The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-19
Forwards Resignation to
President to Take Eff
feet March 1.
OyERWORK is CAUSE
"Not Enough Hours in the
Day for All These Activi-
ties" Says Judge.

erdl DenCn and forwarded MS
resignation to President Harding.
Realization that youth had van
ished and with it the vitality nee
essary to work all the way around
the clock caused the resignation of
the famed jurist.
7 realize for the first time in my
life that I am no longer young"
said Landis- Il find 1t difficult to
arise at a. m. and work past
midnight"
The, judge, whose resignation Is
effective March /, will devote all
his time to his post as high COM
missioner of baseball.
The dominant will of the fiery
judge forced him to continue his
strenuous life. long after nature
overruled him, associates said to-
night.
Lands. it is known. was ready
to resign several months ago
when impeachment proceedings were
started In Congress against him
following his acceptance of the
position of baseball commissioner.
Lands. as soon as he retires as
judge. will start on a tour of the
baseball training camps in the
South, he said in an interview to-
night.
Rookie Mt Baseball.
II am a rookie in this game OF
baseball" he stated. II am going
Co the spring training camps and
Iearn the game with the other
rockies. I want to see how the
managers develop the rockies and
want to develop along with them"
The Judge said he first felt him
self slipping physically in January
after he had the flu.
Il can't tell you how 1 hate to
leave this job" he said. Il have
a great affection for this work. 1t
hurts me to quit But I must
There aren't enough hours In
the day for all these activities" he
said 7 am going to devote my
attention to baseball in the future
entirely
The fairness and fearlessness of
Lands made him in great demand
as an arbitrator in many disputes.
He has recently brought peace to
Chicaso's building industry after
contractors and unions were dead
locked for months.
Lands picturesque conduct in
court brought hundreds to the Fed
eraI building each day to see him
in action" He would frequently
take cases out of the hands of law
yers and examine witnesses and de-
PENDANTS himself. II he thought
. attorneys were deviating from the
truth. he would bluntly tell them
so.
Appointed by Roosevelt.
President Roosevelt appointed
Lands to the bench of the North
ern district of Illinois in 1905. He
had been in the public view since
1907 when he fined the Standard
Oil Company S29.2O0.0oo. The fine
was never paid. as a higher court
reversed the judge.
Lands popularity and his love of
sport caused baseball magnates to
offer him the high commissioner
ship of baseball in 1913 shortly af-
ter charges were made that mem
bers of the Chicago White Sox team
sold out" the 1919 world series
with the Cincinnati Reds.
lands was at first deaf to en-
treaties that he accept the post
The argument that he accept it ''to
keep the game clean for the youth
Of America" finally won him over.
He was given a seven-year con-
tract at s42.5OO a year.
The most famous ruling Of the
Judge as baseball commissioner was
when he fined BABE Ruth over
$4,000 and suspended him a month
Of the 1922 playing season for
playing on a "bArnstorming tour"
in violation of his contract after
participating in the 1921 world
). series.
p Lands was named Kenesaw
Mountain because It was near the
Eenesaw Mountains. Atlanta. where
his father was wounded in the
Civil War.
Judge LandIs' resignation from
- the Federal bench at Chicago. al
though a surprise to President
Harding. had been expected by
many in official life for some time.
in fact ever since he agreed to be-
p come supreme arbiter OF baseball.
Members of Congress. where aEi-
tation over Judge Lands, remain
ing on the bench while serving as
commissioner Of organized base
. hail has been intermittent for more
-.than a year. have been convinced
: that the Chicago jurist would re-
tire from one post or the other.
Judge Lands resignation, 1t was
stated at the white House. had
not arrived this afternoon. Neither
q
jurist reached the Department of
Justice. Its acceptance by the
President. however. is regarded as
a foregone conclusion.
Agitation against Judge lands
began In Congress soon after he
accepted the baseball commission
ership last year. Through insti-
cation by Senator Dial, of South
Carolina. and Representative welty,
Of Ohio, since retired, impeachment
proceedings were instituted in the
House.
The judiciary committee which
considered the impeachment resolu-
tion did not recommend this drastic
course, but submitted a report crit
icising the Chicago jurist for ac-
cepting outside employment of a
quasi-tudicial character while
serving on the Federal bench.
NEW YORK, Feb. -1S-Resigna-
tion of Judge K. NJ. Lands from
the Federal bench caused general
satisfaction in baseball circles here.
I'VE ought to Congratulate our
selves that Judge Landis has decided
to devote his entire time to base
ball" John A Heydler, president of
the National League. said. He has
done a lot for baseball already, and
with his entire time to devote to
The game, he should be able to do
even more"
- Similar sentiment was expressed
ky the officials OF the Giants, the
Yankees and the Brooklyn Robins
Casey Seronds 0na,