The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-06-20
fAvORS JA|LS FOR
TRUST V|0LATORS
Kern Says Dissolution Nc
Preventative-For Grim
nal Procedure.

Washington, June 20.-The New
York World, which is conducting a
campaign in favor of criminal prose-
cution OF men who deliberately violate
the Sherman antitrust law, prints the
following interview with Senator Kern
of Indiana, yesterday.
"The sentence OF one trust official
found guilty OF violating the Sherman
law to the stone pile for thirty days
would do more to break up the trusts
than the institution OF thousand CIV
Il suits. There is no prospect for re-
lief until individuals shall he held per-
sonally responsible for their violation
OF the criminal law. I've been talking
that for ten years"
Then the recent dissolution decis-
ions against the Standard OIL and Am
erican Tobacco companies by the SUI
preme court do not promise to solve
the trust problem" he was asked.
They do not" was Mr.. Kern's an.
swer. "And there Is no prospect that
other dissolution prosecutions to be
brought against trusts under the civil
sections of the Sherman law will com
pei the trusts to good behavior.
do you think the concerns compos.
ing the dissolved trusts can devise
,somc legal cobweb under which to
continue their combination.
ut is very possible" Senator Kern
Aaid. dryly.
Have your constituents shown a
desire for criminal prosecutions"
"Our Indiana people feel deeply
that trust officials who violate the
criminal law ought to be punished by
imprisonment like any other offender
] get a good many letters to that eff
feet.
Trust to Have Competition.
do you think Colonel Roosevelt Is
accurate when he calls the Sherman
law archaic because he describes its
purpose as the restoration OF the for
mer competitive system Of single con
cerns?"
II do not agree with Colonel Roose
welt. We must have competition. I'm
der all recognized economic principles
competition Is necessary for the wei
fare Of the people, generally speak
ing" .
what do you think of Colone
Roosevelt's other proposition to apply
the present railroad regulative sys
TEN. through the interstate commerce
commission. to great combinations o.
capital"
1.-THE objection to that" said Sena
tor Kern, lis that the railroad Is a le
climate business. public service
corporation, while the trust Is a viola
ton of the criminal law. Colone
Roosevelt proposal would confess a
failure of the United States govern
ment to deal with crime and 1t would
be an offer OF compromise with law
breakers"
would compulsory federal II
Of capital engaged In interstate com
merce offer a solution Of the trus
problem"
II am not quite certain" Senator
Kern answered. II am not opposed
to the proposition. have though
about II a good deal. But my stud,
and Investigations has not yet pre-
pared me to say. definitely. what m,
opinion will be-"
"Could the government revoke the
license of any combination Of capita
found guilty of forbidden practices II
interstate commerce."
Congress has plenary powed ove1
Interstate commerce and it's instru
mentalities. ! see no legal objection
to the revocation of the license as ;
penalty" Senator Kern said.
Zone constitutional clause give
congress the right to regulate com
mercc among the several states. Doe
this authorize congress to restrict In
terstate commerce by great combina