New-York tribune., 1909-12-13
WANTS PUBLICITY
N4GEL ASKS NEW LAW
FaDors Interstate Corporations
REPORTING TO Federal -1gency.

Reporting TO Federal Agency.
'washirgton. Dec. I2-Iegislation 10 cre-
ste department of tho government which
svould DO for the whole country what the
1suresn Of Corporations has been doing in
sp4cifc instances and compel complete pub
ticity in the management OF interstate cor
porations Is one OF the leading recommen-
oHtions contained IN the annual report OF
Secretary Nagel Of the Department Of
Comflerce-End Labcr. made public tonight.
efricter laws 20 stamp out the white
slave" trade. which tho Secretary says is
On organized and extensive business. is
smother recommendation.
The Secretary recommends the further
development OF the Bureau of Corpora
rions. AZ the end Of this fiscal year the
department still has on hand investigations
If the lumber and steel industries. the In
fsrnauonal Harvester Company. concentra-
sion OF water power ownership and trans
pcrtation by water In the United States.
u was continuing its Investigations Of the
tosseco industry. the operation OF cotton
exchanges and state systems OF corporate
taxsucn.
on government control of financial and
industrial forces Secretary Nsgei says
ecrne terse things and makes some impor-
tsnt recommendation The prime need Of
svo things is emphasized. First trust
worthy information on which the govern
snent may take legislative and administra-
Tive action. and second. information in a
concise and available fern TO serve as the
basis OF public opinion. The FIRST step 20
b. taken. he says, is an advance toward a
complete system for obtaining and making
public this Information. The Bureau Of
az this beyond doubt, he believes. in the
limited way which its force and money
eyailable would allow.
Secretary Nsgel thinks the time has come
Cor far wider and more complete applica-
zion OF those principles. This. he says, can
BE accomplished only by a definite federal
system Of statutory publicity, by which an
Important corporations engaged in inter
state commerce will be obliged 10 report
ar stated intervals TO a federal agency such
a. the Bureau of Corporations. tho essen
rial facts regarding their organization, man
sgemeut and condition. This, the Secretary
believes, win accomplish for the whole
country what the Bureau OF Corporations
fss been doing in specific cases.
STATE ACTION FUTILE.
This work must he carried on by the
federal government. the Secretary believes.
because IL Is the only agency which has
jurisdiction commensurate with the sub
9ects II has 10 consider and which can
prescribe uniform conditions To- the entire
country.
ANY attempt 20 solve the question
shrough state action has been and neces-
ssriiy win be, futile" SAYS the report. NO
considerable number OF states can ever
agree on establishing or maintaining any
one system. No state alone can make
St. system effective. In financial and CON-
mercisl conditions the country has be-
come nationsHzed. Its legal regulation
should also be national"
The system the Secretary recommends
would compel regular reports from ali cor
porstions engaged IN interstate commerce
ana their pubhcat4on in a form which would
safeguard business secrets.
In the Bureau OF immigration and Nat
uralization the need OF facilities TO meet
growing conditions is recognized. Improve
ments have been made in the immigra-
ton stations al over the country aud will
b. carried on. In the fiscai year sas. .225
aliens entered the country. and G. per
cent OF them came from Russia and the
countries Of Southern Europe. total Of
- per cent OF illiterates is shown by the
report, which Is something OF an increase
over the previous year. The coming OF
these aliens. however brought sl7.SSl, SOS
into the country. and they possessed an
average Of Se3 80 each. II is calculated by
the department however. that IS per cent
Of al these aliens were assisted with money
10 reach this country.
WHITE SLAVE" TRAFFIC.
Regarding the white slave" traffic. Mr.
Nagei says that, through the watchfulness
of immigration inspectors. d large number
of prosecutions have been begun BY the
Department of Justice. Where those prose
cutions have covered the direct importa-
Mon OF women for immoral purposes they
have attained considerable success. The
decision Of the Supreme Court IN the
Keller case. which gave 10 the states q
measure OF authority 20 deal with the sit
uation, Mr. Nagel says. has embarrassed
THE federal authorities.
The departments Investigations show that
the traffic in immoral women is an estab-
hshed and extensive business, and is by no
means confined 20 trading in women who
, have been imported. II Includes alien worn-
81 who have entered TIE country in the
, regular way. and American women as well.
Under the law now existing the federal
{ officers are equipped 10 deal with only a
small part of such a situation. The pres