The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-07-22
CONTROL OF CORPORATIONS.
WICkERSHAM PROPOSES GOV
ERNMENT COMMISSION.
In Speech Before Minnesota State
Bar Association, Attorney General
Takes Advanced Position.

neSota State Bar association here this
afternoon. took an advanced stand on
a further federal regulation Of cor
porations, and declared for a gov
ernment commission to regula te
great Industrial organizations in the
same way that the interstate COM
merce commission regulates rail-
ways. was certainly most desirable
and it might be absolutely neces-
sary.
Mr.. Wickersham's speech was lit
tie short Of 81 - 'ational in many of
its features. He declared 1t was a
matter Of serious consideration
whether 1t would De pratical to give
to the proposed interstate corpor-
alton commission the power to fx
prices. He sad to do this would
simply require an extension Of the
principle by which the interstat,
commerce commission controls the
rates on railroads.
The law Of supply and demand.
Mr.. Wickersham said. no longer con-
trolls prices in the United States.
For years, he declared. the prices in
all the great staple industries have
been fixed by arrangements between
the principal producers and not by
a normal play Of free competition.
An Interstate commission, the at
torney general added, would prevent
violation of the antitrust act and
aid business men to maintain con-
tinued status Of harmony within the
requirements OF the law.
Many Of Mr.. Wickersham's decla-
rations were the most radical he has
made since his entrance into official
life. There was nothing in the
speech, however. to indicate how far
the attorney general reflected the
views Of President Taft. On several
occasions in the last year he has been
regarded as the spokesman for the
administration.
The attorney general discussed
what further regulation Is nee
essary or desirable from a broad
point Of view and said he had not
attempted to express conclusion.
but merely to state the elements Of
great problem.
That some further regulation of
corporations carrying on commerce
among the States may be necessary"
he said, SIS coming to be a matter Of
current comment. 1t has been OPEN
ly advocated quite recently by rep
resentatives of some OF the larger
combinations Of capital, probably as
q means OF salvation and to preserve
under government supervision great
organizations whose continued exist
ence is menaced by the recent inter-
pretation Of the Sherman act and
whose disintegration would neCes-
sarily be attended by much loss. To
such 1t is a case Of amy port in a
storm Better continued cooperative
life even under powerful master
than disseminated properties and
segregated activities without constant
governmental supervision.
But there are other reasons for
such regulation. The federal depart
ment Of justice Is not organized or
equipped to maintain constant SUI
pervision and control over business
organizations. 1t deals only with
cases Of violations Of the law. The
activities Of an administrative board
or commission would be directed to
preventing such violations and in
aiding business men to maintain a
continued status Of harmony iwth
the requirements OF law.
Whether or not such a federal in
dustrial commission should have
power to regulate prices is, of
course, matter Of serious consider
alton. The interstate commerce law
presCrbes as legislative rule that
prices for transportation by rail or
wire or pipe line shall be reason
able and that no unjust discrimina-
tion shall be made between individ-
uals or localities similarly situated.
similar rule might be declared by
congress with respect To the prices
OF commodities handled in Interstate
commerce.
we have become accustomed to
the regulation Of rates OF transpor-
taton, but the suggestion that prices
or commodities be regulated by con-
eress seems novel and radical.
Yet the principle on which the
regulation Of transportation rates
Is based ~ simply. that when proper
" is used in a manner to make #