Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-10
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

NEW YORK, December 1O.-BuSl-
ness of getting out from under will
be the order of the day for Messrs
Comiskey. RUPERT. Huston and F'razee
when the annual meeting of the
American League is called to order at
the Biltmore Hotel here at noon TO-
day
Since the inception of the now just
" celebrated Mays case these mag
mates have talked loudly and at great
length of the Sundry and dlVers IN
pleasant things they were gong 10
visit on the fast CRAVING head of Ban
johnson Dire threats of stern retrl-
button to be melted out to the preSl-
dent of the organization IN reta!a
tion for his autocratic hlSh-haHueu
and unwarranted usurpation OF power
and insufferable tyranny were issuea
almost daily from the strongholds OF
the recalritrant insurgents
In unequivOcal terms they an
nounced their intention to get the
league executive. strip him OF all
sembIance of authority and reduce
him to the position Of innocuous des-
uetudc now occupied ny ms uh
mourned prototype. w HohenZolierh'
Late this forenoon the only thing
reduced about Byron Bancroft was
the swelling in the infected toe that
confined him to hs home for several
weeks and only recently has respond
ed TO tre2 tment
Johnson limped into New York last
night. but unless all signs fail he VIII
have no need for literal or hguratiVe
clutches W hen he takes his departure.
while his belligerent antagonists are
likely to require the services or a
CORPS of chiropodists. 1t is the firm
conviction of his trainers that John
son still packs wonderful kick. bad
dogs and all and they are willing to
give generous odds that a practical
demonstration of his pedal prowess
will be forthcoming ere the shades
of dusk render the once great white
way the gloomy cavern it has become
since the order of the federal fuel ad-
miristration went into effect.
Broadway now is in almost total
eclipse after nightfall, and persons
close to the faithful Ave." as the
maSnates stringing- with Johnson
have come to be known, assert a sim
liar fate is in store for the owners
of the Chicago. New York and Bos-
ton franchises. AT this period, 10
am. Johnson and his ally. Jim Dunn
of Cleveland. minority directors, are
going into session with the majority
members of the board. They may not
let Johnson preside, and ii is well
within the realm of possibility that
some mean and cutting things will be
said right to his face about the way
he has conducted the affairs of the
league They may even draw up
resolution replete with scathing de-
nunciation and literally embellished
with specific instances of his alleged
encrOachments on their vested rights
invasion of constitutional authority
and general Incompetence. But what
of it? Such a resolution would have to
be submitted for ratification of the
league as whole. at which time it
would be securely pigeonholed and
resolve into just so many words
wasted.
Johnson still is president of the
American League, and. so far as we
are able to discern through the murky
mist overhanging Manhattan ISLE
/. about the only chance his antagonists
have of carrying out their threats
is to bean him with piece of the
directorate official furniture, but
even that would have to be accom-
plished with much finesse and dis
patch. for in two short hours this is
stated to tranSpire:
Comiskey, Rupert and Frazee will
cease to be directors of the American
League, with the presidents of the
Washington. Detroit. st. Louis and
Philadelphia clubs elevated to office
in their stead.
Comiskey will cease to be vice
president. with Frank Navin of De-
troit probably getting the job.
Johnson will be elected president
Of it is considered necessary in view
of the half-finished twenty-year term
he now is serving, to go through this
formality).
That part of the program outlined
relating to the harsh words con-
demnatory resolution. etc, may not
come to pass. There is well defined
atmosphere of Willingness to get to-
Eether surrounding both camps of
the warning factions and it is possible
no verbal pyrotechnicS will be set
off. but the ousting of Comiskey. Fra
zee and Rupert from the board of
directors is sure-fre eventuality-
Neither Johnson nor any of the mo-
ich
other than to compose differences eX-
listing in the circuit All express
themselves as willing and anxious for
restoration of harmony. but are
obdurate on the point that cessation
of hostilitieS shall be a peace with
out victory for their opponents. They
are willing to yield to the extent of
putting no barriers in the way of the
insurgents. Saving their faces" if
it can be accomplished without re-
Election on them. but are determined
that the rebels bow to the wishes OF
the majority and relinquish all posi-
tons of authority. They insist there
shall be no compromise on this point.
An indication of which way the
wind was blowing in this. the great
est scrap the American League ever
witnessed. was obtained last night
when Harry FraZee initiated over
lures for peace on behalf of the in
surgents. AT the behest of the Red
Sox Boss -President Navin of Detroit
conferred with Comiskey. the guiding
spirit of the rebels. whose personal
luminosity against Johnson generally
is held to he the underlying cause
of the present imbroglio. Maxim in
formed Comiskey, on behalf of him
self and his States. that there
was absolutely 10 T'-rcc 81 them
agreeing TO do anything except go
into the meeIinE- a.i1 carry out the
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. l,lDnJla