New-York tribune., 1922-01-26


This agreement. which was ratified
by major and minor league promoters
more than year ago, at the time that
Judge Lands was appointed Commis-
sioner OF Baseball. was subscribed to
Jointly for a period Of seven years to
parallel the term OF Iandis's commits
sionership. II gave minor league clubs
the privilege OF refusing or accepting
draft on their players by leagues Of
higher classification at variously
graded sums, those leagues repudiating
the draft to be denied the privilege of
draft on lower class classihcations OF
twenty-six minor leagues twenty-oue
embraced the draft and only five dis
sented. The five were the three Class
AA circuits Pacific Coast, American
Association and New internationally
the Class a w Western League and the
Class B (Three-l Leaguo).
Minor League Polite.
Much internal strife in minor league
politics resulted last year as result
Of the attitude OF the disapproving five
Great pressure has been brought TO
bear At all the big winter meetings 10
whip the three Class AA leagues into
line, for It is known the Western and
Three-I are ''on the fence" Judge Ian
draft. At the Buffalo meeting of the
National Association early in Decem-
Der he warned the dissenters. The
Commissioner feels that elimination OF
draft on the part Of big minor league
blocks the way TO deserved advance
ment Of "bush" leagucrs and he has
bent every energy toward its restora-
fion since he accepted his exalted posi-
tion.
This mooted point of the draft oc-
casioned great joint meeting of ma
jor and minor interests in this city at
the time of the annual meetings Of the
two major leagues last month. Com
mittees were appointed to effect some
satisfactory compromise, If possible. It
is this proposed compromise that the
American Association spurned yester-
day. The Pacific Coast League had
earlier refused to entertain any amend
ment. The New international League
which openly repudiated the draft al
its annual meeting here in December r
has not vet voted on the compromise
proposition. 1t was believed John
Toole's league deferred action in order
TO learn the attitude of its conferees
Prior to or during the big conference
Of all organized baseball interests in
New York last month several drastic
proposals were made to alleviate the
draft evil The National League sub
scr;bed to one proposed by Charles II
Fbbets which would have prohibite d
traffic in players between the five and
the rest OF organized baseball This
was dropped like live coal when the
commissioner pointed out it would be E
greater bar 70 advancement Of players
than now exists.
May Eventually Solve Riddle
But at the same December meetine
there developed an angle which. in the
opinion of local major league mag
mates. may eventually solve the riddle
In repudlating the draft the new In
ternational League held that no amend
ment to the existing major-mino,
agreement WAS possible before the enc
OF is scven-year life. This, It was
quickly found, was a false premise
ne advisory board. composed Of rep
resentatives Of major leagues, may al
any time recommend amendments which
may be effective by majority vote ot
major and minor league clubs.
" herefore. 1t Is pointed out. in al
probability another Joint conference ot
All interests VIII be called in Chicago
al the time of the annual scheduled
meeting # the American League. jr
miu-t eDTuary. The Nat onal and Ameri
can ieaEueS favor drafts, as do twenty
one o twenty-sN existing minor leaeu,
clubs not to mention others river
Charters since the last meeting Of tn.
NaNonal Association. There seems n,
doubt Of the outcome Of the vote. Th,
nve dlssenters would then have to ac
cept the verdict or deliberately revol
and declare war By revolving the,
would not only lose public sentimen
out violate pledged treaty obligation