The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-11
Holds Conference With the
Democratic Members of
Judiciary Committee
DETAILS NOT YET
FULLY WORKED OUT
Legislation Along Lines Of LenrOOt-
LaFolIette Bill Favored by Presi-
dent--Untermyer Working
With Committee

Washington, December To- The !.
scope of President Wilson'S programme
of antitrust Legislation became fairly
well defined today at the end of n
conference at the White House be-
tween the President and six democratic
mittee, that is to undertake the prep
aration of the administration bills.
The measure to be advanced for ac-
lion at this session will aim at the
, following results
Definition Of the various forms Of
monopoly and restraint of trade which
would be "eonclusively deemed" un-
reasonable and in violation of law.
! Placing upon the defendant the bur
den of proof to show that there is no
unreasonable restraint of trade"
Prohibition of interIocking directo-
rates between large corporations.
| Establishment OF an Interstate trade
Ipowers, make original investigation
and aid the courts in carrying out
deerees of dissolution of trusts
Details Not Worked Out
| The details of legislation were not
worked out at the White House con-
ference. nor was complete under
standing reached as to the number of
bills which Will be pushed for ae-
ton at the present session. The Pres
ident made 1t clear, however. that ne
faYors legislation along the general
lines OF the Lenroot-LaFoilette bill.
which has been before Congress since
last June and which was designed to
clear up the 'twilght zone" of cor
poration activities.
This measure was the subject OF
much of the discussion, and members
of the committee viii take Up its pro-
! visions for further consideration. t.
would define by law nearly % dozen
forms Of contracts, agreements. re-
straints, price cutting and the like. the
ereasonablenesse of which Is now lcft
to tee courts, but which waf4ld ~
i .concltsiTetx Il eps6 to- be Hnt asss'i :.
able and in resteaihr OF trade by Tire
proposed new law
President Wilson's trust conferences
of the last two weeks have included
long talks with Attorney General Nc
of the Senate Interstate commerce COM
mittee. Secretary Redfeld OF the de-
! partment of commerce. Representative
! Clayton and Joseph Ii. Davis, commits
| soner of corporations, The President
Is to confer again in a few days with
! Senator Newlands and other members
of the Senate committee that will han
die trust legislation.
To Begin Work at Once
The House committee will begin
work at once on the preliminary draft
OF trust bills, but the members win
| seek further discussions with tho
President over the form of the meas
ures before completing them for sub
mission to the House.
| The President emphasized IN the
| conference today the need of legal
bounds for business activity that will
place the smaller business man upon an
| equality with the larger, and that VIII
give to the business world in general
a clear legal definition of the forms of
combination that are unlawful
! Senator Newlands' bill for an inter-
state trade commission also introduced
| in Congress early last summer. is ex-
peeted to be the basis for legislation
| along that line. The President is un-
derstood to favor many features of this
proposed law. 1t would establish u
commission with power to regulate
corporations doing interstate business
to aid the Attorney General in the
prosecution of those accused of mou-
opolistic actions and to carry out the
dissolution of trusts that have been
deereed as Illegal by the courts.
| Samuel Untermyer of New York. who
acted as counsel for the money trust"
committee Of. the House in its investi-
| cations Of the money trust" has met
members OF the House Interested in
trust legislation several times recently
and is working upon the preparation
of bills that probably will be closely
/ studied by the committee.