The Washington herald., 1914-09-06
FANS ARE TIRED
BASEBALL WAR
Majority Of the Rooters Are
Anxious to See a Get
together Meeting.
DO NOT WANT SUITS
Followers of Major Leagues Not In
terested in Who Wins Fight or
Ten-day Clause.
Do NOT WANT SUITS

New York. Sept Sits about time that
Ban johnson. John Tener, and Jimmy
Gilmore got together in some quiet corn
er and decided that their own interests
would be served best by ending the base
bail warfare.
The vast majority of fans are tired of
the baseball war. They prefer peace.
Give 1t TO them and they'll soon be trek
king back to the parks. They deserted
the parks this year not so much because
they have lost their love for the national
game but in silent protest AGAINST the
constant mud-slinging that the baseball
conflict has caused.
The fans want baseball-not baseball
lawsuits. They aren't interested in those.
They don't care much about the merits
of the ten-day clause or the contract
itself. so long as they are sure OF see
ing basebaIl-of seeing the frst-class, va
riety that sends the blood coursing a bit
faster through the veins. that sends a
thrill Of delight chasing through the
framework.
The fans aren't vitally interested either
in whether the Federals win or whether
organized baseball wins. Their main in
terest il to see baseball perpetuated as
a sport. They have known for years that
it is a great commercial proposition. but
litN uCH ChEt " nave al the lAlOItN
grabbing acts of the magnates paraded
before their eyes. 1t revolts them. 1t
doesn't interest.
The fans aren't interested much either
in whether Ban johnson thinks Jimmy
Gilmore ought to be sent to Siberia for
sixteen million years. or whether Gilmore
thinks Garry Hermann isn't half as nice
fellow as he is himself. Such things
might have been a bit diverting for a
time, but that time has passed. They
bore and they disgust.
OutInws Arc Game.
Organized baseball has waged a bitter
fight against the Feds. And even the
most bitter enemies of the Federals can
not deny the fact that the outlaws
have put a game fight. They horned
into a situation where even angels may
have feared to tread. They found the
enemy waiting with drawn clubs and
loaded machine guns But they waded
right in.
It's nearly four months since the Feds
opened their season. 1t was predicted
that they wouldn't last until May /.
Then the prediction was shifted forward
to June l. The next date for the blow
up was July l. then July Is, then August
l. But there hasn't been any detonatiOE.
The Feds have about S,OOJ.UOO at stake
especially since they won out in the i'm.
portant johnson and Chase law suits.
Most OF the magnates in the new league
are pleutifully supplied with money,
They went into the new league proposI-
ton with their eyes open. They knew
they wouldn't make much progress the
first year. but they grambled on the
succeeding years. 1t looks like a pretty
good gamble at that
There are some magnates within the
confines Of Organized Baseball who arc
wise men. In the last two months they
have concludede that peace Is "A much
cheaper proposition than warfare And
they are for peace, and are trying to
swing into line the magnates who are
stin keen for warfare.
Most of the organized clubs win lose
money this year. And even II the atten-
dance does chirp up next year they are
sure to suffer more losses II warfare
continues. as the Feds are planning a
new raid on the lg stars. To keep these
men the Organized Moguls will have to
bid high. That means cluttering up the
payroll with salaries so huge that they
VII overbalance the receipts.
Peace now before the players can get
many more chances at playing both ends
against the middle for big salaries will
save the magnates many thousands OF
dollars. Or shall Il be continuation OF
war that SO far has proven futile and
that gives little hope Of being ultimately
successful7