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Show f . FORMER PRESIDENT TAR MAY ACT AS . AN ARBITRATOR FOR " TWO MAJOR LEAGUES Outline Petition on Offer Made , by Club Owners ; Admits That He Is Con-" Con-" sidering Baseball ' Plan MEW yoRK- Nov-25- u w IN reported here that William IT. .Taft has issued, at Watfrbury, Conn., the following statement concerning the request that he become the ruling arbiter in organized or-ganized baseball : Mr. Hempstead and Mr. Ftaiee called in m Saturday to ask ma If I would consider acting as arbitrator between ! the National an4Ame rlcanlf agu'Jn. maftera Involving tne legal conslruc-ilon conslruc-ilon of contracts betwen them aa they might arla. I aald to them that I did not practice law as an advocata In courts, but that I had acted as arbltra- Tor In several cases. "I said that If they1 would writ ma a description or the kind of arhltra- (jon (n wnjon thy wished me to act and the particular function they wished me to perform t would consider con-sider It and advise them. 1 could not act except as a Judge of law and fact, or In any way take part In management manage-ment of their associations. It must be work of a strictly legal professional character. "I said further that I wished to consult con-sult my brother, Charles, to be assured by him that he had parted with all Interest In-terest In baseball properties, so that should 1 become arbitrator no question could arise as to my impartiality between be-tween parties contending before me." Barney Expresses Annoyance CITTSHIItn. Nov. Barney! reyfuss, owner' of the Pittsburg Pirates, Pi-rates, expressed annoyance today be-aiire be-aiire of what he terms a "leak'- In the nrgntiatlona to Induce William H. Taft o accept a position as sole commissioner commis-sioner of both major baseball leagues. "Nothing was to be said about this j .matter until Mr. Taft had been con- ! suited.' said Mr. Ireyfusa. "We had j inrr hr-n htn n a ffa,i . an Idea as to how he would view the propitsltion. But it was a cane of t ome one not being able o kep a se-rret se-rret under his hat. Garry Says Hes In the Dark CINCINNATI. Nov. 26 August Herrmann, . chairman of the national baseball commlsaton, said todayhe had been unable during the day to get Into communication with B. B. Johnson, president of the American league, and that, aside from newspaper reports, he at new absolutely nothing relative to the offer said to have been made to roe- mer President Taft to become sole member of the commission. Ebbets Strong For Taft NEW TORK. Nov. 25 Charles TT. Kbbets, president of the Brooklyn hsultnll rlnh tmliiv stent a tt sr-ra m to William If. Tsft, saying Mr. Kbbets and his associates of the Brooklyn club earnestly hoied Mr. Taft would accept the office of national commissioner commis-sioner of major league baseball. Ban Johnson in . New York - NFW TORK. Nov. 25. Bancroft R. Johnson, president of the American league, arrived here last night. His visit to New York Is ssid to be connected con-nected with a conference that Is to be held looking to the reorganisation of baseball. |