Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-11-25

| contemplated nOTSeDack rlue because OIL
a snow storm, President Taft devot-
ed the entire afternoon today to Sc
ries of important conferences cover
ing the subjects of proposed amend
ments to the interstate commerce laws,
legislation looking to the suppression
of the so-called white Slave traffic"
| the appointment of successor to the
late Judge Bethea of the United States
district court at Chicago and the ap-
pointment of a new governor of the
territory of New Mexico.
| The conference with regard to the
interstate commerce law changes was
the most important the President has
had en- that subject and it was said he
is practically ready now to begin the
dictation of this part of his message to
Congress. There were present al the
conference Attorney General Wicker
sham, Chairman Knapp and Commits
sioner Lane of the Interstate Com
merce Commission, District Attorney
Sims of Chicago, who conducted the
governments prosecution in the IA
nous s29,OO0,OOO Standard Oil case be-
fore Judge Lands and prominent in
other cases dealing with the interstate
commerce and antitrust laws; and
Rep. Mann of Illinois, chairman of the
House committee on foreign and inter-
state commerce.
| It was with Dist. Atty. Sims and Mr..
Mann that the President also took up
the "White slave question. Mr.. Mann
is to introduce bill on this subject
at the coming session of Congress He
believes the government can prevent
this traffic by the exercise of it's power
to control interstate and foreign COM
merce.
| Mr. Mann believes that the govern
ment is the only authority strong
enough to cope with this great evil and
the bill which he has drafted, and in
which the President today expressed
his deep interest, provides a heavy
penalty for the enticement of woman
or girl from one place to another for
immoral purposes and thereby cause
her to go as a passenger over any
transportation line engaged in inter
state or foreign commerce.
"rhe Investigations in Chicago UNI
der the direction of Dist. Atty. Sims
and elsewhere" said Mr.. Mann today
at the close of the conference, "have
disclosed a situation startling in its
nature as to the extent of the traffic
in young girls, both within the United
States and from France and other for
eign countries.
Most of these American girls are
enticed away from their homes in the
country to large cities. The police pow
er exercised by the state and munich
nal governments is inadequate to pre-
vent this-particularly when the girls
are enticed from one state to anothel
or from a foreign country to the Unit
ed States"
Postmaster General Hitchcock par
ticipated in the conference during the
afternoon. District Attorney Sims ha:
himself been recommended Ter APP
pointment to the federal bench to sue
coed Judge Bethea. No decision as u
this vacancy was reached, so far d;
could be learned
President Taft's views as to amend
ments to the interstate commerce Law
have been practically generally Know
ever since his speech Sept. 20 at De
Moincs. The conference at the WHIT
Hons this afternoon, it was explained
was for the purpose Of working on
|
to carry Mr.. Taft's views into effect
Atty. Gen Wickersham has put niue
time to study of the law and VII
have much to do with drafting the bi
which will be presented in Congress.
Tt is proposed, among other things
to establish an interstate commerce
court of five members to consider ar
meals from rates fixed by the Inter
state Commerce Commission.
rrhe President will also recommen
legislation to prevent ore interstat
railroad from owning stock in com
peting line and compelling reads thu
owning stock to dispose Of their hold
ings within a given time. Legislation
to prevent the over-issue of stocks an
bonds and the watering of stocks wi
be one of the strongest recommends
lions Mr.. Taft will make. The Presi
dents proposition will be that NJ
stocks or bonds shall be issued excep
hy permission of the Interstate Com
merce Commission after an inquiry ha
been made into the necessity for tn
issue.
Giving to shippers the choice
routes over various connecting lines
is another important amendment which
the President favors.
i President Taft believes that one o
the detrinents Of the interstate com
merce law is the delay entailed by It'll
CATION in the courts over an order o
! the commission. In his favoring an In
terstate commerce court he is backe'
up by nearly every member of his cab
met and by members of the commits
+. sion.