The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-11-18
W||CK[RsHAM
IS CRITICISED !. / [.
PoMERINE DISCUSSES FAILURE
OF ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
cRiMlNALLY PRosEcoTE,TRUsT
HEADS, ailTi'S

OF ATTORNEY GENERAL TO
cRlMINALLY osEcuTEsTRusT
HEADS. 5EL.sS
( WASHINGTON, D. Ca, Nov. is
A general attack ,up6nSthe decree of
the Circuit Court OF New York in the
dissolution Of the American Tobacco
Company; and, specific comparison
OF the activities OF Attorney General
Wickersham and former, Attorney
GcneralsJu Harmon in enforcing
the Sherman antitrust law against
great combinations. enlivened ycster
days hearing Of the Senate committee
on Interstate commerce, which Is in.
vestigating the trust problem with a
view to new legislation.
Senator Pomerene, OF Ohio, in Wig.
orous questions directed toward H. B.
Martin; witness before the commit.
tee. asked II be knew. Of "any justin.
Gallon for the head OF a department OF
the government to take the position
that he will not enforce the criminal
provisions Of the Sherman antitrust
law"
,"Thcrc anpears 10 be lille effort in
the DEPARTMENT az Justice TO enforce
the criminal provisions Of the law
said Senator P5morcne
DO YOU know2of any statute or
other authority. which justifies an
attorney general In taking the posi-.
ton that he maytenlorce the statute
In the civil courts. but decline to en-.
force its criminal provisions? re.
gard the course 6fithe department in
its failure to enforce these provisions
as most represehsible."
l:i'.% 4 $St''s .t;l'ii,
Detends Wlekersnam.
oenator oiiser Vas inc ohiy lneifi'
oer oi inc co 'lllI. VINO rephea 70
tie ATTACK on lne attorney general.
ALSO undressing ne witness ne want.
Gu 10 KNOW what ;tne latter iin. 'noush.
,. Tue comparative grepresehsioihty
ol an attorney general: VINO actively
anu successfully ehiorces u law iike
ms why resu sur 's' =. anu iiiaAes II
ehecti'e' anu .pFoseeas Ut ieast 10.
warn successful ic'Yii prosecutions, as
win = one Oh ms prcueccs'
sors' VINO oia hol' anu VINO practica''y
aeciared the Jaw q aeaa le 'tl
81 refer to Former Attorney Gen.
eral Judson Harmon OF Ohio" said
Senator Oliver. looking across the
table to Senator Pomerene.
The committee showed signs Of ar
!ncipient outbreak. :,
Senator. Pomcrene declared 1t was
not Mr.. Harmon. but his predecessor.
Richard olney, who had said. in sub
stance, that the law was a dead let.
ter. Mr.. Harmon. he said, took up
and pushed to- a decision in the Sui
premc Court the Trahs.Missouri rate
case. and made every, effort TO revlvi-
fy the Sherman law. Other members
Of the committee RETAINED from tax.
Ing part in the discussion, and 1t was
quickly dropped.
The dissolution decree in the Amer
can Tobacco Company case, dividing
The trust into four separate -organlza.
lions, was characterized at several
lines during the hearing as a con.
'tructlon OF the Sherman law that
'alled to restore competition or meet
The spirit OF desired trust control.
Senator Cummlns said he did not
believe there could be actual competi.
ion enforced under the present Sher.
nan law. igj,i.
Changes lin Sherman Law.
There are. clearly two movements
lnder way for, changes in: the Sher-
nan law" said Senator CummIns;
the first for n mitigation of; tho pro.
'islons of the law;sthe other. toward
and supplementary acts