The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1945-02-03
Legislative Tech n icality
Blocks Election OF
New Boss

1NG w o1tlAs L GU. d. wa
Major league baseball owners will
be unable to elect new commits
sioner at their emergency meet
ing because of legislative techni-
cality requiring unanimous action
of the Is owners to circumvent, the
United Press learned tonight.
Although the owners were in ses-
sion behind closed doors, it was
learned from an unimpeachable
source that they had brought up the
question of a new commissioner
and were informed by their legis-
lative committee that there could
be no vote on the matter unless
each of the 16 clubs was in favor
of naming one Immediately.
This situation developed because
of the failure, through an over
sight, to submit the topic OF NAM
ing a new commissioner Is days
prior to the meeting. This was IN
accord with the old major league
agreement under which the late
high commissioner, Judge X. M.
Lands ruled with an iron hand.
According to the source. several
clubs dissented promptly and the
matter of naming a commissioner,
number one topic on the agenoa
of the meeting, was tabled until an
indefinite later date.
The action was a break favorins
the minority anti-Ford Prick
group, which has opposed election
of the National League president
to the post. Prick, who had counted
on from 10 to 10 votes from sup
porters in both his own and the
American League, had encounter
ed no organized opposition a
though a boom for an outsider re
portedly was gaining Roadway.
Had the topic been submitted in
routine form prior to the meetiis
commissioner could have beSl
elected by a three-fourths vote OF
the club owners, or II out Of l6.
Earlier the major league COM
mittee of 10, which is rewriting
the old agreement under which
Lands operated, completed it's
draft of the document and will SUBJ
NIT it to the owners for ratifica-
ton tomorrow.
A boom for former Postmaster
General James A. Farley for the
commissionership was reported de-
veloping as the committee complet-
ed its work.
Farley and former Gov. John T.
Bricker of Ohio were injected into
the picture by Branch Hickey, pres
ident of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who
said that if baseball was going
outside it's own ranks for the next
commissioner, they had the quail
fications necessary.
President Ford Prick of the Ma
tional League still was regarded as
the leading candidate, but should
deadlock develop, both Farley
and Bricker were considerable
probable choices.
The 10-nan committee appoint
ed at the December baseball meet
ings to draw up the new agreement
went into session shortly before
Is p. M, EWT The meeting had
been delayed for four hours by the
late arrival of the ST. Louis, Gin
cinnati and Cleveland delegations.
The train on which they came to
New York was six hours late.
Because of the late start, the
scheduled separate meetings of the
National and American leagues
were postponed until 1879 a. m.
tomorrow. At those meetings the
leagues will ratify the new agree
ment and decide whether to try
to operate in 1945 with the man.
power available.
The agreement committee was
expected to work until late tonight
amid increasing indications that
no action will be taken at the
present sessions toward selecting
Lands successor.
President William Harridge OF
the American league reiterated
what he told the United Press at
Chicago earlier in the week that
he doubted whether there even
would be discussion of. new COM
missioner at the meetings.
He pointed out that to permit
discussion, the move must have
the unanimous consent of the 16
club owners, at least four of whom
are opposed to immediate action
on the issue.