The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-11
BASEBALL PEACE
MEETING ARRANGED
Owners of Sixteen Major
League Clubs VIII Try to
Settle Differences. )
IN CHICAGO TOMORROW
American League Directors
Take Action in Effort to
Avert War.

tonight were vanishing from the major
league baseball horizon, with indications
favoring an amicable settlement when
the belligerent major leaguers meet in
joint session in Chicago on Friday to
effect peace pact. The National AS
sociation of Minor Leagues, after lis
tening to both sides. voted to help avoid
q war by agreeing TO appoint COM
mittee to act with the major leagues
in devlsing a plan for baseball reor-
ganlzation.
The sixteen club owners of the two
warning leagues agreed TO meet In the
same room in Chicago and attempt to
adjust their differences without the aid
of any outsiders. 1t was 3greed that
only the club owners shall attend this
meeting and that both Ban Johnson,
president of the American League, and
John Heyder. president of the National,
as well as lawyers. stenographers and
others who have participated in recent
sessions, shall remain away Major
league leaders pointed out that If law
yers are excluded so that no technical
questions" could be raised the threat
ened war cloud could be quickly settled.
The agreement to make a desperate
last minute attempt to avert a ba seball
war came at meeting of the directors
of the American League to-day, and
was one of the results OF conferences
between owners of the rival ma or
league factions. The peace news was
announced in dramatic fashion in the
middle of an address which August
Hermann, owner OF the Cincinnati
Nationals, was delivering to the minor
league delegates.
Harrr1apn f0rrroer hoi NJ
the National Commission, was inter-
rupted by a messenger, who handed
him note, which he opened and slowly
read. Then he announced that the con-
ference of the club owners had teen
agreed upon for Friday.
johnson Issues Statement.
Johnson, in commenting on the joint
meeting. issued the following statement ::
THE American League has been
standing for the principle that a re .
organization in baseball should be
worked out primarily by committee
composed of representatives from the
National League the American League
and the National Association. II seems
now such a committee is TO be created
TO consider and work out a plan for
reorganization. There have been GER
tain points of difference between the two
major leagues which thus far they have
not been able to agree upon. 1t has
now been arranged that an informal con-
ference of major league club owners
shall take pIace-ths conference to be
limited to club owners and to be purely
informal
1.-THE purpose of the conference is to
see II the two major leagues may not
IN some way iron out their points of
difference. 1t is an attempt to see II
there can be found some satisfactory
basis on which they can harmonic those
differences"
While the National League club
owners issued no formal statement, most
OF them take the stand that waht al
ready has been done in the advance
ment of baseball reorganization cannot
be changed at the conference Friday.
This was taken to mean that the selec-
ton OF Federal Judge Lands OF Chicago
az chairman of the new board of con-
troll at salary of $4,000 a year must
be accepted by the American League
club owners.
The National Leaguers frankly admit
they do not want twelve club league
unless il is forced upon them to organize
Il. and that it would be a joke Mr..
Hermann stated that II would be ride
ulous to form a league with two clubs
In three cities. Before leaving for Chi
cago tonight he declared he was con-
fident the situation could be adjusted 70
the satisfaction of all.
After Mr.. Hermann had addressed
the minor leaguers Charles Ebbets of
the Brooklyn club and Barney Dreyfuss
of the Pittsburg Nationals were called
upon to talk. The keynote OF what they
said was harmony Mr.. Hermann said
the eleven clubs which he represented
would be willing TO meet with a commit
tee of any size from the minors for reor-
ganizing baseball control. NJ. II. Sexton,
president of the National Association of
Minor Leagues. will appoint the minor
leagues committee tomorrow.
Minors Are Suspicious.
After hearing the pleas of the Ma
tlonal League representatives the minor
lea guers went into executive session and
voiced their suspicion OF the professed
affection" expressed for them by the
two forces involved in the major league
fight. They warned their associates
from which a committee will be APP
pointed TO confer with the major leagues
not TO ccdc any of the rights OF the
minors in working out REORGANIZATION
plan. They took the position that, while
they might act as bearers OF the olive
branch I'm the threatened baseball war
they would not go so far as to scorch
their own wings
The minor leaguers recommended that
Sexton be placed on full salary and &c
devote his full time to league affairs
The resolution carried proposal FOR
salaries Of $4,000 each for the president
and secretary OF the organization, but
suggestions were made for an increase
TO $1,000 or $1,000 a year The pro.
posal was referred 10 n committee for
decision tomorrow. Establishment OF Q
central headquarters for the association
was recommended.
Joining in the crusade against gam.
bling in baseball. the minor leaguers
unanimously adopted a resolution urging
passage in every State Legislature Of o
bill designed TO stamp out the evil whict
I'm a large measure brought 20 a head
che necessity of a reorganization oil
baseball.
The resolution followed the lines Of q
bill proposed for introduction in the
Tezas Legislature. II sets the punish
ment OF bribery or attempted bribery Of
"any baseball player. umpire or man.
aEer In p baseball game or any other
persons connected with baseball" Mt i'm.
prisonment from two 10 five years Tho
minors adopted an amendment to broad.
en- the proposed legislation TO include the
punishment of both own,r re- and officials
who are connected in any way With Fix.
wig games.
In adopting this feature some Of the
minor ,leaguers pointed out that the
worlds series baseball scandal was ex-