Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-12-15
SAYS CORPORATIONS
SHOULD BE LEFT TO
FEDERAL BUREAU
Attorney General WickerSham
Recommends That Bureau of
Corporations Be Given Au-
thority to License All Trusts
tBy Associated Press.)

(By Associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, Dec. 14.-Pursuing
executive bureau be created to super
wise corporations chartered under fed
eraI Incorporation act, Attorney General
wickersham, in his annual report SUBJ
mitted to congress today, suggests that
the bureau of corporations be raised to
that dignity, even in the absence of the
proposed federal Incorporation statute.
This branch OF the department of COM
merce and labor, the attorney general
urges should be brought into closer re-
lation with his department and adds that
IL might well be awaited of as the nu-
cIeus for an administrative board under
whose supervision consultations or mer-
gers for lawful purposes might be form
ed"
In enforcing the Sherman antitrust
law. the attorney general points out that
the department of justice and the courts
are confronted by economic. rather than
legal, problems when II comes to work
ing out methods of disintegration after
a corporation has been declared an ille-
gal combination. The department enlisted
the assistance of the bureau of corpo-
rations In the dissolution of the tobacco
trust and IL would be of great value
to the legal branch of the government.
Mr.. wickersham says IL the functions of
the bureau should be so enlarged that It
could be called upon officially to make
Investigations and report its conclusions
with respect to plans for the voluntary or
enforced disintegration OF monopolistic
combinations.
100000 ON FINES.
The attorney general reviews the rec
ord Of q year of intense activity in fed
eral prosecutions and points out that
tn department OF justice financially sus-
tanned itseln as the result of the contrt-
button OF &204,115 to the United States
treasury In the shape of fines. collected.
customs duties recoveries, etc. The ex-'
pense of the department, including the Of
nee of the attorney general, all Of the
district attorneys and assistants through
out the country aggregated $S.22S,77S.
In q comprehensive review OF the anti
trust prosecutions. the attorney general
shows that the II antitrust civil suits
pending at the beginning Of the last
fiscal year were augmented by addition
al actions. while the IL criminal prosecu-
tons under the same statute were in
creased by % more prosecutions during
the last fiscal year.
TRUSTS TO BE TRIED.
Declaring that he appreciates that pub
was even greater than It was at the
date OF HIS last report, the attorney gem
eraI set forth the following cases as be-
ing prosecuted or pending for Anal settle
ment:
The powder trust" the might rider
cases, United States corporation, cotton
corner. alleged towing monopoly. beef
packers, Southern Pacific merger. BIZ
luminous coal combination. naval stores
suit bath tub trust" lumber trust"
milk trust" wall paper combination.
sugar trust" transatlantic steamship
pool, magazine trust" shoe machinery
trust" combination Of coal roads, ele-
vator suit in Oklahoma, and kindling
wood trust"
Emphasizing his satisfaction with the
decree of the New York circuit court in
the tobacco trust dissolution, the at
torney general has this to say Of indie
pendent tobacco interests who have crit
icised the plan of disintegration:
Competitors of the existing combina-
ton were eager to compel the imposition
of terms or conditions of the disintegra-
ton which would have made solvent,
successful business readjustment impos-
sihle, would have brought about a re-
ownership Of the property and forced ju-
dicial sales. resulting in great financial
loss not only to those interested In the
combination, but to the business interests
Of the country at large, and in the end
would have benefited only the very indi-
viduals who had been dominant in the
formation of the combination, as they
are possessed ofmeans ample enough TO
profit by the ruin which would have fol-
lowed. In my opinion. the plan which
has been approved by the court will &C
complish the objects OF the law"