Omaha daily bee., 1910-04-03

" II KINGS reinstatement surprises
no one. II was a foregone con-
elusion. What surprises many ia that
the commission has the hardihood
to tell us that Killing did not violate
a contract" and that his case was not
considered on the basis OF contract jump
ing. OF course II Messrs. Hermann and
Lynch, the two members OF the National
Commission who reinstated the Chicago
catcher, choose to think this, that's their
right, but we are frank enough to believe
that neither man has ever seriously held
- such a belief. Killing signed a contract
play ball with the Chicago Nationals for
fixed period at n fixed salary. He re-
fused to fulfill the contract. Call that
T3hat you choose, or 60 outside the main
Niestion and hit upon the subsidiary fact
uat Killing played ball with outlaws and
fine him for that, II he prefer. When did
he play ball with the outlaws? Why, after
he refused to play with Chicago under
that contract. Hermann and Lynch did
bad enough In reinstating King there Is
no occasion for their presuming on the
publio's patience any further. Likewise
they ask us TO believe that Kings per-
sorality and prominence did not enter into
consideration. The Commission had a cru
cial case before It, Its decision necessarily
constitutes a precedent, What, then, is
going to be its action when identical or
similar CEASES arise in the future? II 1t
Is Impartial, If II treats the mediocre
player and the star player alike, 1t must
down the bars to all who have gone
no further than Killing went. and IL 1t does
that II might simply retire from office and
quit this comedy of pretending to sit as a
court OF base ball law, for it will have
made the whole thing q travesty. Kings
reinstatement is an invitation to every
: man in uniform to go and do likewise IL
he chooses and a cause for his contempt
for what II called base ball law. The Killing
case was as clean cut a piece OF contract
y jumping as was possible. Its penalty was
swift and sure. The laws of the game are
specific with relation to it. There wasn't
J any chance for cavil. The fact that Killing
was a great player and popular cut no
figure In the merits of his case and should
ave out none in its disposition, but 1t did.
II did. Just as did Hal Chase's personality
work his Reinstatement when he deliber-
ately quit organized base ball and went to
the outlaws simply because he saw a
chance OF picking up some easy money.
And that's all there is to the Killing case.
Chase's case upset the equilibrium of base
: ball authority, and the scales had just
uhOuL UNbuh " ANB0Ah At1 poAbo NV
along comes the Killing affair. And, in the
meantime, a large number of minor players
have been beheaded with ruthless inconsid-
GRAFTON for doing like these two luminaries
have done. Sooner or later it's going to
be necessary to sacrifice a Killing or a
Chase on the altar of justice to establish
once and forever the sovereignty of law
\ 81 base ball is to stand strongly entrenched
as a permanent institution. Better, far
better, lose the greatest player in the BUSH
ness than to undermine the game. Ban
Johnson, we believe, took the right stand
and Is to be commended for refusing to
acquiesce in Kings reinstatement He put
himself firmly on record for, instead Of
against, order and justice. We only regret
that Mr.. JohnsonS course hasn't always
been thus consistent. In the case Of Chase,
American league star, he favored reinstate-
ment. Killing happens to be a National
. league star. We wan to believe, how
ever, tina personal feelings did not, as
many affirm they did, Influence the three
commissioner in their action.