Evening journal., 1915-04-02
FOR AkALGANAT|ON
Of THREE LEAGUES
Feds Favor 10 Clubs for
Two Major
Circuits
PEACE TALK
AGAIN CURRENT

Unless this is wrong guess,
third party has hroached a peace
proposition TO organized baseball and
the Federal League. The impress
sion that peace talk was in the air
obtained on pretty good authority
several weeks ago has been strength
cned by statements made by Jim Gil
more, Federal president
From what could be gathered from
Gilmore's talk. the Feds are looking
forward to an amalgamation Of the
National. American and Federal
leagues and the selection of 16 clubs
for two major circuits. The remaining
territory would be probably divided
between the American Association and
the International League. with the
possible formation of third Glass
AA circuit cast of tho Rockies. These
class AA leagues would be freed Of
the draft.
There is every reason to beliYe
that discussion of that proposition
held very important place In the
two days deliberations OF the Fed
magnates in New York city It is
realized by everybody concerned ihat
the war cannot be continued If inter
est in professional baseball is to be
preserved. While the Feds have only
their eight clubs to look after, or
ganlged baseball has it's vast system
to protect. The war has been go
( ing on for only one year: yet il has
left NEST Of the leading ball clubs
In hole financially, while the minors
arc ready to give up the ghost
Gilmore pointed out that in peace
negotiations the Federal League
would stand as a unit. "Thc question
Of selecting l6 clubs out OF the "A
leaves a great many persons TO be
taken caro- on and entails lot ol
money said Gilmore Its a uues-
: ton Of which rs going TO absorb which.
and tho Federal League will make no
concessions except such as may be
necessary for tho fair adjudication Of
q business deal ON a strictly business
| basis he cont ni'nucd
/ UklIlE
absolutely opposed TO any outside
interference. such ass is proposed in
the form of board OF arbitration.
Certainly the National and American
Leagues are well qualified to look out
for the interests of all organized
baseball, and, in addition. the bas seball
writers would not be likely TO consent
tc take part i'm any deliberations for
! M I ffss s1fsrf for
writer's to be in the background
where they belong.
Tho Federal League owners are
anxious for peace, and so is organized
baseball, and the Intermediary. who
ever he is, is just what is needed in
this crisis II will take at least six
months for an adjustment to be made
so il is pretty certain that things will
90 along as they are for this season
II is on that account that Ban John
son and others high in organized base
ball advise the minors to lay OF for
the year.
While all the Federal owners would
like to get into the selection of 10
clubs some of them realize that they
will have TO be satisfied with lower
berth when the roapportionment OF
territory is made The activity OF
johnson in trying to get the Ameri-
can Association team of Cleveland
over TO Toledo only foroshadows tho
removal there of some other team
when peace is made. His statement
that Cleveland is not big enough fol
two ball clubs is taken with a grair
OF salt.
Whatever chance organized baseball
had Of beating the Feds into submis
sion disappeared when the Gilmore
circuit gathered Harry Sinclair intI
its iold. II is now realized by thu
leaders in organized baseball that
they have a harder battle than ever OF
their hands. And Let it be whispereI
that Sinclair is a fighter. He is II
the league for the whole league ant
not alone for his club in Newark
| Unless peace is declared. no matte
what the Lands decision be. Sinclai
| will let loose after the National-AmcT
ican stars and he's bound TO get som
of them. He's in the game not 70
| profit but for sport for he's rated a
something like Sl2.000.000. He ha
/ nothing 10 advertise" either.
II is said that organized haseba
realized that the addition of Sinclai
would give tho Feds a great advar
tage, and that while the Kansas Cit
litigation was on he was offered
chance TO buy one of the nationi
agreement clubs in ST. Louis. The
got him as far as ST. Louis but tbs
was all. While Sinclair was shak
about the Newark outlook he refuse
to quit the Feds. II was in recogn
ton OF his value as an asset to II
league that Sinclair got the Newal
club on terms that would have hcC