The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-13

Senator Root was Secretary of State. senator Root. now a stanch repeal advo- cate. is expected to meet the charge Of inconsistency that some senators are making with the explanation that Colom- bia as former owner of the canal zone has moral right to special treatment.
 Trade Commission Bill
 The fact that members of the Senate i,i- terstate commerce committee plan to amend the proposed interstate trade com mission bill to give that commission authority to investigate the business or interlocking directorates, holding com panies, stock watering, destructive price discrimination and like evils, has struck a responsive chord in the minds of many democrats in both Houses. There is a growing feeling that the trade commission measure will be the only trust legislation passed at this session. Many democratic senators believe commission with broad powers could be created without prolonged discussion, but they are certain that any attempt to put through bills to prohibit interlocking directorates and holding companies and to further supplement ne Sherman law would preciptate debate which would prolong the session all sum mer.
 Conferences between Senate and House leaders and the President will be held within few days to determine proposed limitation of the trust legislation pro efamme. Meanwhile the House interstate commerce committee remains active and a trade commission clothed with the power and authority to prevent ''unfaA and oppressive competition is proposed i'll q bill to be introduced tomorrow by Representative Stevens of New Hamp- shire The interstate trade and foreign commerce committee tomorrow will report its revised trade commission bill. Rep resentative Stevens bill is designed to broaden the powers of the commission as proposed in the committee measure.
 "The trade commission has no admin istrative power whatever under the pro- visions of the committee bill,' said Rep- resentative Stevens tonight. It's general investigations are made for the purpose of information for explanation by Con- gross. The special investigations merely i are part of the work of the depart ment of justice in connection with the enforcement of the antitrust acts. Its only power is that of investigation and l recommendation.
 Provisions of Bill
 To clothe the proposed commission witt authority to regulate competition between corporations, the Stevens bill declares tc be unlawful, ''all unfair or oppressive 1 competition in commerce" empowers the commission to prevent such competition l and provides: That. whenever the com mission shall have reason to believe thai any corporation has been or is using any unfair or oppressive method of com petition it shall issue and serve upor | said corporation written order, al least 30 days in advance of the time set therein for hearing, directing said corporation to appear before the com i mission and show cause why an order | shall not he issued by the commission restraining and prohibiting said corpora. | tiUn from using such method of com petition. and if upon such hearing th, commission shall be of the opinion tha- the method of competition in question is prohibited by. this act, it thereupor
 shall issue an order restraining ant prohibiting the use of the same. Tn, | commission may at any time modif, or set aside, in whole or in part ,an, order issued by it under this act.'
 Anti-Iniunction Bill
 Plans for caucusing on the question 0 dressing the Bartlett-Bacon anti-injunc
 ti,n bill have been dropped on an un dorstanding of the labo: group in tn
 House that when the antitrust bills shal .cmanate finally from the judiciary com mittee as an omnibus measure, there vii be included some provision to limit tn
 injunction power of the courts.
 Sc labor element action is dependen
 also on the probability that the genera l trust legislation may be dropped alto fsether at this session.
 AS a compliment to Chairman Floo
 of the foreign affairs committee, Hous ! leaders have arranged to expedite con
 sideraton of the diplomatic and consula appropriation bill this week. Mr. Floo
 will he married April IS, and in orde
 that the pilotng of his appropriation bil through the House shan not interfer