Evening star., 1945-02-04
A. u Paste,s Rsndoph-hacon 1888 for Seventh Straight
Harriidge, Frick
Named 10 Seek
Clarity Here
Commissioner Choice
To Be Made Within
Next Two Months
BY stan Correspondent of The Star.

BY q Stan Correspondent of The Star.
NEW YORK, Feb. 3.-Baseball is
going to Washington to learn how
far 1t can proceed this year with
war manpower regulations SO dras-
tic and it will elect big boss as
successor to its late commissioner
Judge Kenesaw Mountain Lands
within go days. And without watt
ing further information on the
manpower situation, 1t means to ge
ahead with plans for its 1945
championship campaigns.
That is what came out of the
extra winter sessions held today by
the major leagues, with the Amer
ican League and the National
League wrangling through six hours
long independent meetings, then
composing their differences in q
joint gathering to adopt q new
agreement that differs little from
the one that had been In effect for
"a years, although to some extent it
abridges the czaristic power over the
game that was held by Judge Lam
dis.
Forgetting the aloof attitude the
judge held toward Washington
since the beginning of the war, the
majors decided to go to the Federal
Government and ask it to lay its
cards on the table, to please inform
the leaders of the national pastime
just what. further might be expected
in the way of manpower directives
during the war and what the pro-
fessional game can do in the way Of
maintaining operations.
Presidents to Be ENJOYS.
A resolution adopted by the ma
jors noted that 'in the absence of
a commissioner, the National and
American Leagues jointly have ap-
pointed their two presidents to rep
resent them in discussing with the
officials bf the Government and the
armed services all matters pertain
ing to the operational problems of
baseball during the war emergency"
So Ford Prick, head of the Ma
tional League, and viii Harridge,
chief executive of the American,
soon will be in Washington-just
how soon, the leagues tonight were
not prepared to announce-to find
out, If they can, what's what about
4-Fs on their rosters, use of elec-
tricity for night play and trans
portation during the 1945 season.
When James Byrnes, war mobi-
lization director, fired his broadside
at 4-Fs in professional athletics late
last month and Army officials later
announced that all 4-F cases must
be cleared through the War De-
partment, baseball's situation was
hazy. With the issuance of these
directives, no one in a responsible
position in the Government made
a direct statement as to the pos
sibility Of baseball being continued.
Drop Lands Policy.
Now baseball intends to ask a
Qualification of everything. It means
to do something that Judge Lands
never would permit to be done, The
late commissioner took the stand
that any request made by baseball
to the Government for information
might make it appear the game was
asking favors during the war and
he steadfastly refused to appeal to
Washington. This time, baseball
feels it is entitled to clear under
standing and 1t doesn't in any way
feel it is currying favor.
Determination to carry on, ii pos
sible, is noted In another statement
that came out Of the joint meeting
Of the majors. It reads: Major
league baseball will continue its
policy of full cooperation with the
country's all-out war effort. Like
(See BASEBALL. Page A-l3.)