The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1913-11-06
COMMISSIONER DAVIES OUTLINES
NEW INVESTIGATION OF
TRUST PROBLEM.
INQUIRY TO BE SWEEPING
Adequate Legislation Will Be consid
cred by Congress at December
Session-Some Facts Given
by Speaker.


ton Of the industrial situation under
the direction of President Wilson,
which will contribute to the admins;
tration's trust legislation program at
the session Of congress beginning Dec,
was announced here by Commission:
er Joseph E. Davies of the bureau Of
corporations, in an address before the
National Association of Hardware
dealers.
The Question Stated.
whether a competitive system OF
large units, or monopolistic SYSTEM
is the most advantageous to society is
the question the bureau will attempt
to determine. It 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 are now no governmental or
other agencies engaged in attempting
to get scientific information on this
fact. We shall enter into this investi,
cation with the sole intent of working
out, in scientific and fair-minded
spirit, the facts absolutely as they are,
So vital and so fundamental is this
problem that to attack it in any other
spirit would be criminal. What is
needed is light; not heat. The prob.
lem bristles with difficulty. It will de,
mand an increased appropriation from
congress. The results may not coin.
eide with all we hope to procure, but
we can, however, obtain facts that will
contribute toward correct interpreta.
tics of Industrial conditions as they
exist
The Ultimate Solution.
Commissioner Davies declared thai
che ultimate solution Of the trust prob
lem depended upon the determination
of the question his bureau is about to
investigate. This determination, he be-
lieved to be the basis for deciding
whether the problem might be solved
by amendments to the Sherman law,
by an industrial trade commission or
by action looking to regulation by the
individual states.
If the monopolistic system should be
found to De the most efficient there
would still remain, he said in spite of
that fact, question whether the gov
eminent should maintain an attitude
against monopoly by reason of other
and greater additional evils it induces.
Cost Of Living Big Factor.
Reviewing arguments for and
against monopoly, Commissioner
Davies 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
~, consistent with fair standard -
living for Workers?" He sketched che
business growth of the country and tha
rise Of the corporation.
within the last decade and a half
said he, 1900 corporations have come
into possession of property worth more
than s22,000,000.0 Two hundred ar
tificial persons own three times as
much wealth as the country owned in
1850. That sum is three and one-half
times as great as the public debt.
The gross income of one of these arti,
fetal persons is equal to the total
revenue of the government from In
ternal revenue and customs.
"Twenty-four of these corporations
have three and one-half times the
gross income of the federal govern
ment.
"These facts are not cited as an
Indictment against the men engaged In
these enterprises, but simply to show
the way in which we are growing"
Buried 9 Years; Body Petrified.
Baltimore, Nov. 1.-The body OF Pat
rick Dugan, which was exhumed for