Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-02-27
representatives Of Chamber of
Commerce of United States
Present Views on Bill to
Create Trade Commission,
NEWLANDS AMENDMENT
FAV0RABLY RECEIVED
New Body Is to Be Made Purely
Advisory and With Power to
Make investigations of Cor
poratiOnS,


tsY noRsina JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED wiRrl
Washington. Feb 1G-E Efforts OF
senate and house committees were
tune today toward perfecting as
soon as possible the administrations
anti-trust legislative program.
The senate committee On interstate
commerce held It's first hearing ON
the proposed bin to create an inter
state trade commission and amend
ments TO limit the scope Of that COM
mission and to make II a purely adyis-
ory and investigating body, were sub
mitte1 by Senator Newands, chair
man Of the committee.
Members Of a committee Of the
chamber of commerce OF the United
States discussed the PROPOSED COM
mission before the house Judiciary
and interstate commerce committees
with relation to legislation 70 regu
late holding companies, federal con-
troll Of railroad securities and short
ening of judicial proceedings under
the sherman antitrust law IN dis
Jussng the bin for n trade commits
son, the committee OF the chamber
of commerce OF the United States said
it was not presenting the views OF
Of the committee was To- present TO
the members 0f the chamber for ref
erendum vote "a list of questions con
cerning the pre- posed legislation.
The Dissenting Views.
Charles r. Mathewson Of New
York was spekesman of thr commil-
tee whose members We're in accord
on every proposition except one aG-
g. lttf % b a.
University Of Wisconsin. This was
am amendment under which bodies of
such individuals as mmbermen and
fruit growers desiring to form coop
cratire organizations might submit
their plan OF Organization to the trade
commission, which, II It approved the
plan, would issue a permit This
plan Dr Van Hise thought, would be
@ help 20 men who desired TO do "a le-
climate business hut did not know
how far they could go under the law,
and perhaps could not afford 10 pay
highpriced lawyers. MI Mathewson
argued that this plan was unWorkablc
and unwlse.
The rest cf the discussion was on
the trade commiEsiCn bill with the
amendments drawn by Chairman
NeWands
NJ MatheWsou said the committee
felt that the Newlands amendment
would make u great Improvement in
me bill ANA would meet most of the
criticism that might have been made
He doubted whether ii would be ad-
visabio TO require reports from i'm
dustfial corporations ana said the az
itaton Of this question was already
causing alarm In business circles He
expressed The opinion that it would
be unconstitutional to authorize the
commission ia have access to the
private papers Of corporation.
should Include All Corporations.
Mr.. MatheWson thought IL unwise
To draw a line as to the size of cor
porations compelled to make reports.
ANA suggested that the requirement
should include all corporations ex-
cept those subject To the Interstate
commerce commission and the comp
uolier Of the currency Ic said he
could by the Ii ldltion. Of n few lines
amend the sherman antitrust law SO
that II would be satisfactory. Ha
would say in his amendment that the
Jaw was not Intended and should not
pe construed to prohibit combinations
M restraint OF competition unless such
combinations were against the public
Welfare.
To Limit Jurisdiction.
Amendments 10 the interstate trade
commission bin prepared by Senator
NeNtands' chairman of the Interstate
Nlihmerce committee who conferred
Nth President Wilson on the subject
leatefday, were submitted to the com
uilee today one amendment sub
St,ituted for Section of the original
layton hin, would limit the iurisdic
"on Of the proposed commission TO
operations having annual gross re-
eeipts exceeding S2,50O coo and would
make il optional with the commission
mhether IL should demand records or
'ne corporation affairs
another amendment would protect
,oipQrations from unreasonable or
unnecessary publicity of the state of
rs affairs providing that the commits
s,on should make public lin such form
rnu to such extent as il may deem
topff the Information obtained ex-
lt SO far rs may be necessary to
u1ett trade processes, names of GUS
elliefA and such other matters as the
n.., nI,iiilsslon may deem not to he OF
it r,, interest and shall make an am
IN report 70 the congress. and may
asseinit herewith recommendation for
'''a'uonal legislation
would further provide that ANY
fe.soh who shall make public any in
,o,,t o,,,tlatlon obtained by the commission
bs ''out its consent or authority shall
ana ueemed guilty OF misdemeanor
mn, upon conviction thereof shall be
o0o o0oieu py fine not exceeding S5.-f
my by Imprisonment not exceeding
N fear or by both said punishments
ie aiseretion OF the court"
MAJ tn,rd ni,.rd amendment proposed would
-. H4lsaeheanof punishable by
MFArutsp r,o,,,,.,s,r