The Washington times., 1908-12-14
Loan Shark Evil Dis
cusSed at Preliminary
Women'S Meeting.
MRS. WILLIAM II. TAFT
is ONE OF SPEAKERS
Opening Address Made by Seth
Low-Labor Leaders
Also Heard.

NEW YORK, Dec. 1.-THE Oppor-
tunity for women 10 aid in the work Of
lessening the loan shark evil'' in its
bearing upon the small salaried Govern
ment and industrial employees was out
lined before the woman's department
Of tho National Civic Federation, at the
Hotter astOr today, by Mrs. William
Howard Taft and Mrs Cornelius
Stevenson, of Philadelphia
The session OF tho woman's depart
ment was preliminary to the opening
of the annual meeting Of the Fedora
ton this afternoon. Reports from the
secretaries Of the various State sections
were received and bylaws adopted.
Today's session of the Federation was
devoted to a discussion of the trade
agreement as a means OF promoting in
dustrial peace and commercial prosper
ity
Seth Low, president of the Federation,
delivered the opening address. Among
other speakers were John Mitchell.
former president OF the United Mine
Workers Of America, and James O'Can-
nell, president of the International As
sociation Of Machinists.
Seth Low Opens.
The most important activity Of the
Federation during the year under re-
view was an effort to obtain at the last
session OF Congress an amendment OF
the sweeping provisions OF the Sherman
antitrust law. The bill OF last spring
was based upon the belief that at that
time it would be impossible to change
the substantive law embodied in the
sherman act. This being the known
for-granted it became impossible to do
more than propose a method by which
without changing the law, certain re-
strain Of trade II not dlsapproved
ia advance by some Government author
ity- might be assured freedom from
prosecution The hearings before the
Congressional committees made it evil
dent that no relief from the embarrass-
ments caused by the Sherman anti
trust law can be looked for along this
line Of procedure.
The law as interpreted by the Su-
preme Court declares all restraint Of
interstate trade Illegal. United States
Judge Lacombe, IN the Tobacco trust
case, recently decided in the circuit
court OF New York, uses the illustration
of two expressmen who combine forces
instead OF competing with each other
a s before. and says that ever such a
combination under the law would be
Illegal because competition to that eX-
tent would have been lessened- To
leave a law on the statute books. un-
amended. as drastice as this is to invite
Should Be Willing.
Every one who realizes what an in
strument OF oppression and destruction
this law can be. IN the light of recent
judicial decisions, ought 10 be willing to
concede something to secure its early
modification One thing goes without
saying, whatever modification OF the
law is made TO apply TO combinations
OF capital apply equally TO combina-
tions OF labor, and whatever amnesty
as TO the past is given to capital must
be given equally 10 labor.
Some amendment may be devised
which will command sufficient backing
10 be successful. Except in such a
spirit 1 apprehend that nothing can be
done.
The executive committee OF the Fed
Grafton has placed the matter once more
Ia the hanrs of its president 10 carry
forward, If possible, the work already
begun / take this opportunity Of ask
ing the cooperation or all our members
in this most necessary and difficult |
undertaking