The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-07

| ton during the summer months and II
| Congress remains In session for 60 days
1t Is practically certain that the judiciary
committee will make few sizzling rec
concentrations to the House regarding
| the need of amendment Of the Sherman
law
The committee is we'll equipped both
with funds and authority to pursue the
trusts. The House has voted the Judiciary
| committee $4,000 to probe all phases OF
| the trust issue and if this amount Is ex-
| fausted in searching probe the conn
mittee probably will be given additional
! funds on the theory that the trusts are
costing the consumers OF the country
many times this amount every day
| The full judiciary committee has author
| lied the appointment or "a subcommittee
which will stay on the Job early and late
in order to determine wnat is the matter
with the Sherman law and why the beef
trust, the shoe trust, the aluminium trust
and a dozen other combines continue to
do business at the same old stand.
This subcommittee comprises some Of
the most skllful lawyers in the House
It Is as follows: Chairman Clayton and
Representatives Webb, Carlin. Floyd and
Davis, democrats. and Sterling, Rowland
and Norris, republicans, There isn't
lazy man in the lot ana the members of
the subcommittee are willing to sit morn
ing, night and noon, If necessary, In or
der to recommend remedial legislation at
this session of Congress.
Taking the beel trust as an example,
the House investigators will set about to
establish the following:
Whether there exists beef trust, which
| absolutely dominates the price of meat
to the people of the United States.
Why the Sherman law is not now suffi-
Client to dissolve the trust, n condition of
affairs which may be presumed In view Of
the outcome of the recent beef trust cases
In Chicago.
What amendments are needed to the
Sherman law In order to make the COM
plete dissolution of the beef combine, and
other trusts possible.
Inasmuch as the trust question will be
a paramount one during the approaching
campaign, it is regarded as highly prob
able that the House will attempt an
amendment of the sherman antitrust law
at this season, in the event, Of course
that the judiciary committee. which has
jurisdiction over such legislation, reports
that the sherman law as It now stands is
not capable of reaching the more fragrant
Of the trusts. Democratic and insurgent
votes In the Senate may also be depended
upon to amend the Sherman law, If such
modification is shown to be necessary.
1t is learned that members of the House
judiciary committee arc rather skeptical
Of the powers of the Sherman law follow
ing the decision In the beef cases I'm Chi
eago and the rise In stocks after the
"dissolution" Of the Standard Oil and
tobacco trusts. There Is considerable
talk of an amendment to the Sherman
law which win eradicate the supreme
courts rule OF reason and which win
make the antitrust statute so drastic
that trust masnates VIII not dare TO vio-
late 1t.
what we need" sad Representative
Mccoy, democratic member of the
House committee on judiciary as a law
so plain and drastic In It's language that
every one will be afraid to run the risk
Of conviction. There has always been diff
fculty in convicting any one under the
criminal provision Of the law. The anti
trust law should carry such heavy GRIM
inal penalties that IL would act as a de-
terrant to otherwise INSCRIPTIONS and
daring trust operators, who. perhaps,
might not mind dissolution proceedings
but would stand In mighty fear of jail
sentence"
Present indications are that the pres
ent session of Congress will drag along
until August and In this event II is highly
probable the judiciary committee will have
before that time what amend
ment Of justice to cope successfully with
every Illegal combine existing under the
terms of the present Sherman law.