The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-27
LANDS PROVES HE IS NOT A
 FIGUREHEAD
By SID MERGER Written for the International Nev
 Seryjce1

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 Service)
 New York, Dec. 27-Less than @ year ago Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis began feeling his way through maze of baseball policies. Today he is running the show. All former czars and petufoggers now sing low when the judge has something to say.
 Judse 1+andis has peculiar ideas. He assumes he is where he is because they wanted him for a specific pur- pose. He represents not only the baseball people but the public. The judge is no 1gurehead, hell tell the world.
 In Buffalo Judge I4andis addressed ed the advisory board of baseball, the Baseball Writers Association and the club owners and officials of the ma jor and minor leagues at a meeting over which he presided.
 AS a word economist the judge is the most frugal leader baseball ever had. He eliminates the airy persi- fage and gets down to cases. When he has something to say-which Is frequently-he takes the short cuts to his con"iusions. Never has there been a presiding officer who has scolded the maj gnates as frankly as has the judge. Wherefore he is be- loved by those who detest cant and hypocrisy.
 While the magnates are fussing around with various petty issues Judge Landis sticks to big one. He insists that ball players be freed from red tape and permitted to advance in their profession aS rapidly their talents warrant.
 Speaking formally to baseball writ CTS. he said:
 We pride ourselves tl2at baseball is an American institrtion and a sport. It must therefore he conduct ed in a sportsmanIike manner. If young bali players careers can be halted at the csprices Of club owners
 
 demand unreasonable prices fer their release, then I say baseball is not 8 sport. Some way must be found to relieve this situation and this, gen. tlemen, is what we are trying to do at this meeting"
 Fights Players Battle
 These words are from g man who has been severely criticized for a.i- 1ninister;ng 8 baseball rule fcarlessly when he imposed fines and suspen- sions on Babe Ruth and Bob Mcrse1. It is said that this has caused ball players to nistrIst him. By what process of reasoning the athletes ar rive St this conclusion is a mystery. He has proved that the mighty in baseball do not overawe him. Ruth set himself up as a law und himself ceived. And nobody who knows Judge Lsandis doubts that he would not hesitate to call the bluff of the most influential nnasrate-
  Landis ts fighting their battles. He declared himself for the player when he took office and he is now proving his sincerity. He does not condone the offenses of the mighty nor is any player too humble to enlist his synl- pathy in a worthy cause.
 The Landis policy has taken def- nite shape in his insistence on the ab- roEation of the rule excepting certain baseball leagues from the draft. He wants no privileged classes in his if fcial family. Uniform draft rules mean that players cannot be held back for speculative purposes and the promotion is guaged solely by abf1-
 when the draft question is finally settled the players can thank Judge Landis.
 Worlds Series Reform As a baseball fan Judge Landis things a nine-game worlds series Is too long, and he asks for opinions on this from other fans. Having been convinced that the public tires of a series protracted to lengths beyond which the interest can be sustained, he acts in behalf of the public.
 The National League, long noted for its mistakes and official short siRhtedness. voted against the short series The American League fell in line with Landis. At the joint meeting recently the judge had his say.
 The next series will consist of the best four out of seven games.