Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-23

STARTS TROUBLE
American League Head Takes Unusual
Method OF Sounding Public 0pin-
lon and Gets Action.
6ONIsKEY IL OPPOSING SCHEME
White Sox Owner Says Government
Should Be Considered First
in Everything.

Chicago, Nov. 23-President BAN
Johnson started something when he
asked the government to exempt 144
| ball players In the American league
next year His proposition TO permit
each ball club 10 keep 1S players, re-
| CARELESS of age, has raised such a
storm throughout the country that be-
/ fore it blows over the game will either
/ be wiped off the map or established on
a firm footing for the duration of the
/ war
/ The American league executive was
deluged yesterday with kilograms and
/ calls from far and near BY some he
was upheld in his stand, by others told
/ that he had ruined the game. There
/ was divergent opinions in his own
| league In the rival National league
President Tener denounced the inter
view with Johnson as unpatriotic and
/ a blow to the sport
President Comiskey telephoned from
Excelsior Springs to the effect that he
was unalterably opposed TO Johnsons
plan, as he considered that the govern
ment should be considered above
f everything else In Washington Pres
ident Minor of the Senators said there
was no ground for exempting ball
! players. President Rupert Of the
| Yankees was of the same mind.
Frank J. Navin OF the Detroit Ii
/ gers insisted that personally he would
not indorse the scheme, although he
was not against it. At late hour
last night the lineup for and against
Mr.. Johnson's plan stood as follows;
/ FOR.
August Hermann, chairman Of the
national commission and president of
/ the Cincinnati National league base
ball club.
James Dunn, owner Of the Cleave-
land team.
A K. Tearney, president Of the
/ Three-Eye league.
Harry Fl, Frazee, president of the
+ Boston Red Sox. =
Thomas J. Hickey, president of the
American association.
Edward G Barrow president of the
International league
James Prices. president of the New
ark club.
A. C. Arson. former manager of the
! Chicago National league bail club.
AGAINST.
John X. Tener, president of the Ma
tional league.
! Charles A Comiskey, owner of the
White Sox.
Jacob Rupert, president of the Yam
KEGS.
Benjamin S Minor, president of the
/. Washington club.
Provost marshal generals office at
Washington
President johnson himself stood PAL
on what he said the day before. He
= figured it was just as we'll TO cut the
, Gordian knot now as to wait until the
teams were ready to take the field Il
is now up to others to offer a solution
to the problem.
Cp Against II.
IF players are drafted indiscrim
inately baseball cannot go on, sale
johnson yesterday Afternoon. If, fol-
instance, the government should TAKE
nine or ten players from one club ant
none from another the race would b,
, farce. If we pooled players there
would be cry Of syndicate baseball
so that is out OF the question.
r Il simply gave out the interview 81
I that there would be an oppoTtunit!
f for everybody to discuss it. | want tC
f know whether the government want!
! baseball to go on-and ! think every
} body else does There has been no so
Int nf IN 70
suggested a plan, and it is up TO The
government and the fans.
/ Baseball leagues do not and vii
I not expect fayors from the govern
- ment In fact ! think can speak fol
/ our own league when l say that W,
: will go to any limit to aid in pros
D ecuting the war to successful finish
/ We are anxious to do everything W,
2 can At the same time. if the people II
- this country want us to continue tn
s national game. We want to know it al
= soon as possible"
There win BE No Strike.
President Johnson discussed tn
declaration by some club owners tina
they would much rather close thei
= gates next season than to start tn
race under the present uncertain con
ditions. At the same time he said tina
{ the owners were willing TO stand
n loss next season if the game was i'm
n portant enough to keep going
= we must face the situation in
sensible way" he said The club
} must have ball players in order to con
s tinue. In many cases the drafting o
n one man would~ruin a team 1t woult
g be the same as if ] were asked to rul
e an engine with some of the parts take
0 out / couldn't even start"
e The biggest boost for Bans schem
It came from Garry Hermann and tn
$ real knock from Present Tener. MI
n Hermann in an interview at Cincin
0 natl said that it was impossible to tel
o now what effect the war will have O
baseball. but that President Johnson
II plan might in the end prove accept
/ able and that the two leagues nigh
u get together on it.