Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-12-11
FEDERAL INQUIRY
into CONDITIONS
Trusts to Be Investigated by
Order Of President.
SURVEY TO Be IMPARTIAL.

United States Commissioner of Corpo-
rations Joseph e. Davies Makes Off,
ciaI Announcement Defining Attitude
of Wilson Administration Toward
Industrial Combinations.
Joseph f. Davies. United States COM
missioner of corporations. in defining
the attitude of the Wilson administra-
ton toward corporations before the
American Hardware Manufacturers
association in convention at Atlantic
City. y. j.. told the manufacturers.
representing practically the entire out
put Of the hardware industry, that nei-
ther they nor any other industry doing
business within the law had anything
to fear from the federal department Of
justice.
The beginning of a new scientific in
vestigation Of the industrial situation.
under the direction Of President Will
son. which will contribute to the ad-
ministration's trust legislation pro-
gram. was announced by Commissioner
Davies. He said in part:
whether a competitive system of
large units or a monopolistic system
is the most advantageous to society
is the question the bureau will attempt
to determine.
Fair Investigation Promised.
I'VE shall enter into this investiga-
ton with the sole intent of working
out in a scientific and fair minded spir-
it the facts absolutely as they Gre. So
vital and sc fundamentaAddWtH$ prob
lem that to attack it in any otheA spirit
would be criminal"
Commissioner Davies declared that
the ultimate solution Of the trust prob
lem depended upon the determination
Of the question this bureau is about to
investigate and said the problem might
be solved by amendments to the Sher-
man law and by an industrial trade
commission or by action looking to
regulation by the individual states. If
the monopolistic system should be
found to be most efficient there would
still remain. he said. a question wheth-
er the government should maintain
an attitude against monopoly by rea-
son of other and greater additional
evil it induces.
Our theory Of government is wrong
said he. IF our laws shall not decree
that the few men who are trustees for
society and who should be fairly and
abundantly compensated for the serv-
ices they render should also be pre-
vented from putting their feet in the
trough if they become animated by the
fundamental greed that lies in human
nature.
Problem a Farreaehing One.
This problem reaches down to the
fundamentals Of government itself. 1t
will tax the greatest minds of this gen.
GRAFTON and the next.
AN investigation only recently con.
Quoted by congress has given evidences
of certain insidious influences that at.
tack the integrity of government itself
THE economic aspects Of the prob
lem. the fair. just attitude of govern
ment to capital invested and men In
terested in and directing these great
enterprises ms well as to the public al
large and what shall be done to pre-
serve freedom of opportunity for bust
ness. is the problem to which congress
will address itself in the immediate FL
ture."
Commissioner Davies reviewed vari
ous suggestions for amendment Of the
Sherman law. many Of which have
been introduced as bills in congress
looking to the prevention of the issu,
of watered stock. i~nterlocking owner
ship. common ~directorates and othe1
similar conditions to which many eco
nomic evils are attributed. He spok.
particularly Of the contention hat tn
government should regulate and con
troll prices.
FORMS HAPPINESS LEAGUE.