New Britain herald., 1915-12-08
GILMORE RAPS
 PRES. JOHNSON
Head of Feds Will Make No Attcmp to ConciIiatc O. B.
 SOIons.

New York, Dec. S.-James A. Gil. more, president of the Federal league squelched once and for all yesterday the rumor that the new league would in any way attempt to conciliate the solons of the National and American leagues. "Bosh and poppycock' was his answer when asked if any over. lures would be made previous to the meeting of the National league, which will be held at the Waldorf next week
 For the afternoon, at least. he changed from the smiling, affable James A. Gilmore to the same Flight. ing Jim" who carried a rife in the de. fense of this country in the Spanish American war. Time has altered the name and condition, but his spirit is undaunted. He is fighting now in de- fense of his league, and it will be g fight to the lnish.
 ''To begin with, the Federal league will not hold a meeting here on Fri day. he said yesterday afternoon. "1 expect MT. Sinclair to be here some time tomorrow, and it is possible thatt MT. Gwinner will be in the city. There is no assurance that Gwinner will be here, however"
 But if MT. Gwinner does come, does that mean that a meeting will be held?" he was asked.
 Most assuredly not" said Gilmore. The Federal league held it's meeting, and there is no necessity of its meetF 1 ing again. We are well satisfied with | the existing conditions, and we will i continue on along the even tenor of | our ways We have developed a num- ! Der of high grade ball players in our l league we are building every day, and we will supply a commodity which the fair-minded fans of this country de- mand; namely, a superior brand sf baseball"
 "Do you intend to meet Ban John- son before the American league meets?" was the next query. That | question might better have been left | unasked in the interest of peace and
 harmony. It had much the same ef-
 feet as touching a spark to gum
 powder, or waving a scarlet flag at an
 irate bull.
 "No," snorted Gilmore. "No, I
 won't meet Johnson. I don't want to
 meet him. I don't want to have any 1 thing to do with him. I hold Ban | Johnson responsible for the present l state of affairs in baseball went to ! him before the Federal league started , and stated our position. I told him | that it was our purpose to honor all
 contracts, and to play the game on the | square.
 Did he do it? No, he didn't. Re
 agreed with me, said my plan was all
 right, and that the contracts would
 not be violated. Three days later he
 showed his colors by stealing three of our ball players That meant war
 and war it is and war it shall be while | James A. Gilmore is identified with
 the Federal league of professional
 baseball clubs
 "I went to him in the beginning. l told him what we intended to do. He
 smiled and shook hands, and then did what he said he would not do. Or. ] ganized baseball has come to me since | that time, and organized baseball will i come again.
 l We realize that the present con- ! ditions are ruinous to the great gar1s 1 of baseball. I believe that the fans want to see the game of baseball l played on the field and not on the cir- cult of the courts of the country. 1 believe that the fans do not want to ! be bothered whether John Jones or Henry Smith lost twenty cents or forty | in baseball. They want the game, 1 and it matters not to them the name of l the league that plays the game" .