The Washington times., 1922-12-03
PEACE OR WAR
RESTING WITH
BAN JOHNSON


BAN JOHNSON
Has Sufficient Backing to Curb
Judge Lands Authority II
He Wishes It So.
r.
BY FRANK G. MENKE.
(copyrisht. 1912. by King Features
Service. Inc.)
TN the years that have gone
Ban johnson again and agein
- has been the colossus Of base
ball; its mightiest and its domi-
mating figure. Yet the power
that is Johnson's just : nSw
eclipses all that of the bygene
days
For the chieftain of the Amer
lean League can-if he wills
shear the ties that bind his
league to the National, precipi-
tate baseball warfare to a finizh,
kick the foundation from under
the National Commission and
render Kenesaw M. Lands mere
ly an office boy in the matter of
basebalPs affairs
"What will johnson do?"
\ That's the question that has be-
come q nightmare to those who
lare allied with the National League.
Through weeks and months they
have tried to ferret out the John
sonian plans for the interleague
meeting in December. But they
have failed, for johnson has re-
manned sphinx-hke.
UTTERED NO THREATS.
uttered by him. He has main
tof the thousand-and-one rumors
(which have oozed out Of Chicago
land back into 1t. And that very
silence has increased the fear Of
Ihim that Is in the heart of many
Iwho recognized the mighty power
that 10 his.
"WM johnson cut the ties that
b3ssa his league 10 the Natienaff".
/ win Lohnson make public Ger
tain evidence presumed to be h
his possession which tends to
prove that 1t least three mag
mates in the NAtionud League are.
"Wm johnson kick the ioun-
datison from under the National
C0mmission and make Lands
merely . basebaA ornament?"
These are the questions which
are hurled back and forth within
II ha
merely show that Johnson again
has become the mightiest figure IN
the game. but quizzes destined
Ito prove that he holds the fate
|of interieague peace and the hfe
|of the National Commission in tho
hollow OF his hands.
ITS UP 10 JOHNSON.
Johnson may 30 into that inter-
hague meeting calm and unper-
X turbed-a disciple of peace. Or he
may invade 1t with armor sAined
up and weapons unsheathed. II he
does the latter these thinss are
certain:
I-rhs National League s,thsr
VIM grant sll of Jehnssas -
\ nands-or the tive leagues ~
70 along ea their ewn N 1se3.
/ 1LThe seheduies % 1893 pr
L haps WIN conflict on an Sunday
and holiday dates and there'n be
| . fight te the bitter finish Tor
patronage In New York, Chicago.
st. Louis. Boston. Phiiadelphis,
where each league has . club.
/ @IAndfs WIN have ~ much Of
q say In hasebalI's affairs ~
once-tine Kaiser Bill has In Ger
nany's pressnt-day doingA
| II 10 well established fact thnt
johnson does not want war-that
peace 10 his desire. But u II INST
as well known that he prefers vNr
to finish to q continuarce OF
some OF the existing conditions m
baseball which National Leaeus
magnates have bred or fostersd-
ME Has RACKING. -
/ whatever plan johnson may At.
tempt al the interieague meeti1g.
| II 10 certain that he win have the
backing OF at least ffve-perhAps
six-Of the clubs In his league. The
owners OF the Indians. Athletics.
Tigers. Browns and Senators A.
| ways have been with him TO the
absolute finish IN everything.
! The Yankees are quite certain 10
cast their lot with johnson, too.
| FOR the old feud 10 dead, they're
| fysends again ana the Yanks know
that one Of Johnson's chief aims
at the meeting will be TO get them
a favorable Sunday ana holiday
schedule.
whats Ban Johnson going to
do ut the meeting In December7"
Answer tbat--and you'll answer
for the. fate Of baseball, For John
con alone seems to have the powss