Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-10-31
TRUST LEGISLATORS
TO EMPLOY SCIENCE
Commissioner of Corporations
Tells Hardware Men How
Govt Will Conduct Probe.

ATLANTIC CITY, Oct 31.-The be-
ginning of a new scientific investiga-
ton of the Industrial situation under
the direction of President Wilson,
which will contribute to the admins
trations trust legislation program at
the session of Congress beginning
December /. was announced here to-
day by Commissioner Joseph e.
Davies, of the Bureau of Corpora
tions. in an address before the Ma
tional Association of Hardware
Dealers.
whether a competitive system of
large units>or a monopolistic system
is the most advantageous to society
is the question the bureau will at
tempt to determine.
at is characteristic of the quality
of mind of the President of the
United States that he should desire
facts on which to base his judgment"
said Commissioner Davies. There is
now no governmental or other agen-
cies engaged in attempting to get
scientific information on this fact.
We shall enter into this investigation
with the sole intent of working out
in q scientific and fair-minded spirit
the facts absolutely as they are. So
vital and so fundamental is this prob
lem that to attack 1t in any other
spirit would be criminal. What Is
needed is light; not heat. The prob
lem bristles with difficulty. 1t will
demand an increased appropriation
from Congress. The results may not
coincide with all we hope to procure,
but we can, however, obtain facts
that will contribute toward correct
Interpretation of Industrial conditions
as they exist
Three Courses.
Commissioner Davies declared that
the ultimate solution of the trust
problem depended upon the determi-
nation of the question his bureau is
about to investigate. That, he be-
lieved, to be a fundamental principle
behind whether the problem might be
solved by amendments to the Sher-
man law; by an industrial trade COM
mission, or by action looking to regu-
lation by the individual States. If
the monopolistic system should be
found to be most efficient there would
still remain, he said, in spite of that
fact, q question whether the govern
ment should maintain an attitude
against monopoly by reason of other
and greater additional evils it in
duces,
Reviewing arguments for and
against monopoly, Commissioners Da-
vies declared that one of the chief
concerns of the great body of people
for whom the government exists is,
which form of production, competi-
! tive or monopolistic, can produce and
| sell what the public buys most cheap
| ly, consistent with fair standards of
! living for workers. He sketched the
business growth of the country and
| the rise of the corporation.
An Economic Revolution.
| There has come an economic rev.
olution." said he. THE unorganized
many are demanding that law shall
! protect their rights from the en-
enactment of the organized few.
Government or society is concerned
with these tremendous industrial
units on several different angles.
! What effect have these gigantic con-
centrations had upon the question OF
representative government and its
perpetuity? Is there danger of the
child becoming greater than the par
! ent? What safeguards must the
State throw about itself so that the
/ powers of government may not b'
subverted by the greed of men ant
the inherent human selfishness? Al
investigation only recently conducted
by Congress has given evidences o
certain insid'ous influences that at
tack the integrity of government
| itself
THE economic aspects of the prob
lem. the fair. just attitude of gov
eminent to capital invested and mel
| interested in and directing these grea
| enterprises as well as to the public
at large. and what shall be done t,
preserve freedom of opportunity FOL
business. is the problem to which Con
gress will address itself In the imme-
diata futllro'