The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-08
LANDS CLAIMS CAME DESERVES
 TO BE RESUMED
WiIIkie, Rickenbacker, La- Guardia, Davis, and Ruth
 Feel Likewise
BY PAUL sCHEFFELS United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
 New York, Feb. 8--(UP) Baseball depending on . government Ego ahead" for It's existence in le4S, should have a militant voice in Washington defending its cause without apology and the nations fans should take up the fight ip favor of the national pastime.
 That, in essence, was the keynote of spokesrnen who took the offen- sive and the defensive for major league baseball at the goth annual Writers Association last night at dinner of the New York Baseball Hotel Commodore.
 An impressive list of speakers, in- cluding Capt. Eddie Rickerbacker, Wendell Willkie, Commissioner Kell- esaw M. Landls, Elmer Davis of the Office of War Information, Mayor F. H. LaGuardia, Babe Ruth and James J. Walker, sounded Cl1e H~H- note that the game was & definite part of the Amercian way of life and as such deserved to continue.
 Mayor LaGuardia and most of the spokeSmen went to bat for baseball because of the definite desire to service men in all parts of the world for news of the game. 'lt
 "You must consider" LaGuardih said, that aside from problems of transportation-which we haven't got here in New York--the only tic for men in Africa, Australia and Egypt--is baseball scores"
 Landis characterized baseball news as an "uplift" for our fighting men.
 "The subject of the games con- tinuance at this time is so impor- tant that I must discuss it," he said, Despite the hundreds of war time problems fin America, the queS- ton of baseball's continuance has como to be an important one.
 Preceding speakers have deplored the lack of militant voice in Washington defending our cause. They have said they read strange things in the newspapers and hear even stranger discussions as to the possibility of baseball stopping be- cause of the war, but that the strangest thing of all is absence of an authoritative voice crying to tho government-'you can't
 "They have said that Hitler has killed . great many things in our lives but don't let him kill baseball, and that this is no time for apol- ogies or pessinisln. Tn the main, I agree with them but for obvious reasons cannot come out with such statements.
 "Let me say once and for all, that as long as we can put nnie. men on the field on each team, the game will not die, but-and this to my mind Is most inportant-we will not ask any favors of anyone" w
 The venerable Czar of the major leagues shook his mop of white hair and pounded the table with both hands for emphasis.
 "It is my crief objective in this crucial moment not to have the fans In the stands nor hte soldiers ana oHAAO4O OfCkSGdS 4COA VAidO HuSSbNA men are exempted from any of the demands made on the average cit izen," he continued. "If the fans be- lieve the game should go on, let them raise a collective voice for it's continuance"
 whenever new laws are passed that might possibly concern base- ball, I do not think of our welfare. My first thought is of the boys on the sands of Africa or the oceans way plan to see the results of of the world. have already under every single gamem that may be played will be broadcast to the armed forces.
 "In conclusion, repeat: Let the issue be put to the fans and the soldiers-we want to satisfy then Nall-and let them speak now ol else"
 Willkie said that the game rep resented a definite part of ths American way of life and should not perish. s4
 Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox, although unable to attend, was awarded @ watc has the player of the year. Sid Mercer, veteran New York Journal . American sports scribe, received a plaque for mertT torious service to the game. w