The Washington herald., 1918-12-03
JOINT SESSION
FOR LEAGUES
National Circuit Has Re
quested Americans to Hold
Meeting in Gotham.

Having sQuelched the plan of the
insurgent contingent or organized
baseball to dissolve the National
Commission and name former Presi-
dent William Howard Taft as a
'one-man court of last resort.
without the necessary authority,
Ban Johnson is expected to act
fsvorably on the suggestion that the
American and National Leagues hold
a joint session in New York next
week. The National has asked for
the meeting and the majority of the
club owners in the two leagues are
understood to be in favor of It.
The refusal of Mr.. Taft to con-
slider the offer made him by Harry
Hampstead, of New York, and Harry
Frazee, of Boston, caused no sur
prise. 1t would have been surpris-
ing had he accepted it after the row
it kicked up among the club owners
Of the American League. The elimi<
nation of Mr.. Taft, however, leaves
the question regarding the forms-
tion of a commission still unsettled,
and IL Johnson agrees to the joint
session plan he is almost sure to
have something important to say as
to how the commission will be con-
stituted.
1t would be just like johnson to
insist that Hermann be retained as
chairman of the commission, and IL
he decides to stand by Hermann
there is no power to remove the
Cincinnati magnate from the place.
Despite rumors to the contrary. II
is virtually assured that johnson
will remain at the head of the
American League, even though his
powers may be curtailed, but as
president of the league he will rep
resent his organization on the COM
mission and IL he casts his vote for
Hermann the latter cannot be
ousted.
Just how Johnson feels regarding
Hermann is not known, for the
American League executive has not
announced his ideas regarding some
of the changes planned for the reor-
ganization of baseball. His refusal
TO indorse Taft's candidacy because
il was announced without his sane
ton shows that Big Ban" still
wields a powerful stick in his or
ganization. Now. II the National
League is determined to oVst Herr
mann from the commission, 1t will
have to obtain JohnsOn's consent
and secure his approval of what
ever candidate the National League
has in mind since Taft is out of
the field.
1t is for the purpose OF deciding
the National Commission question
along with several other knotty
problems that the National League
has asked the American League to
hold its meeting in New York, and
as there are many matters of vital
importance to both leagues to be ad-
justed. the joint meeting idea seems
to be the most sensible one. The
question of reducing the player limit,
the readjustment of salaries and the
reinstatement of players declared in
eligible to organized baseball be-
cause of their desertion to shipyards
and munition plants. are among the
most important matters to come up
for settlement. and as they affect
the clubs in both leagues, it is be-
lieved they should be presented to
the magnates in joint session
The question of reinstating incl
igible players Is even more impor-
tant to the American League than
to the National. for it involves sew
eral stars of the former organiza-
tion. II was President Comiskey. of
the Chicago White Sox. who first
declared that no player who jumped
his team to seek work in munition
plants with the idea OF escaping the
government draft would ever be
taken blCk to his club. The deser-
tion of Joe Jackson. Happy" FeIch.
Lefty" Williams and Byrd Lynn
ruined whatever chances the Sox had
OF repeating their 1917 conquest, and
if Comiskey remains firm in his
stand regarding these players their
status in organized baseball will
have to be determined.
Don't fight boys. let's all get to-
gether and put the old game back
where il belongs.