The Topeka state journal., 1916-11-08
FEAR A CIVIL WAR
Cut-ThrOat Tactics in Vogue in
Baseball Circles.
Magnates Fight Each Other
Minors to Quit as "GOats."
BY FRANK G. MENKE.

New York, Nov S-All of our best
known little baseball leaders right now
are busily engrossed in picking quar-
rels with each other. And war clouds
hover lower and lower while the bat
tiers whet their bowie knives and pre-
pare for cutting action.
Diplomatic relations already have
been severed in many parts and un-
less some cool-domed gent hops into
the several breaches in the ranks of
organized baseball-and does it quick
ly-civil war will result The outcome
will be disastrous for the game and
will knock out the bulge from the
bankrolls of the magnates.
1t would seem that the baseballers
didn't have their battle lust sufficient
ly satiated when they squashed the
Feds into oblivion. They want more
of it-oh, much more. There being
no outlaws to fracas with. they now
are rushing around squabbling amon=
themselves.
And meanwhile, the dove of peace
poor thing, is all cut and bruised, mi
nus many of its tail feathers and suf-
fering the extraction of more with
each dying day.
- Proxies FIay Each Other.
Ban johnson and John Tener are at
swords points. Barney Dreyfuss is
cunning for his associate of many
years@Garry Herrmann-and yearns
to kick the present National commits
sion into the scrap heap. Several
magnates have formed intense dis
likes for each other and hardly speak
as they fit by. The minor 1eaguers
claiming the big fellows never have
given them really square deal are
breathing threats to cut loose from the
ties that bind them to organized base
ball.
And looming in what you might call
the offing is Dave Fultz, guardian an
gel for the ballplayers. Dave. too. de-
spite his peaceful calling, has imbibed
some of the battle spirit and his decks
are cleared for action.
Relations between Ban and Johnny
have reached a point where the serv-
ices of an ambulance corps would
seem necessary, should they meet
soon. Ban is peeved at the way john
ny is conducting the National league
maneuvers and John has enjoined Ban
to ''go wash your own dirty linen"
The American league preXy retorts
with utteraEces indicating that he be-
lieves John is a shine" as a league
president, and John has answered the
salute by intimating that Ban isn't
such-a-much and that he should mind
his own business.
'sRaus Nit Dot Hermann
And then there's Barney Dreyfuss,
of Pittsburg, rushing around with sew
eral chips on his shoulder blades, dar-
ing Garry, to knock 'em off, and de-
claring if Garry went, he (Barney)
will call out the militia, anyway Bar
ney has concluded that the present
form of national commission is a joke
and that Garry is the funniest part of
it all. He wants Garry ousted from
his chairmanship job, which nets
Hermann s12, 500 year, but Garry is
opposed to the scheme. Twelve thou
sand five hundred dollars you know
goes a long way toward purchasing
champagne for even the thirstiest of
men.
Barney, perhaps, is seeking a bit of
revenge. Garry, y'no "ouched" Bar
ney out of George Sisler, by grabbing g
| the collegian while he was in Pitts
burg territory and forward passing
| him to the American league. But
whether it is revenge or not doesn't t
alter the fact that Barney has heaps
of backing in the scheme to skid Garry
out of his fat job.
| After suffering the slings and ar
rows of outrageous fortune, as dis
pensed by the naughty major 1eaguers,
the small fellows have decided to get
a new deal or quit holding hands with
the American and National leaguerS
For a year they have BEEN nutter-
ing threats of revolt. And the nation
al commission merely has shifted at
them But they'll do other than sniff
if the radicals get control of that min
or league meeting in New Orleans next
week All of which, is more than
| likely.
The national commission has lorded
1t over the minor leaguers for years
The small folks have had to be salts
fled with what terms the commission
felt like making.
Now they have decided to repre-
sentation in that body or a guarantee
of justice in future dealings. or some
thing is going to bust. And the con-
| cussion is likely to unsettle the foun-
dations of organized baseball.