Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-06
River and Harbor Measure
Laid Aside to Give Conference
Agreement Right of Way.
SOME REPUBLICANS SEEK
TIME FOR EXAMINATION
Matter Probably to Come Up in
the House Next
Week.

ON motion Of Senator Newiands, the
conference report on the federal trade
commission bill was taken up for con-
sideraton in the Senate yesterday. Sen
ator Simmons agreeing that the river and
harbor appropriation bill be laid aside to
give the conference report the right OF
way.
Some of the republicans including
Senators Townsend and Smoot asked
that the report be allowed to go over
until Tuesday so that they might nave
more time to examine it.
Senator Borah of Idaho suggested that
It might be well to give the bill con-
sideration again. since he had heard
Congress was to be asked TO pass JOINT
resolution directing the interstate com
merce comm ssion to advance the freight
rates OF the railroads. despite the COM
M sion's recent refusal to grant such
Increases.
This bill also provides for a commits
son. and We might a swell give that COM
mission directions now as later, sug-
sested Senator Borah. ironically.
May Also Come Up in House.
The report on the bill probably
will be called up in the House
next week. The completion of the
work on this important antitrust
measure is interesting to Washington.
as Representative Harry Covington OF
MARYLAND. who has been a leading
worker on the bill. will leave the
House and assume his duties as chlei
justice of the District of Coiump!a
Supreme Court as soon as the Dill Is
out of Congress.
Much of the report is the work OF
Mr.. Covington, who explains that the
name was changed from interstate
trade commission to federal trade com
mission to prevent confusion with the
interstate commerce commission and
that the number of members of the
commission was changed from three
70 i've because of administrative worK
not contemplated by the House.
Discretion as to Reports.
The conference bill, instead of, re-
curing annual reports of all corpo-
rations capitalized at over $5.00O.00O,
retains the Senate provision leaving
the classes of corporations making
these reports to the discretion of the
commission. the conference agreeing
that a large number of corporations
capitalized over So 100000 are not
necessarily engaged in any commerce
potential for combination or monopoly.
In abolishing the bureau of corpora
tons. the conference measure makes
the powers transferred to the COM
mission more explicit so as to make
clear their exact extent and Hpplica-
non.
Powers conferred on the commission to
assist the peDartment of Justice. upon
direction of the courts. in solving the diff
i;cult economic problems connected with
the antitrust law and on the il tiaton
OF the commission itself to supervise COM
p.iance with DEGREES of dissolution are re-
tanned. Requirement that the commits
sion make Investigations relating to the
alleged violations of the antitrust law
are retained. as in the House bill. except
that the conference eliminated the ''direc-
ZION of the Attorney General" The con-
ference decided shat as the Attorney Cen
.Tal is head OF an executive department,
the direction of the President was suffi-
cicnt.