Evening star., 1919-12-02
INSURGENTS GL0AT;;
SEE BANS DEFEAT
Joyful Over Steps to. Prevent
Chicago Meeting-John-
son Explains Call.
BY DENMAN THONPsON

III we" 1OTk tne
airy element of the American League
will get their heads together for the
'Steenth time to perfect additional
plans for the base ball obsequieS of
b. b. Johnson. Comiskey has rushed
all the way from his home in Chicago
for this confab with Harry Frazee of
the Red SoX and Coils. Rupert and
Huston of the Yankees. That the out
come of their deliberations will be
further steps of a legal nature seems
assured. TO date they never have
failed to gain ground with this meth
cd of attack and. like a foot ball team
employing line rushes to advance the
ball successfully, may not be expected
to shift to an aerial offensive or end
runs.
Latest developments in what thus
far has been largely a battle of atti-
davits with side sorties of vocal on
slaughts are a postponement of one
week in the injunction proceedings
instituted by the directors to pre- cent
a meeting with Johnson in Chica-,, on
December 10 of the five club owrers
supporting him, and a statement by
the president setting forth his rea'
sons for nominating the Windy city
Tor the annual poW-WoW.
Hearing Set for Next Monday.
Arguments on the question of max
ing permanent the temporary injunc-
ton granted Saturday by Justice
Newburgher. which were to have
been heard this morning. in view of
the postponement obtained by Stephen
Baldwin, Johnson's attorney. now will
be made before Justice Greenbaum
of part l, special term. supreme
court, New York. next Monday morn
ing.
Johnson's statement. issued in Chi
cago today, in exp. .anation of hi~
call for the annual meeting to be
held in that city, is to the effect
that in taking this action he is only
following precedent
Before issuing the call for the an
nual meeting l consulted the club
owners and five of them favored Chi
cago." Johnson says. "Our annual
meeting has been held here continu-
ously since 1912. and always has been
called by the president of the league.
The constitution fixes the time, but
does not name the place. 1t does
not confer authority to issue the call
on either the president or directors,
but l always have done so after de-
termining the wishes of n majority
of the club owners.
johnson says he is unable to un-
derstand why the directors should
wish to hold the meeting in New
York. asserting it is obviously more
convenient to hold the meeting in
Chicago, where the league offices are
located and where free access could
be had to various papers. documents
and records of the league which the
directors had asked to see.
At the conference in New York to-
day the league records Johnson re-
ferred to, which recently were OBJ
tanned from Johnson's office by Co
miSkey, will be carefully gone over
by attorneys for the directors. who
contend they will clearly show that
Johnson frequently has been governed
nv nerCnnal nrpiudice and has acted
for personal advantage.
GIoatins of Rebels Premature.
Next Monday, set as the date for
the hearing in the injunction proceed
ingS, being only two days before the
time designated by Johnson for the
meeting in Chicago. the insurgent ele-
ment is gloating in the belief that the
They contend that unless the court
can be shown next Monday why the
meeting should be held in Chicago
any attempt to do so will be in con-
tempt of the supreme court of New
York state and would not be legal.
ina smuch as Owners Ball and Dunn of
the St. Louis and Cleveland clubs, re-
spectively. are named along with
Johnson in the petition for a perma
nent injunction, which, if granted,
would prevent a quorum being assem-
bled in Chicago.
That the glee and rejoicing in the
camp Of the insurgents are at least
premature, if not wholly unwarrant-
ed. is thte view of unbiased ring
siders at this league scrap, however.
for. as has been pointed out before.
the place of holding the meeting is
really immaterial. 1t is what actually
transpires in the session that will
count, and there is no present in
dication that this will be anything
other than vote of confidence in
johnson by the five club owners. who
are unshaken in their support of him
and the ousting from the directorate
of the three league members who
are conducting the war against him.