Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-11-18
BASEBALL WORLD
AGAIN At PEACE
The Two Major Leagues Will
Flourish as Before With Judge
Lands as the Supreme Dicta.
tor of Their Destinies

Chicago. Nov. 1.-THE warning
baseball factions in the major leagues
to-day made peace. each side conced :
ing certain points to the other in the
battle over the reorganization OF pro :
fessional baseball control.
After n three-hour session the re-
representatives. Of the sixteen clubs voted
unanimously to appoint Federal Judge
Kenrsaw Mountain Lands supreme die
tntor OF the leagues dcstinies, but did
away with the civilian. tribunal pi o.
posed by the Lasker plan. voting in
stead that Judge Lands should be a
committee of one in complete charge
OF the administration OF the leagues
Hsfa!rp
10 HOLD BOTH POSITIONS
Judge Landis Immediately accepted
tho position. but stipulated that he
could remain on the federal district
lunch and hold both positions Judge
Lands stlnry as chairman Of bapebnll
will be s42 500 d year an6 hN also will
rssei,s $1,000 a year nv federal Judge,
Giving him an annual stipend OF $780,
900. Originally he was ost.rcd $50 900
40 baseball chat man. but II was re-
6uned by tho amount ne receives as
judgs.
TIE fundamental principles Of the
LAaker plan cf reorganization were agreed
to by President Johnson and the PhIia-
dolofia. Washington, Detroit. Cleveland
and 81. Louis American League clubs
which sided with President Johnson In
opposing tine lasknr plan.
After the irecting tho Inaxnates came
ont arm, in am AMI a majority Of :hem
t., Ji1J Oh hoe m
'nto1r him Of their da+ision
PEACE THAT WILL LAST
"wevc maize rel peace--one that
vii! last" was the ccnfpent of President
Week Of tie Chicago National club as
the meeting broke up. THE full details
OF tie reorganization have not been set
t'cd. OF course. hut we EXPECT to Issue a
formal statement Son telling all about it,.
It's cough to soy GoH that the war is
over and everyone os Us is mighty glad
of It."
To-day's meeting was arranged at the
minor league convention in Kansas City
n few days after the II clubs favorlng
the Lasker plan had formed new p-
club league which now automatically Is
thrown out of existence. 1t was ar
ranged when >he club owners found that
they apparently did not differ in their
fundamental ideas of reorganization. a
fact brought out before the minor
leaguers in addresses by represente tives
Of both Sides
No official record was kept of the pro-
ceedings OF tina meeting to-day. There
were no lawyers. stenographers or clerks
present and President Heydler Of the
National League and President Johnson
of tho American League also were
absent.
Judge Lands announced that he would
not resign from the federal bench. He
said he believed he could handle both
positions.
lands NATIONAL FIGURE
Judge Lands Is n national figure for
the important cases lie has passed upon
and his wit ana sarcasm-sometime
humorous and sometimes caustic-which
no directs at prisoners and counsel from
his bench. have made him famous.
Baseball always has been one Of his
hobbies In the little town OF Logans-
port. Ind. where he was reared. the
Judge played on amateur and semi-pro-
fessional teams. His brilliant playing
brought him many offers to turn profess
sional, but he always declined, saying
he played merely for sport and love Of
the game.
In 1914 Judge Lands presided in the
legal battle which resulted from the
greatest baseball war in history-the night
OF the Federal League against the Ma
tional and American Leagues. The Judge
never rendered a decision in this case,
however. for 1t was settled out OF court
while he was still forming his official
opinion. While studying the case, ne
-,
history. the national agreement and other
documents giving information concerning
baseball The knowledge acquired during
this period made him a legal authority
on the administration of the games
affairs.
A PRONOUNCED FAN
Judge Lands attends many major
league games here every year and sell
dom misses world series. At the annual
fall classic he generally may be found
In box Of third base, his old. black
slouch hat pulled down over his eyes
during game. and a long black cape
falling from his shoulders. He never talks
during game, but studies every play
closely and enjoys anaiyzing the strate-
gy used by the opposing players. One OF
his hobbies at game il to try to guess
the next play
Judge Lands was born in Millville,
Ohio. November TO- 1896 and was named
for Kenesav Mountain. near Atlanta.
Ga. where his father was wounded in
the Civil War. He first became ma tionally
prominent when ne fined tho Standard
OH company s2a .2400oo after forcing John
d. Rockefeller to coma here to testify
His de .ision was reversed by the appel
la'o court, however.
During the World War he presided at
the famous I. W. W. trial. sentencing
big Bill" Haywood. secretary-treasu
of the organization and % other mem
hers to prison. Shortly afterward an ex-
posion in the federal building killed sew
eral persons hut the Judge was unin-
jured. He also sentenced Congressman
Victor Berger to prison for alleged OBJ
struction of the nations war prepsrs-
tons.