Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-16

lem, but whatever their views IL Ws3 Dc
agreed that no thorough STUDY mas 49,
been made of the subject In this countty
Nations abroad are said to favor ~ Nv
that which We forbid
THE law with US is for the time hxoc
by the decisions OF the supreme Cou.t
that the fixing Of retail prices on tne
part OF manufacturers Is uniawfui. II,
however, new legislature should In the
future be required, 1t Is important tnas
the truth be known, lest injustice be done,
not SO much to the manufactures as 20
the consumer.
Variance of Opinion.
Some men, well informed, argue that
the liking of retail prices under conoi-
tons where competition in manufacture
exists tends to promote competition.
Others say that the refusal to permit the
fixing of retail prices tends to monopoly,
because In the cutthroat competition GER
tain to follow obviously the stronger com
petitor will survive, and may eventually
have the business in his own HANDS, Iol
the law forbids the making of agreements
to maintain prices, and under these cir
cumstances the weakest must go TO the
wall. Such being the views expressed by
thoughtful men on q matter In winch
every consumer is interested because he
must needs buy such articles, it is I'M
thoughtful study, and this the bureau OF
corporations purposes to give to it. :,
THAT there are immediate and well
known conditions that should and can
be remedied by law is apparent. some
of these remedies are, Tor instance, q
law providing that there shall be pre-
sumption that all restraints OF trade are
unreasonable, and pacing the Duroeh VI
establishing the reasonableness OF sucn
restraint upon the party alleging II: leg
vurnfn
stocks; that corporations shall not hold
stock in other competing companies ano
that neither a person nor corporauon
shall at the same TIME own a controiiink
interest in two or more competing cor
porations, or that the officers OF cor
porations shall not be affiliated directly
or indirectly by holding office in other
corporations.
Economic Fact Discussed.
Congress will undoubtedly address it.
self to some Of these aspects of the si:ua-
ton with curative provisions. Regardless
of such legislation. however. there still
remains fundamental economic fact to
be determined, to wit, whether the trust
or monopoIistic form is socially and eco
nomically efficient In production. as is al
legged, and upon the solution of this prob
lem must depend the ultimate attitude
Of government toward combinations and
consultations in business.
"Of the old Investigations those on lum-
Der, tobacco, water transportation, the
harvester industry, and corporate taxa
ton remain to be concluded by the publ
cation of additional reports, but all will
probably be closed up within the next
twelve months. In addition to these are
the new Investigations of the fertilizer
industry. the relationship, of the Okla
hofiaa oil fields to the general oil market,
and the cotton pool
IAN Investigation of trade agreements
Is also" in progress, with view to eS-
tablishing some facts as to what agree
ments, If any, apparently in restraint of
trade, are really In aid of competition and
should be exempted from the operation OF
the Sherman act. There is also an inves-
tigation pending with reference to the
merits and dement's of a condition which
prohibits a uniform price from being fixed
by manufacturers and jobbers, binding
upon retailers, as to articles Of their
manufacture.
Reorganization Plan.
Secretary Redfield outlines his plans
for a reorganization Of the bureau OF for
eign and domestic commerce:
"Our foreign commerce has grown by
leaps and bounds until during the fiscal
year ended June 30. 1913. it reached the
great total of 81. 279. OOO. 900 in value. OF
this great sum 81, 466, 100000 were ex-
ports and sI.eI2, GSG.vU were imports.
showing trade balance on these trans
actions in our favor of 65SOOO,OOO. 1t
certainly cannot be said that the govern
and growing trade. In the estimates
for the coming fiscal year. therefore,