Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-11-30
WANTS GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL
Favors Corporation or Trade Com
mission with Absolute Power.
ELECTION DISTURBING FACTOR
Presidential Term of Eight Years
Asserted Preferable.
UNGOvERNED COMPETITION BAD
Federal Government should RecOE-
niEc Need OF Partial Agreements
between Corporations and
individuals.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Nov 29.-Elbert
II. Gary, executive head of the United
states Steel corporation, made a plea tor
big business" today before the senate
committee on interstate commerce, which
is searching for solution OF the pres
ent trust problem I'm the United states.
Big corporations are essential to the
development of the country anu the
maintenance OF business prosperity he
sad. To prevent their misuslng the
enormous power that comes with wealth
and control of industrial agencies, he
thought the government should take con-
troll Of them, through corporation or
trade commission with absolute power to
regulate their affairs. Add to this a clear
law as to what can and what cannot be
done; the strong light of publicity on all
the affairs of corporations and the elmi-
nation of presidential and other political
issues from the business world and the
unrest" that has spread over the Uplted
States will largely disappear, said Mr..
Gary.
The coming election is already disturb
ing business, he added. He said members
OF the courts ought TO be appointed for
life; that the president ought to be
elected for eight years without the priv
ilege of reelection, so that he would be
In position and frame of mind where
he would not be tempted to look in any
direction or toward apy interests" in
seeking reelection.
Talks of Political situation,
Mr. aGry dwelt at length upon the
political situation. He said he had no
L. a l,,. hat ha
believed fewer elections and less rea-
son for seeking public or private support
for political purpose would aid greatly in
keeping business at level At the pres
ent time, he said, there was a great cur
tailment OF business activity because of
the approaching election.
Judge Gary recommended the federal
license of corporations their control by
trade commission; publicity Of all their
affairs and the sanction OF certain acts
which the commission might consider not
to be. "restrIffiit OF trade"
He promised to appear again before the
committee next week.
How would the commission know
whether an agreement among steel men
to fix the price OF rails at SIS was re-
straint of trader" asked Senator Cum
minis.
at would SCOOP become competent to
know that" returned Judge Gary. "as
the Interstate Commerce commission has
become competent to decide whether rates
are just and reasonable"
He declared unrestricted competition
meant the ruin, OF the small individual
or concern and the gradual strengthening
of the natural monopoly OF the larger.
AS opposed to this he urged that the gov
ernment recognize the need OF partial
between corporations and in
dlviduals, so that an active competition
might still be maintained that would be
fair and free to all interests.
rs there any particular thing now
clearly forbidden by the Sherman law
that you think ought to be permitted?"
asked Mr.. CumminS.
Mr.. Gary thought not, but he said the
business difficulty lay in deciding before
hand what amounted to a restraint OF
trade"
Gary Dinners Not to FIX Prices.
The famous Gary dinners where steel
men gathered to discuss their affairs were
not to fix prices, but to disclose their
business condition to each other, he said
EVERY gentleman there. II he was a
could go away with a full
of his competitors affairs anG
could shape his business so as not to ruin
his competitor" said MI. Gary.
He added that he had not dared even !
to hold these conferences lately; that
there was no means Of knowing exactly |
what constituted violation of the Sher-
man law, and that some governmental |
commission ought TO have the power to |
pass on agreements or mergers that /
would rebound to the public good and at |
the same time benefit the industrial in |
terpsts concerned