Evening journal., 1914-04-01
New York Chamber of Commerce
Urges President Wilson to Be
Careful on Anti Trust Legislation

of that law are voluntarily seeking to
readjust their affairs in consonance
with it without the expense, delays
and convulsion created by legal pro-
cesses.
with this consciousness abroad in
the land your committee believes that
what business men generally desire,
What industry most needs, is the GER
tainty of a period of rest for the
peaceful readiustment of all enter
prise that is inconsistent with the ac-
cepted principles of law and ethics,
and for the energetic advancement
of all individual endeavor free of any
sense of repression, secure in a sense
of liberty of action, and guarded from
the danger that the disclosure of per-
sonal prerogatives and private
achievements would entail.
Before the new currency bill was
passed, a notable commission spent
several years investigating the sub
iect, and even with the aid of their
report the business world and Con-
gress took several more years to dis
cuss the problem prior to the pas
sage of the new statutes which modi-
fed the methods of 1900 national
banks dealing only in a single branch
OF business activity with which all
business men we're already more or
less familiar.
"In the United States there are
about 350,00O corporations engaged
in several thousand different lines Of
business, handling tens of thousands
of different commodities and having
complicated relations with several
hundred thousand firms and indiyid-
uals composing the business world.
"Shall less opportunity be afforded
the bushes world or Congress itself
to intelligently discuss, consider and
understand proposed legislation af-
tecting or restricting the relations,
methods and business of not only the
$4,000 corporations but directly or
indirectly of every merchant and firm
i'm this country and their employees?
Should hesitation, arrangement and
consequent curtailment of business
follow, the burden will fall more
heavily upon labor than even upon
employers.
Furthermore, the directorates of
these corporations have undoubtedly
been the selection of those fittest to adj
minister great and complicated affairs,
and the keenest search is ever being
made to find new and talented men for
these positions. is it wise to risk dis
locating all enterprise by hurried pro-
vision requiring readiustment of man
agemcnt without knowledge of where
new leaders or directors competent and
informed are to be found who are will
ing to assume the cares and responsible
IL rtn1.l "a
heretofore?
"Even if it be the concensus of opinion
I that the laws controlling some of the
methods of trade and commerce require
modification or revision, is it necessary
or safe. after only a few short weeks of
discussion and consideration. TO create
laws injecting into the complicated busi-
ness machinery of the country condi-
ltions which may throw that machinery
out of gear to an extent that might
cause disaster, particularly in view Of
the fact that only a small percentage of
the hundreds OF thousands so engaged in
business have had an opportunity to
iconsider or understand the proposed
4 legislation OF to be heard in respect
therefor
If Congress is to proceed, as the
President has suggested, in a way "to
give expression to the best business
Judgment of America" and as he has
lagain said, "in thoughtful moderation"
toward reasonable and peacable con-
sideration of these vexed questions, 70
that. as he stated. "the laws we are now
about to pass may be the bulwarks and
Safeguards of industry" is it not essen
lfial that annie time shall be oiveu for
the consideration of their principles as
well as the form OF their application, to
tho endsthat by an extension of the wise
policy which keeps this nation at peace
with all the world, we may enjoy like
advantage by keeping us at industrial
peace with ourselves?"