Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-25
National Commission to Settle
PulIiam.Herrmann War.
LATTER is misunderstood
Says Blacklist" Was Promulgated
by Major Leagues in 1906.
PLAYERS RIGHT OF APPEAL
Dinner Stakes Has Fifteen Sub
scribers-Grant Wins at Indoor
Tennis-Bowling Battles.

NEW YORK. February 2J.-President
August Hermann of the national commits
sion and also president of the Cincinnati
Reds got to town yesterday. accompanied
by ]. E. Bruce of Cincinnati, secretary of
the commission. forming the advance
guard of the National and American
League magnates who viii be here to
attend the meetings of the leagues to be
held here tomorrow.
1t was announced that President Ban
johnson had postponed the meeting of
the American League. scheduled for to-
day at the Hotel Breslin, until tomorrow.
owing to the meeting of the national COM
mission to be held today at the Office OF
the National League in the ST. James
building.
May Renew Controversy.
1t is more than likely that the con-
troversy between Garry Hermann and
President Harry Pulliam of the National
League. over the blacklist resolution
passed last fall by the National Associa-
tion. the minor league organization, will
be renewed at the meeting of the commits
sion. If not the matter will surely be
extensively discussed at the National
League meeting.
Hermann brought TO town with him
large D2tCn OIL correspondence tndt pass
ed between Puliiam and Hermann in re-
gard to the BLACK list since last No
vember. Hermann yesterday expressed
himself as decidedly opposed TO the black
awaited himself of his rights under the
national agreement, article VIII, section
3 of which reads:
"A player suspended by a club or league
for term longer than ten days shall
have the right of appeal to the national
commission. which is given authority to
order his reinstatement. if it deems the
punishment excessive or not merited. This
and other questions may be determined
by mail vote by members Of the COM
mission.
Hermann said:
This section of the national agree
in force at the present time. Under it
the commission has unquestioned au-
thority to reinstate any national agree
ment player at any time, In case such
longer term than ten days. If the COM
mission deems the punishment excessive
and not merited. This authority can
not and should not be questioned by
not be exercised in an arbitrary man
ner, In other words. no reinstatement
should be made at any time unless the
facts in connection with each case abso-
lutely warrant it.
Does Not Understand Pulliam.
When Mr.. Pulliam says he will re-
sign his position as president Of the Ma
tional League unless he is sustained In
his stand, I don't know what he means
The records will show that every player
whose name now appears in the ineligible
list of the national association, with the
exception of one, appeared in the list OF
ineligible players promulgated by the ma
tiOnal commission August IA. 1905. and
as a member of the national commission.
The exception is the case Of Pitcher
William Campbell. who was awarded to
the Cincinnati club last fall by the ma
fional commission
In January. 1907. the Tri-State League
applied for admission under organized
base ball and was admitted under certain
conditions, one of which was as fol-
lows:
" Third. All players who have hereto
fore violated national agreement contracts
not to be permitted to play in any ma
tional agreement league except the Tri-
whose names do not appear in list as sub
mitted as well as those whose names do
appear. unless such players are rein
stated by the commission
"A few days thereafter" continued Mr..
Hermann. 1.-The national association, at
a meeting held in New York. approved the
action of admitting the Tri-State League
and ratified the conditions pertaining
thereto, lnciuolng the one ABOVE referred
TO.
1T will be seen that this resolution is
practically reiteration of what the ma
tional commission and all parties to the
national agreement had previously agreed
to. so that. in my judgment, it follows
that If nothing else had happened but the
passing of this resolution no objection
thereto would have been taken by any
one.
Following this the commission took
the matter up with the officers OF the ma
tonai association, who denied that any
list of ineligible players had been offered
by them at their October meeting, or that
they intend to disrespect the rules of
the national commission. This, in my
judgment. should have ended the entire
controversy, at least until such time as
some one operating under the national
agreement should have attempted to in
terfere with the mandates of the COM
mission