Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-24

lutely certain that a uniform blanket
plan could not be framed. but with the
light he had on the situation to GATE
he did not feel equal to the task or
willing to promise that the arrange
ment as suggested could be made. Mean
time the department was forging ahead
and working night and day preparing
suits against as many corporations as !.
could find that came under the pronlpi-
ton of the antitrust statute. He was
doing his part in the carrying out of the
program as outlined by President tart
and was showing no disposition to play
favorites.
Then came along the steel trust and the
harvester trust and insisted that there
was neither rhyme nor reason in ciuoplng
them to death when they were only TOO
willing TO do what the government might
desire IL they could only find out what
was wanted
knees. asking mercy and begging not to
be bludgeoned or kicked in the belly IN
asmuch as they were anxious 10 90 every .
thing that could be demanded OF them at
the end of long litigation. 1t looked IKE
q reasonable proposition and the depart
ment has apparently granted these two
trusts time enough TO turn around, or at
least time enough to discuss the mater
further and see il some plan cannot be
testify the government cannot make fish
of one and fowl of the others. ana II
amnesty is granted in one case 1t Is only
natural to conclude that the HUNDREDS OF
Others who are in the same boat Will Dc
given the same privileges. For the gov
ernment to do otherwise would render 1t
liable to a charge of favortism. posi-
ton which would be found very uncom-
Portable, not to say untenaoie.
May Use Humane Methods.
1t has. therefore, come to pass that big
business" having been brought to its
knees and humbled In spirit. may be
given a chance to readjust Its methods
and practices without being actually
blackjacked by the government. 1t Is
entirely in the power Of the Department
OF Justice to accomplish its end by
''rough-house" methods But II the same
end can be attained by more humane
means 1t would be far better to have 1t
So At best there Is bound to be more
or less disturbance and uncertainty at
tendant upon and incident to this re-
adjustment-this ripping up and tearing
to pieces business structures that nave
been q generation in forming, and 1t
would appear to be Infinitely preferable
to get through the torture with the least
possible measure Of distress and tncon-
yenience to the multitude
A rough estimate has been made that
nearly 1000 corporations come within
the inhibition Of the Sherman law and
that they give employment to between
:, 500. 900 and 3,OOO,O 600 men whose wages
provide means Of livelihood for approx
mated 1900. 600 people-to say nothing OF
the hundreds Of thousands of other men
and women who own the properties in
volved and whose welfare and means OF
livelihood must be considered. Alto
Rether 1t Is a stupendous problem and
the weight Of it is felt as keenly In
Washington as IN wall street ana oy
the people at large.
Hard to Foresee Effect.
In it's stock market bearing the ques.
ton is too large to be easily or quickly
Rrasped. but its general significance il
beginning to be appreciated. The marke,
may churn up and down like the ocean
after a violent storm. but the general
situation has been vastly improved by
the developments Of the week and this
Improvement cannot fail to be reflected
on the tape, that unerring register OF
controlling sentiment.
The fundamentals have been strength
ened. A way to the restoration Of conf
dence in the stability OF values is being
pointed out. It looks now as though the
whole process Of the readjustment Of big
business to the new order of things may
be accomplished without nearly as much
damage as was feared. The curious fea-
ture about this readjustment is that 1t is
to be made not by the amendment OF
existing laws, as the mouthpieces of the
trusts nave been gilDly proclalmlns mus
be done, but by a lightning shift Of Pc.
sition on the part of the trusts them
selves. The transformation came almost
in a day. From an attitude of lofty and
condescending superiority over Congress
and the laws Of the land and willing
ness to tell Congress what to do. 1t has
shifted to q pose of humility and meek
anxiety to submit to discipline. That
speech Of Mr.. Taft's at Detroit was the
magical agent that has suddenly brought
about this remarkable change in the stu
alton. The trusts with the quickest in
tuition as to what was in store were
first to seek shelter. BY doing this. they
avoided a rush. for every other trust in
the country will be hotfoot to make the
same goal.
Insiders Sold Steel.