New-York tribune., 1918-11-27
Appeal to Taft Will Have
Good Results-Minors
May Force Change
By W. ]. Macbeth


of Harry Hampstead and Harry Fra
zee to William Fl. Taft, the matter can
not fail to result in one great good-a
thorough reorganization Of the Ma
tional Commission.
That fact is very plain from the
sentiments expressed generally by Ma
tional League club owners. The pa
rent major organization. at it's annual
meeting in this city two weeks hence,
must select, or rather elect, n sue
cessor to John Kinley Tener, resigned.
In all likelihood John A. Heydler will
be this selection. But whether he or
some one else, the National League
magnates will insist that the present
chairman of the triumvirate-if the
present form of National Commits
sion be returned to power-shall not
be renamed
Meanwhile, the majority of National
League club owners are bending their
energies toward pressing upon certain
apparently cold American rivals the
great advantage of vesting supreme
authority in one man who commands
the respect, authority and admiration
that Mr. Taft does. 1t is realized that the
national agreement must be amended
before the present form of supreme
baseball government can be over
thrown. Yet this can easily be accom-
plished if a majority of the club own
ers of the American League wNl only
acquiesce.
Amendment to the national agree
ment does not require the unanimous
vote of the major league club own
ers. 1t requires simply the unanimous
vote of the three contracting parties
the American League, National League
and National Association, which gov
erns all minor league baseball. Either
major league, by & majority vote
within itself or by pledging five of the
available eight votes, may move for
amendment.
No Leap in the DARK
There is no doubt that Mr.. Hemp
stead has the moral support of more
than four of his colleagues of the
National League. And there is reason
to believe that Harry Frazee did not
take a leap in the dark, the loud
bleatings OF Connie Mack and Phil de
Cater Ball to the contrary notwith-
standing.
OF course if those who have heavy
Investments tied up in organized base
ball have grain Of sense no baseball
war, let alsne baseball war talk, can
be tolerated. Therefore the best asset
of those behind the movement to make
of Mr.. Taft referee of important dis
putes is the National Association Be
cause of the fact that he .nino.s are
lahorinG under fanc'ed Ills which have
indeed, threatened the peace of base
ball already it should be very easy for
the National League majority to get
the weight of this body behinds its
revolutionary movement. And more
especially 50 after Ban Jotnson's de-
nouncement of and threats against he
minor league beard Of governors
The sympathy of the minor leagues
will prove no small advantage in the
fight which seems gathering, for fight
there will be at both annual meet
ings of the majors, without doubt
indeed if The minors were to go to the
length Of split with the big fellows
the act itself would aborgate the much
discussed national agreement, if indeed
it has not already oeen abrogated by
John K. Tener's reputation of the
Triumvirate, in the aftermath of the
Scott Perry scandal.
Now, in case the Ill will existing be-
tween the saarply divided factions.
reflected in . degree in the rival ma
lor leagues, should be famed into the
flsme o. war. the National League at
the present moment would be found no
weak vassal of the American as his
tory of the last few years appeared to
indicate. Indeed the parent major has
simply to assert itself to show the
whip hand.
According to those in closest touch
with baseball politics all existing base
ball contracts were abrogated at the
time the past baseball season came to
an abrupt end with the application Of
the work or fight" order in the case
Of the noble athlete. Ball PLAYERS were
relieved of their contracts indircrirni-
nately, as witness the suit of Jake
Daubert against the Brooklyn club.
Players Free Agents
Now, there is no civil law court
which under the circumstances would
recognize any clubs claim to PLAYERS
so released. Every ball player in the
country is a free agent. There is no
such thing as a reserve list save in 50
far as L gentlemen's agreement is con-
cerned. In case of baseball war there
would be indiscriminate scrambling for
p ayers such as obtained in the old
war between the majors. War, of
course, would be the height OF non
sense and ruinous; but neither side
can carry a bluff too far under the
circumstances.
There is another point too. that
should not be forgotten in case the
mad magnates shou proceed to dire
hostility. New York is, or should be.
the big money chest of both major
leagues. And the American League.
without a bone OF its own. can opeTate