Imperial Valley press., 1913-11-18
Congress Will
Go After Trusts

by congressman CIyde II. laVehHel
Washington, Nov. 1S-The big task
for congress next session is trust leg
islation. For over 20 years the peo-
pie have been trying to stop monopo-
ly with the Sherman Anti Trust Law
and monopoly has gone placidly on its
way. Even today the merry business
of sitting competition, crushing and
merging independent concerns, goes
steadily forward There have been
few so-called dissolutions, greatly
to the profit of those "dissolved," and
a few fines, some of which have been
paid. The Sharman law has not had
the desired effect. 1t is a failure so
far as the people are concerned, and
the Democratic congress, holding the
peoples commission, is now about to
proceed to formulate a new govern
ment attitude toward monopoly.
Already the air in Washington is
buzzing with plans and theories. Sem
ator Norris of Nebraska, progressive
Republican, is pDposing confiscatory
fines as well as Jail sentences. Repre-
sentative Robert L. Henry, chairman
of the House Rules Committee, has
introduced a bill providing for dras-
tic penalties. Attorney Louis D.
Brandeis,, the Boston reformer, is in
Washington with his theory of 'regu-
lated competition" and his argu-
ments will have weight with the
president and with congress. And
everywhere one hears the advice that
congress should put teeth into the
Sherman law.
AS matter of fact, the Sherman
law already has teeth. 1t does not
need new set, but what teeth it has
need filing. Some of the most
thoughtful men in congress believe
the time has come for this filing pro-
cess to begin. The Sherman law at
present prescribes for violation a fine
or Jail Imprisonment. If congress has
the courage it can file the teeth of the
Sherman law simply by striking from
the law the word cor" In other words
by making Imprisonment mandatory.
One Jail term is worth a hundred
fines, in the opinion of many of these
thinkers. That seems to be the only
way to prevent the flagrant and in
solent violation of the Sherman law
by the financiers of Wall street. The
chicken thief is promptly railroaded
off to prison. The trust magnate
who makes millions out of his dis
regard for law always escapes jail
Not since the Sherman law has beer
in force has single violator looked
out on the world from behind prison
bars.
In vain have the attorneys in the
department of justice pleaded for Tho
full enforcement of the law. They
have uncovered the most fragrant
the most brutal examples
of financial brigandage, but always
the courts have found some way tc
save the trust magnates from the
stigma of a prison sentence.
Once or twice trust officials have
come perilously near prison, and the
federal attorneys have been encour-
aged, knowing the tremendous moral
effect on the financial world of a sin
gle rich law breaker behind bars.
The officials of the Turpentine
trust were indicted and convicted. The
lower court imposed Jail sentences.
But only last spring the supreme
court, while upholding the law and
finding no flaw in the indictments, re-
versed the lower court on the ground
that it has erred in instructing the
jury. The case is still pending and
the officials have a good chance to
escape Imprisonment.
Many men in congress would end
this discretion on the part of the judge
to impose fines or Jail sentences
Congressman Thetus w. Sims of Ten
nessee member of the committee or
interstate commerce said recently:
1.-The prison sentence must be made
mandatory if violations of the Sher-
man law are to be stopped"