Is there going to be any serious trouble when the salary cutting season opens in the fall? Usually the pleasant autumnal months have merely ushered in the salary boosting time. Particularly was this true when the Federal league was in its heyday, picking all the peaches from the 0..8. bough that weren’t glued fast with higher salary cement? The winds that blew across the orchard naturally boosted the total in the old pay envelope. But now that the wind of competition is stilled —ah, me! these coming days are likely indeed to be “the saddest of the year.” But what will happen when the pruning knife is taken in hand and the farmers set in to work? If, as-is reported, salaries are really to go on the toboggan, there’s bound to be trouble. Of course, most of the trouble will be of the mouth variety. The “foot” may be added to the "mouth” disease, in some instances. Where there is any doubt of the actual, real value of a player as a drawing card, he may find himself in the discard if he raises too big a howl. •’ It is said that the players are up to the minute prepared. From time to time the members of the various clubs have been meeting as the schedule has brought them to New York, and meeting not only themselves but the managers of their own mutual protection band. Just how many meetings there have been behind the mysteriously locked doors I don’t know, nor do I know how far any association has been formed and plans laid.