The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-02-01
5000 ANSWERS
ON SHERMAN Law
How Business Men And Others
Regard The Antitrust
Measure.

New York, Feb. 1.-The National
Civic Federation today made public
an analysis of 10000 answers receiv-
ed by it to series Of questions con-
corning the Sherman law. The analy
sis of the answers is summed up by
the Federation as follows:
"The replies indicate little sentiment
in favor of the unconditional repeal
of the Sherman law. On the other
hand it Is shown that there is prac-
tically no desire to abolish large COM
binations. The public have no desire
for government ownership, on one
side, or unrestrained and unregulated
private or corporate control on the
other. They will accept large COM
binations adequately regulated
The questions were sent to editors,
political economists, lawyers, public
lists, statisticians, manufacturers,
merchants, bankers and the officers
of commercial, labor and other organ
izations. AS Introductory to the ques-
lions it was poilted out that "the
Sherman Antitrust act has now been
interpreted by the Supreme court to
mean, as to interstate commerce, that
any combination in restraint of trade
with the purpose of controlling prices
and sitting competitor is unlawful"
Going into detail regarding the re-
plies the Federation says: Eighty
four per cent of the answers pro-
nounce the Sherman law neither
clear nor workable, or workable with
out being clear; but only some TWEEN
ty per cent declare in favor of its
repeal OF these latter the larger
number add that IF not repealed, II
should be amended" etc. Substanti
ally, the usual phraseology of sugges
tions for amending the Sherman Law
is-make it so that business men car
understand it, or bring it into line
with modern business conditions
Eighty per cent of the replies ia
vor Federal license or incorporation
for companies engaged in interstate
commerce, about one-third of thu
eighty taking Federal license as al
alternative. Seventy-five per cent arr
opposed to holding companies, Will,
; of the remainder nearly all want hold
ing companies bound by restriction
that would prevent abuses.
Government regulation of capital
ization is not always an evil, blu
sometimes brings capital into actiol
that would otherwise remain idle.
"Three important advantages claim
for those doing business on larg
scale-economies in production. econ
omies in distribution and greater us
5 of by-products, are admitted withou
l dissent by all who answer that query
'Steadier employment of labor and a
D6IleI WdS6S. anu bGIutl DlOlCtllOl
. against industrial accidents are dc
MED by thirty-five per cent and NOR
command of international trade an
) command of the best ability ar
doubted by ten per cent of those ar
swering.
, about eighty per cent favor an In
terstate Industrial commission, som
qualifying with the condition that
should be composed of business me
only, and two labor representative
: proposing that the commission shoul
consist of one member from eacl
state-a sort of Interstate Bushes
e Senate
S "a comparatively Imall proportio
: are in favor of control of prices b
S an Industrial commission.
7 "The answers" the Federation col
! tinues in its statement, leave n
r doubt that the public is thorough
e aroused to the vital Importance {
J. the problems dealt with by the She
l. man act. This condition of the pull
l. lie mind is appreciated just as niue
e by those controlling great combin;
h lions of capital as by the bushes
l. men and the wage-earner.
n "That business conditions are di
r turbed nearly every reply admits
e the Federation declares. "In til
thousands Of replies received a lare
e majority assert that business cond
n lions are unsatisfactory. Enforc
e ment of the Sherman law is most fir
e quently mentioned by business me
a as disturbing cause, on the groun
/ that they do not understand the lay
l. and that the uncertainty as to i
meaning retards enterprise, maxi