New-York tribune., 1917-11-27
Johnson
For Delay in
Indemnities
Pique of Oriole Outlaws May
Play Part in Federal
League Suit
BY w. ]. Macbeth

N@ot NNsAso4 Va NAS
This statement, on the face Of IL,
does not appear pregnant with possi-
bility. But there is a lot of byplay
behind the scenes that may result in
something spectacular before the year
is much older. The American League,
at the present moment, is in very much
the position of the old man holding
the bag. 1t is a novel experience, and
insiders are wondering just where big
Ban and his henchmen will get off with
the joke.
The stockholders Of the defunct ORR
ole City outlaws arc particularly
piqued at the American League. Ban
Johnson, who "dutched' himself with 1
lot Of loose talk last week, was the biz
bowlder which wrecked Baltimore's
hope Of coming out Of the recent base
ball war either with a heavy indemnity
or major league franchise. Follow
ing peace overtures in the winter OF
l9l5-I6 the National League stood
ready to grant almost anything till big
Ban broke in upon the scene.
A Cutthroat War
Johnson always advocated a cutthroat
war to the death. That he ever con-
sented 20 go in with the rival major
circuit on any form Of compromise was
due primarily to the weal,-baeked sup
port Of a majority Of his colleagues.
/ Consequently, the American League has
been blamed for organized basebalrs
failure to make good the terms of the
| peace treaty. Johnson is blamed for
the fact that indemnities promised
Harry +. Sinclair. the Wards and Ed
ward Gwinner were withheld. The orig
lnal suit of the Baltimore people FOR
100000 damages, which was squelehed
IN Philadelphia court last June, after
It had been in the courts for several
days. gave loophole for holding up
the promised payments.
This second Federal League suit,
supposedly, has the backing of those
outlaw promoters who have been de-
MED a settlement so far because os
their failure to make good the deliv-
erance OF the independent circuit free
from legal entanglements. Sinclair
could not be found when the original
case came TO trial in Philadelphia,
though he had been named as a de-
fendsnt with organized baseball.
Baltimore Provoked
Baltimore is particularly provoked at
/ the American League. Il seems the
town would be quite satisfied TO call IL
{ quits for major franchise. II feels it
should be given chance now that mat
ters have come to such a disastrous
pass in Washington and that q trans
fer from the capital city would result
in great mutual good. For a while the
Baltimore stockholders were buoyed
with the hope of horning into the Union
League-the proposed merger Of the
American Association and international
League into near-major circuit-sn
idea that fell fiat when put to a vote by
the delegates to the National Associs-
tons annual meeting in Louisville.
One on the inside, supposedly, made
the assertion yesterday that the Ameri-
can League would have 70 stand the
brunt of the resurrected suit by the
Baltimore Federal League club stock
holders. 1t seems that Chairman Au-
gust Hermann of the National Com
mission, who was first instrumental in
inserting the peace wedge, guaranteed
TO the Oriole City malcontents a sepa-
rate settlement on the part of the Ma
tional League. Garry's propaganda was
repudiated by the National League at a
special meeting of the board Of direc-
tors the day following the close Of tho
recent world series in this city.
Left with the Bag
August Herrmann's proposition TO the
enemy would have left the American
League holding TIE bay, which it sp-
pears to be doing at the present mo-
ment anyhow. 1t was this fact that
strained the relations Of the major
leagues almost to the breaking point,
and doubtless which prompted the Ma
tional solons to jump on Johnson with
both feet when Ban very foolishly left
them an opening through his loose
talk Of possible exemption for big
league players.
Those on the inside declare that tho
existing friction between Tic two ma
jor leagues is bound TO result in the
elimination of August Hermann from
the chairmanship Of the National Com
mission.
1t may further result in the interruD-
J tion of amicable relations between the
D iNO lOICto Oi OIkdulLeG Dd.G-
ball. At the special meeting of the Ma
tional League board Of directors fol-
lowing the recent world series the par
ent major practically pledged itself to
a schedule Of lao games for 1918. This
was for several years q pet idea Of Ban
| Johnson. The American League pres
I ident some time later came out with an
announcement that the two leagues
would play only .40-game schedules
next season. The National League.
which believed no announcement would
] be made till its annual meeting, be-
lieved itself betrayed to American
i League interests.
Now Johnson says his league will
play the shorter schedule in any event.
Different schedules mean one Of two
things-a direct break of friendly re-
lstions or cessation of the world cham
pionship series. The American League
must begin the campaign az the sam.
{ time as the National. IL il closes two
weeks earlier an unfair handicap is inn
posed upon It's championship entrant in
the annual classic.
Has Nothing TO Lose
+ The American League may well az
ford to try 10 make the National eat
crow. Il has nothing to lose in the
/ severance Of world series relations. In
the last eight years the American
! League teams have triumphed seven
( times. They have won twenty-eight
games and lost bu. sixteen. including
I the four straight which the Braves
took from the supposedly inyincible
I Athletics in 1914.
Secretary John B. Foster OF the
n l.