New-York tribune., 1921-01-13

u0 t"o iuoJVI leagues s'&ucu INC
new national agreement making Judge
+ Kenesaw NJ. Lands baseball commits
|ssioner with supreme powers as their
-suler, but it differed in one empower
ing word from that signed by the
majors. This difference, it developed,
was due to a misunderstanding in the
joint meeting of drafting committees
yesterday when the agreement was
drawn up and it was announced that
the minors later would sign an agree
ment Identical with the one approved
by the major organizations.
Landis to Rule Supreme
Besides signing the pational agree
ment, the individual major league
club owners affixed their signatures
TO contract in which they agreed not
to publicly criticize each other or talk
about one another and to accept any
decision made by Judge Lands regard
less of their personal opinion Of It.
Included in the signatories to this
agreement were President B. B. John
son of the American League and two
OF the three club owners who have
fought his administration, Charles A.
Comiskey, of Chicago, and Jacob Rup-
pert, of New York. Harry Frazee, Of
Boston. the third club owner, who op-
league dlsagreements. announced that
ne would sign the contract. lie was
not present when it was drawn IN.
The signing of the new national
agreement brought sharp statement
from Judge Landis concerning the
powers he must have and led to er-
roneous reports that he had issued an
uitimatum giving the club owners if-
teen minutes in which to make changes
he demanded. The judge did not set
time limit but did tell the club owners
that his powers must be surreme.
When the copy of the new national
agreement was brought before the
league representatives, it contained a
section saying that the commissioner,
after investigating any affair he con-
sidered detrimental to baseball, could
recommend such action as he deemed
advisable
Judge Lands interrupted the read.
ing of the document to say that this
must be made to read "take such ac-
ton"
"You have told the world that my
powers are to be supreme" he said. "To
give me the power merely to recon-
mend takes all power out of my hands.
VIII retire from the room, gentlemen,
and you can discuss this matter. But
want you to know that either l must
have power to take such action as
wish, Or else you had better seek
new commissioner. wouldn't take this |
sob for all the gold in the world unless
knew my hands were to be free"
Johnson Moves Substitute
On n,otion OF President Johnson the
major leaguers voted to substitute the
word take" for recommend" but it
was found that the minors were not
in official session and the matter would
have to go through their drafting COM
mlttec again.
q standing vote assured the judge that |
they had considered recommend" the
same as take in that they were
bound to abide by his decisions, but |
that as soon as the agreement could !
be formally taken up again the word !
would be changed and they would sign. |
Tonight the major leagues signed |
the contract with Judge Lands making !
him commissioner for seven years at !
will remain in effect SO long as Judge !
Lands is commissioner.
Judge Lands, however has stipu-
lated that his salary Of $500 a year
as judge should be deducted from his |
baseball salary. so he actually will !
get only s42,500 year from baseball !
The new agreement also provides for !
restoration OF the ora1t WIN the prices /
scaled down from $4,000 for Class AA /
Leagues to $1,000 for Glass D. The
American Association and the New IN /
ternationai leagues remained out Of
the draft, while the Pacific Coast
League. the other Glass AA 'organiza-
ton, went in.
New players contracts covering what
the club owners termed the "ethics of
the game" were, approved By the
majors.
One clause in the new form Of con-
tract provides that the player pledges
loyalty to his club and "pledges him
self to the, American public to conform
TO high Standards of fair play and
good sportsman ship" The player also
promises to abide by all decisions OF
the commissioner and to keep himself
IN good physical condition throughout
the season.