The Washington herald., 1920-10-03

McGraw, vice president of the n,
Big Men Suggested.
In a pamphlet sent broadcast to
club owners and others directly in
terested, these leaders mention such
men as Gen. Pershing, William
Howard Taft. Hiram Johnson.
Judge Lands. Gen. Leonard Wood
and William G. McAdoo as being
of the caliber desired in those
whom they would have take the
place Of the national commission
The plan of reorganizing the gov
erning body Of the national pastime
was devised, it is stated in the
pamphlet, by A. d. Lasker, of the
executive committee of the Chicago
National League club, and is known
as the Lasker plan of reorganiza-
ton" It is a direct result of the
present baseball bribe scandal,
which was made possible, according
to the Lasker plans proponents,
by the lack of complete super
yisory control of professional base
BAH"
As a basis for proposed action
the signers of the communication
have executed a preliminary agree
ment, reading as follows:
The undersigned mambers re-
spectively of the National League,
American League of Professional
Baseball Clubs. and the National
Association of Professional Baseball
Clubs. believing that the present
deplOrabIs condition in baseball has
8
complete supervisory control of
professional baseball; and
'"The undersigned believing that
the only CUre for such condition is
by having at the head of baseball
men Gin no wise connected with
basebalD who are so prominent and
representative among the American
people that not a breath of sus-
piCiOn could ever be reflected: and
The undersigned further believ-
ing that the public. as we'll as the
owners and players. are entitled to
the fullest measure of protection in
the further conduct and operation
of the national game:
The undersigned now agree 10
put in immediate operation a plan
by which the three most prominent
men Obtaina BILE Gn no wise con-
nected with basebalD be enlisted. to
act as a superior tribunal, at what
ever compensation may be neCes-
sary; that such tribunal so cOnsti-
tuted shall have unreviewabIe au-
thority over presidents of all
leagues, club owners. players and
every other person, act and thing
connected with the national game"
Weakness shown.
The proponents of the plan feel
that the National Commission can
not function to the best interest of
baseball in general with two Of it's
three members being presidents of
the two major leagues and with
each subcOnsCiously or otherwise.
naturally inclined to favor the in
dividUal league he represents.
Another great weakness of the
commission. as seen by the Lasker
plan advocates, is that the commits
sion, as it existed. represe nted real
" the vast interest of major league
owners only. and failed to directly,
resent-bscause of the nature OF
its component parts-the interest of
three factors, 0ne of which had an
interest away beyond that of major
league owners, namely, the public.
and two of which had an interest
at least equal to that of the major
owners, namely, the minor league
owners and the players
John A Heydler, president of the
National League. has given his
whOlehearted support to the plan,
according to the pamphlet.
Griffith FayOrs One-man Rule.
Clark Griffith, president and man
ager Of the Washington team, said
last night that he was not in favor
Of the Lasker proposal. but that he
believed professional baseball
needed reOrganizing. In place of
another triumyirate to rule the ma
tiOnal pastime. Manager Griffith
proposed a single head. a virtual
emperor of baseball, with absolute
Judiciary power.
With a three-man rule. Manager
Griffith said. disruption would be
possible through differences OF
opinion resulting in conflicting fac
tioas.
According to the Lasker plan, the
SUPERIOR tribunal would have un-
limited power. Owners and league
presidents. as well as players.
would be under its control. If an
specifically pointed out. which the
tribunal felt was unethical, un-
sportsmanlike. or destructive of the
morale of the game. the tribunal
would have the right to reprimand
the guilty party. to fine him without
limit, or even to declare the fran