New Britain herald., 1916-01-20
JOHNSON FAVORS
 CHANGE IN METHOD
Indicates National Commission Is
 to Be 0VerhauIed

Chicago, Jan. 20-Ban Johnson, president of the American. league, to- day admitted when asked about the story that the National Commission was to be dissolved that he was strongly in favor of a change in the method of conducting baseball bust- ness" For a time he refused to talk on the subject, but when pressed for an answer he intimated that there was something to the report about the imminent reorganization of the National Commission.
 The American league figures that it. was in a weak position in the war with the Federal league, owing to the fact that with Garry Hermann and President Tener offsetting Ban Johnson the National league controll- ed the biggest body in Organized base ball. When it came to opening peace negotiations the National Commis- / sion, with its National league major ity, took the initiative. The Atneri- can league was left out in the cold and was invited in after the move ment had made considerable progress. ! Dissolution of the National Com mission and reorganization under 8 new regime seems to be the plan of the American league. This includes the passing of Garry Hermann as chairman of the supreme court of baseball. That this plan may pre- ciptitate split in the ranks of Or ganized Baseball is possible but high ly improbable.
 Garry is Due to Go. | Despite the interview of President | Tener of the National league sent l out from New York last week, there seems to be a strong movement to- ward abolishing the games govern ing body as it now exists and the sub stitution of a more representative one i'll it's stead.
 It may be Tener's wish to retain Hermann as head of the commission, but the National league chief is powerless to re-elect Hermann. That must be done by joint action of rep resentatives of the two major leagues. There is every reason to believe, from the present trend of sentiment, that the American league will balk on any attempt to continue the life of the commission with Hermann as head.
 Johnson has the backing of Cap tain Huston, President Comiskey Of the White Sox President Lannin of the Boston Red Sox and other power full magnates of the younger major circuit.
 It is not the intention of the Amer ican league officials to have one of it's members become chairman iri Herrmann's place. That would be subversive of the very principle for which they are contending, they say.
 A Neutral Head Wanted.
 The new governing body in base ball, be it the National Commission or new body modelled after the old, should have as it's head a man not identified with either major league, Johnson contends. This man should be on who is in position to act ] independently on all subjects that come before the commission.
 For a major league magnate to hold this position often places hirl in an embarrassing position, it is con- tended. He may be the deciding fac- 1 tor in a controversy in which he ia | vitally interested.
 ' The upshot of the whole contro- versy is that the American league l wants 8 representative governing ! body for baseball. It seems that the National league, instead of having two members on the commission would have one.
 This move means that the Ameri- can league intends to be in more advantageous position in case of an- other baseball war.
 The name of James A. Gilmore, l President of the Federal league, Is 1 mentioned as a likely successor to Hermann. Gilmore would be com. promise candidate, if chosen, for while the National league folks are 1 in favor of Gilmore. Johnson is not exactly in love with him. l