"We took such steps as we believed our interests warranted when we entered the cup tie and the sentence of the league may mean a legal entanglement in the interest of the respective clubs," the statement continued.

Just what the local management plans has not been divulged and probably will not be until official notification of the punishment meted out is received from league headquarters . Up to noon such notification had not been received.

Before the Bethlehem team left for the New Bedford invasion over the weekend an effort was made to confer with the league president and a telegram was wired inviting such a conference. However, there was no reply to the telegram but when the club returned home yesterday noon a letter was awaiting.

There is considerable speculation on what action will follow. There is talk of a new league and this is most likely. It is understood that quite a little missionary work has already been done in this respect and if a new circuit is organized it will be a more compact loop with all of the New England clubs eliminated.

For some time the contention has been that invasions of the New England states are far too expensive and at the same time consume entirely too much time. This opinion is not alone entertained locally but practically by every other club in this district.

When Bethlehem played New Bedford and Providence over the weekend the team sounded sentiment in that territory, which strange as it may appear, seemed to be heartily in accord with the action taken by Bethlehem.

There is a feeling throughout the circuit that several clubs have entirely too much influence in directing the operation of the league and one of these alleged clubs is Fall River.

Several instances are advanced in which the Marksmen seem to have a controlling power and one of these, in which the league has taken no action, involves Bethlehem. It is learned that Fall River agreed to a transfer price for the services of Malcolm Goldie, former Bethlehem outside left, but yet the Marksmen have made no remittance and at the same time are playing Goldie regularly.

Advices received from Philadelphia indicate that a new league would be favored and if one does materialize application for a franchise will be immediately made. In fact it is understood that enough clubs are already available for a new circuit.

According to Thomas W. Cahill, Secretary of the United States Football Association, which has its office at 136 Liberty St., New York City, the action of Bill Cunningham of Boston, President of the American Soccer League, in fining and suspending the three clubs, had set a precedent. Never before, said Cahill yesterday, had any club entered in the national competition been suspended for so doing by an affiliated organization.

Secretary Cahill, who said that his office had not received any official notice of the step taken, was in communication by long distance telephone last night with Armstrong Patterson of Detroit, President of the United States Football Association. The latter was without official information and said nothing would be done until it was available. Then, if the report was true, he said, vigorous action would be taken by the Cup Committee.

Joseph J. Barriskill, of New York, is chairman of the Cup Committee, together with John C. Rose of Bridgeport, George Healey of Detroit and Winton E. Barker of St. Louis, besides Paterson and Cahill as ex-officio members.

Eventually the matter will go to the National Commission which is composed of President Patterson, Elmer A. Schroeder of Philadelphia, first vice president, William T. Angus of Cleveland, second vice president; Winton E. Barker of St. Louis, third vice president; and Wilfrid R. Cummings of Chicago, treasurer.

James Armstrong, Secretary of the New York Giants Football Club, said last night that no notification had been received by him from the American Soccer League and said that the action of President Cunningham was premature, inasmuch as the fines were imposed before the offense had been committed. In any event, the New York Giants, Newark and Bethlehem, all of which are on the exempted list, would not join in the national competition until the first regular round on Feb. 2 or 3.

Tom Adams of Kearny, N. J., manager of the Newark club said that he was not inclined to treat the action serious and that "the League would have to wait a long time before collecting any such some from his club."

He was satisfied with the situation as a whole. Meanwhile, with the United States Football Association behind him, he was not doing any worrying.