The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1918-12-04
Ban JOHNSON
ON THE GRIDDLE
Effort to Unseat Gear Results
Disastrously.

The plan engineered by club owners
In both major leagues opposed to the
policies Of Ban Johnson to depose him
from the commanding position he has
held In organized bah by reforming"
the national commission In such n man
ner that Johnson would not be II mem
her, seems TO have collapsed as sOOn as
II was prematurely announced, The
scheme was to secure a majority vote
IN both major leagues for abolition Of
the present national. commission Of
three members and replace II with u
one-man commission. SO sure were the
sehemers they had support necessary
for their plan that they grew careless
IN keeping the secret and II was pro-
claimed in dispatches from New York
that William Howard Taft would bt
the "one-man commission"
The storm stirred evidently convinced
Mr.. Taft that he was not wanted us
much as he had been led to believe, and
already he has made what amounts To
q refusal Of the high position In base
ball that was all fixed up for him. II
is not likely now that the reformers
will 60 ahead with their one-man com
mission plan. as II has been pointed out
TO them that 1t undoubtedly would
mean a break with all the minor
leagues, who would refuse to consent Ia
such a change In the national agree
meut,
Ban Johnson, against whom the fight
was principally directed, has been IN
Washington and New York, where he
has at the time this Is written made no
statement regarding tho plan to "curt
his powers, but as It Is known he has
plans Of his own for baseball reform
he probably viii counter soon with
some announcement regarding them,
When the news leaked out that the
offer of national commissioner had
been made to Mr.. Taft the men behind
thu AEfAE hnaNnVRE.l ~ a1aarY- t1 al Ala1
owners not In on the great secret ask
ing them 20 wire Taft urging him tC
accept the position Reports indicate
that the response 10 this request was
not favorable, Several magnates, al
least, fatty refused to indorse the plan
or the man, while others, while pTals'
ing Mr., TAFT, declined to send III,
messages to him desired
Former President TAFT, in answer L
a statement, said he had been called
on by Hampstead and Frasee, Of tn,
New York Giants and Boston Red SoX
respectively. and asked II he would con.
cent TO act as arbitrator between In,
National and American leagues in mat
tiers involving the legal construction
OF contracts, etc Evidently he did no
know that he was intended to hccomt
the whole national commission. Ever
so, he declined to give an answer un,
VI he had consulted his brother, Charlie,
y. Taft, TO be assured by him that NJ
had parted with all interest In baseball
properties so that the former prcsl
dent could not be accused Of partialit,
In decisions.
While no one will question that Mr.
TAFT would be as impartial In his base
ball rulings, as a Oue-man high Cour
as any man who could be chosen woult
he, the instant opposition raised to tn,
plan for such a baseball change wa
that it was originated and the nttemp
made TO put 1t through for the purpos
Of giving a certain combination o
elements, in both leagues, control o
the game, without consultation or con
sideration Of practically One-half tn
membership Of major league clubs, an
with no consideration whatever Of III
minor leagues, which also are 70 u
considered in baseball reform.
More than that it was such Il thinl
disguised attempt to disrredit IA
johnson and August Hermann, an
particularly the former, in their effort
To ~reorgani2e the game that II Mt one
stirred their friends TO arms, ThOug
the one-man commission idea seeems
have died a%-boruing. II sttll is cvider
the war on Johnson will be continue
and a big fight in the game may result