The Washington herald., 1914-06-06
More. Blows =, Il Business. !.

| OF the three bills passed by the House of Repre-
sentatves yesterday in obedience to the President!
bidding oneAproviding for an Interstate Trade.
Comn,is ission-is indorsed by the conservative bust
ness men of the country, who believe it may result
in benefit The other two-the Clayton antitrust BIZ
and the Rayburn bill, giving the Interstate Commerc,
Commission jurisdiction over the issue of railroad
securities and limiting nterlocking directorates-ars
condemned as dangerous and destructive by men o
ability and integrity representing the interests affected
and by many of our wsest statesmen. In its presen,
form the Clayton bill susceptible of various inter-
pretations that would insure plenty of work for bench
and barrster but regarding such of its provisions
are understandable, Representative Manu. of Illinois
said:
mo one can do business under that bill without
having the pententary facing him all the time Every
business Transaction will be left liable to criminal
charge" -rr41
Unfortunately, there are many members of the
House who believe that the penitentiary is the place
for every engaged in business and in casting their
votes they were consistent and earnest There are
other members of the party in power, however, who
are sincere in their belief that the Clayton and Ray
burn bills will shower blessings upon the people,
among them Representative Carlin, of Virginia, who
bases his confidence the fact that they adopted
with practical unanimity which shows that they
contained the matters which the people demand legis
laon upon. 1t is not necessary to agree with such
logic to be lost in wonder and admiration for the
sublime faith of the men who can look upon the con-
dton of the country after year of similar policies
and still believe that what it needs is of them
Men who know little or nothing of business. in
dustry commerce turn deaf citizens of the
highest type who have devoted their lives to their
development and promotion. They prefer their, own
baseess judgment else choose believe that they
destined to the country from being wrecked
by whose genius and enterprise have built it.
Their creed is that when business says thing is
right it must be wrong, and vice versa.
The Senate. as is always the case may be depended
upon to bring reason and higher intelligence to
bear the important questions involved in the three
1t is to be imagined that it will enact
the Clayton bill with amendments attached vague
i'll terms that they satisfy Samuel Gompers, who
believes they mean thing, and Woodrow Wilson,
who believes they mean another, though MIR. Wilson
approved them upon Mr.. Gompers' representations
Whatever the fate of the bills, their effect will
probably be too late to be felt by the time the Con-
gressional elections are held FIVE months from now
but the evil that Congresses, well do, lives
after them, and the country looks to the Senate to
spare it. at least from another protracted contest in
the courts over Clayton and Sherman laws, while
business and industry halt for the verdict that shall
strike their shackles off or place upon them
1t is weighty responsibility nations industrial
life-that rests upon the Senate. Patriotism par
both-will shape its course.