New-York tribune., 1918-12-12

the morrow. 1cICc ana Qule.uGC re
corridors as We humble scribe dash
II may be the proximity Of Christ
mas. 1t may be the reflex psychologi-
cal effect of the big armistice. 1t may
he the rival factions camoufage Bit
+erness of heart beneath bland smiles.
ppt the fact remains that the warm
ing-up exercises of the big annual
came have failed to deliver a sputter
~ interest among the onlookers. AS
usual. these American League mag
Yates who have damned each other
from Boston to st. Louis and back
again to Washington by way Of Chi
caro are out with the glad mitts and
The suave handshakes, as busily united
in common interest as the happiest
swarm of bees that ever lived in the
same hive.
Precedent is hard thing to break.
And perhaps precedent is on the crack
ing point. Heretofore the American
League has been able to do its own
laundry without outside help. The
steam Of the washroom never escaped
to the guy with his eye to the plugged
keyhole. We have all heard this and
that of what big Ban johnson would
do to Harry Frazee and what Frazee
would do to the czar.
Frazee blew into town late this after
noon. He soon put in an appearance at
headquarters, but Ban wasn't around.
And so they are not likely to meet till
tomorrow. But the boys already on
hand declare Ban is not SO belligerent
as he was typified few brief days
ago. AS for Frazee, he has not been
dieting on raw meat.
Collision Is Postponed
Ii there is a head-on collision it will
develop at to-morrow's meeting. Frazee
is firm. He intends to fight for his
rights such as he interprets them. he
says he will not be intimidated or
browbeaten. Also he makes no bones
Of the fact that Mr.. Johnson may
eliminate him from the American
League picture by producing pur-
chaser for the world champion Red
Sox. But the purchaser must meet Mr..
Frazee's price and he is not holding
his property cheaply.
President Johnson OF the American
League to-day received q lengthy COM
munication from President John A.
Heydler Of the National League asking
for joint meeting Of the club owners
of the two majors in the immediate
future. Johnson would not declare
himself on the advisability Of the step
before he had presented the official
communication to the league for its
conside ration. But it seems the ma
jority OF the American League club
owners favor such meeting. And 1T
would be no surprise if the National
League were asked to sit jointly in con-
ference before the week end. Perhaps
some midway stamping ground, Cieve-
land of Pittsburgh, may be named
The wiser counsels here believe that in
this way only can satisfactory agree,,
ments and guarantees be erected
toward mutual concerns.
On what appears excellent authority
it has been learned that the revolution,
airy faction of the American League Will
20 to the mat with Ban Johnson to-
morrow on the Cleveland scandal.
This, of course, means the forfeiture by
that team of the Labor Day games
scheduled in st. Louis.
The more rabid are for most drastlc
action, even suggesting the forfeiture
of the Cleveland franchise and lts
transfer to Toronto, Ont. Having been
tipped off in advance of the contem-
plated action the Cleveland Club Will
J1F
it alone subscribed to the wishes OF
the government. that ali clubs which
played on Labor Day few into the teeth
OF the wishes of the administration.
1t will attempt to show that baseball
was given until September l, only to
wind up it's affairs and not until Sep
tember 2, save only in so lar as the
. world series was concerned.
Action Generally Deplored
The action of Cleveland is generally
deplored, and those who will press the
matter to an issue are prepared with
the rebuttal to this ludicrous thesis.
Ihe government never ordered baseball
stopped, they will point out. 1t simply
said, that after September l the work
or fight rule would be applied to the
noble athletes. And they will try to
prove that Cleveland refused to go to
d., Louis, fearing it would be lmpos-
slpie to make expenses.
=, lt was learned also that Charles a..
,Comiskey tomorrow will attempt to
have the league express its attitude
toward the So called "slacker" element
OF the profession. A number of stars
early IN the year deserted to shipyards
ana Kindred war industrials, evidently
selling their athletic prowess as a
guarantee of immunity from the draft.
Inc Old Roman is in favor of forget
taiiy IN the East as saying that such of
tnese among the White Sox-Joe Jack
son and Hap Felsh, in particular
would never be allowed to return. 1t is
now now denied that this declaration was
ever made, but "Commy" is of the
SSplnion that no taint Of "slackerism"
.or any reason should be permitted to
attach itself to the game There are a
lumber Of Incidental points to come up
ior consideration, but these could best
,';, "s ,aKen care of at joint meeting and
WI not be touched upon if it Is de-
~'uea TO hold the joint session.
griffith, Mack and Dunn desire
snort ono schedule of lao games; Navin
sd ana Rupert have not vet declared
themselves. The other three wish the
long schedule.
thit ~ was announced unofficially by
nose who have tested the pulse that
S JHe American League would probably
" ettspehse with club trainers as means
" economy. 1t will be up to the ath-
ietes TO look after themselves
out this is matter which. like the
,ehgth Of schedule, player limit, spring
raining and hundred other matters,
sould best be cleared up at a joint
meeting.