Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-13
Plan for Prospective Relief.

ran 1of Prospective Relief.
After proposing this plan for immediate
relief, Mr.. Perkins offered another for
prospective relief This contemplated
the appointment by the House and Senate
of commission to make a careful study
of the Sherman law and the various sug-
gestions that have been made regarding
its repeal, amendment and amplifcation.
practcability of national Incorporation
act.
'Any one familiar with present business
conditions in this country. both as to do
nestle and foreign trade" said Mr.. Per-
kins. realizes that the brakes are on.
We are not expanding our domestic trade
to the extent We should. New enterprises
are not being undertaken as freely as
they should he. Capital in this country is
contracting rather than expanding its
operations. while Germany, Canada and
other countries are forging ahead with
their industrial plans The reason for this
attitude on our part arises largely from
the-fear engendered by the prosecutions
under the Sherman act. At the present
time the business mans complaint is that
he does not know when he is right or
when he is wrong; that this apparently
cannot be known until he is prosecuted
and his case reaches the court. and that
as matters now stand he does not and
cannot know, as he proceeds with his
business. whether he is a good citizen or
a criminal.
Permanent National Policy.
Serious as this phase Of the situation
is, il Is all important that We do not COM
NIT ourselves to a permanent national
policy until such commitment can be
made in a calm, dispassionate frame of
mind, the people having had ample OPP
portunity to weigh the pros and cons of
the case. While this is true, imme late
relief is clearly desirable. if such relief
can be provided along conservative lines.
We are now collecting taxes from cor
porations. which in itself is the first step
in establishing the principle of publicity
between corporations and government. 1t
ought not to be unwise or difficult. there
fore, to Immediately expand the powers
of the Department of Commerce and La
Dor, with regard to publicity and control.
sufficiently to create board of control
with power to license such interstate
as, In the Judgment OF such
board. are clearly working for and not
against public interest. In other words,
in such cases substitute a board of this
sort for long-drawn-out law suits. This
would have the immediate effect of plac-
ing any company able to secure such a
license in poS;tiO where il would know
that ii was proceeding along lines not in
of national laws or federal
authority. Such concerns as could not or
lid not wish to meet this test would then
have no right to complain if they We're
proceeded against under the Sherman
aW.
Immediate Relief Provided.
I'm this manner immediate relief
could be provided. At the same time
the questions surrounding the Sherman
law and national incorporation for inter-
state industrial companies would be
under an investigation that would be
proceeding in a calm and orderly man.
Ter with a view to reaching ultimately
permanent solution of the whole ques-
ton.
Meanwhile Mr.. Perkins concluded.
would be dispelled; yet We
would only be building up our present
of Commerce and Labor and
bureau of corporations into a live, vital !
in the same way that we
built up the Interstate COM |
nerce commission by extending and en- |
arging its powers from time to time
Senator Cummins' Comment.
Senator Cummins said the desire was
O illuminate what Mr. Perkins referred |
O as .tne twilight zone" in corporation /
equation.
Mr.. Perkins said that a commission /
night avoid complicated and prolonged |
awsuits and meet varying conditions gen. |
rally better than under the present sys-
en- He dwelt upon the moral aspects /
# the question at ISSUE" whereupon Sem |
tor Clapp observed that I'VE didn't hear /
much about that until the courts began /
o interfere with the business combina- |
ions"
Mr.. Perkins responded that the busi-
ess men had had their noses too close
o the grindstone to attend to much out
ide detail