The Washington herald., 1911-10-15
Man Who Conducted Steel Probe Can
Pick Mans Pocket with His
Eyes" Says Littleton.


Naturally I was deeply concerned about
question that was of so much impor-
tance to my own people. So I began 10
investigate the American Tobacco Com
pany. I read everything could find.
BY and by I introduced a resolution
calling on the Department Of Justice for
information as to the legal status of the
corporation. I wanted to know If it vio-
lated the Sherman law. My experience
! with that resolution has no particular
bearing on matters as they now stand
Anyway, I had found some work that
could do. I read and dug Once started
l passed from tobacco to other things,
not thinking of men or products, but Of
principles and conditions Thus l got
into iron and steel
Il wrote another resolution. This time
asked the Department of Justice for
facts relating to the legal status of the
United States Steel Corporation. That was
several years ago. There was no politics
in my inquiry, no partisan purpose in
my studies and activities. Thinking mat
terS over, I saw that the bringing to-
gether of immense and scattered wealth
into single combinations was the great
est economic question of the hour. And
so 1t remains. The Presidency of the
United States is of incidental importance
when compared with it. The tariff al
most becomes insignificant.
He Remembered the Mountains.
Two per cent of the inhabitants Of the
country own 9S per cent of our large
productive industries and transportation
lines. The directories OF big corporations
interlace with one another. There is
coming not a limited monarchy Of
money, but an absolute monarchy when
combinations. not men, will rule our
business. I had gone into the study con-
fdently, but the question grew so tre-
mendous that it began to get vague. The
outlines only could be perceived and
&C nprehended, and I was almost dis
hcartened. Suddenly, however, l remem-
bered the first mountains l had seen
travelling toward them from the prairies.
They were merely blurs, hanging, ap-
parently in the clouds. Drawing nearer,
corrugations appeared. Finally I could
make out the rocks and trees. Thus II
would be. I imagined, with the subject
I was studying. And that Is exactly what
occurred.
My resolution pertaining to Steel was
introduced in two Congresses. The last
time it was sealed in a pigeonhole away
from the air and light This year I
wrote II out again. 1t was adopted, and
a committee was appointed to search
for the facts. The campaign Of next
year was not in my mind. I venture to
predict that inside of twenty-four months
the Parliament of Great Britain, the
ReiChstag of Germany. and the Chamber
Of Deputies in France will be investigat-
ing the same matter. It touches directly
every inhabitant OF the United States
Moreover, it has crossed the sea, as We
know, and is menacing the freedom and
prOSperity OF Europe"
What did you think Of Judge Gary's
theory that the national government
may ultimately he required TO regulate
the prices of manufactured products?"
Il was appalled,, entirely unprepared,
to hear that the he : of the United
States Steel Corporation should be in
perfect accord with Victor Berger, the
Milwaukee Socialist. Furthermore, Ber-