The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
TAFT DECLINES
BASEBALL JOB
Announces Refusal to Become
Arbitrator Of the Major
Leagues.
ACCEPTED ONE CASE
Gave Opinion on Contract Ex-
emption, but Will Go
No Further.
ACCEPTED ONE CASE
soeciai DespatcA to THr Sun.

DAYTON, Onio, NOV oV'-- " hAioA AAO'
ard Taft, former President Of the
United States, will not accept the ofter
TO act as supervisor OF baseball made
him a week ago to-day IN New York by
Presidents Harry ". Hampstead and
Harry Frazee of the New York National
and Boston American League clubs re-
epectively.
The Eastern baseball men wanted Mr..
Taft to become a one man national COM
mission to settle the intricate cases
that come before the sport, as well as 10
give the sport a head which would In
splre respect both at home and abroad.
Mr. Taft DECLARED to-day that he
could not seriously consider the question
Of becoming a permanent tribunal Tor
baseball. This, II is believed here, is the
former Presidents final answer to the
baseball offer after having given the
matter serious consideration for n week.
In discussing the baseball offer made
him in New York by Hampstead and
Frazee, Mr.. Taft said to-day:
'T was asked to arbitrate certain
dispute as to the legality of certain ex-
emption of baseball contracts. and was
very glad to be Of service in this cap
paclty. However. when the matter OF
becoming a permanent tribunal Is sug-
gested 1 could not even think seriously
of it."
Probably Daubert Case.
Tho case Mr. Taft spoke of Is assumed
to have been the Jake Daubert case
Daubert is suing the Brooklyn National
League club in the civil courts for $2,15O
for the last Ave weeks of the 1918 sea-
son. the sum having been deducted from
his contract salary when the major
~ oil
TENDER . to comply with the work or
fight order. Daubert's case had been
dismissed by the national commission
OF baseball.
IL the former President intended to
accept the job the publicity given to the
affair during the last week influenced
Judge Taft in declining the offer. The
fact that all club owners were not in
favor of making him a one man COM
missioner also may have influenced the
ex-President.
When the offer originally was made to
Mr.. Taft by Hrazee and Hampstead 1t
was supposed to have the backing OF
all organized baseball, but later devel-
opments showed that Frazee and Hemp
stead represented only a coterie Of East
ern club owners.
Many club owners knew nothing Of the
offer until they read it in the papers. and
Mr.. Taft could not have felt but that
the entire thing was an unusual pro-
cedure.
In a statement last Sunday made In
Waterbury. Conn. Mr.. Taft intimated
that he might consent to act as arbl-
traitor Of baseball disputes under certain
conditions and went so far as to say
that he had asked Frazee and Hemp
stead to outline exactly the duties they
would want him to fulfil.
he also had gore into the matter suffi-
cienty to say that he would inquire OF
his brother, Chsrles L. Taft, whether he
had disposed of AL his baseball holdings.
Al various times Charles +. Taft held
stock in the Chicago and Philadelphia
National League clubs.
Owners Not Unanimous.
However, the events Of last week re-
realed to Mr.. Taft that he could not
afford to take the baseball position In
any capacity While Mr.. Frazee informed
the former President that the duties of
one man commissioner would take only
few hours "A week OF Mr.. Tafts valu-
able time otha- club owners took pains
To inform Mr., Taft. through the press
md otherwise, that IL was no three hour
. week job, bu- would take up much o.
liir thought and time
1t also is said tfat some OF Mr.. Taft s
friends dislikcd the idea OF the former
President figuring so prominently in
sporting pages. and considered 1t below
the dignity OF the former President
While Mr.. Taft Is the most democratic
of men and loves baseball more than
any other Sport there has been a feel
ing that certain baseball men wanted
Mr.. Taft'5 name to give prestige "a
baseball more than they really desired
him to fill any job in baseball.
The refusal of Mr.. Taft to serve base
ball likely will open a new factionaI
fight in the sport during the coming
winter The men who We're the strong
est advocates Of Mr.. Taft will accuse
their fellow clubowners OF luliewarm-
ness in supporting their project to bring
Mr.. Taft into the sport.
Want One Man nmIssion.
ifter having started an agitation for
one man National Commission Hemp
stead, Frazee and the men associated
with them viii not give up the fight
merely because Mr. Taft has declined
to accept the offer made him. SearcA
will he made for another strong mar
60 head baseball, though the fact that
the job already has been turned down
will make It less attractive.
IaVr TF1,r