The Ontario Argus. (Ontario, Or.) 1???-1947, 1914-04-30
BILL REFERRED
To TRADE BODIES
Ask 543 Commercial Organiza-
tiOnS For Views on Measure.
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE.

United States on Report Of Special
Committee - Voting to Be For or
Against Seven Recommendation.
Result to Be Made Public.
Washington. - A referendum rela-
tive to the proposed interstate trade
commission bill recently reported into
the house Of representatives by the
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce was Initiated by the cham
ber Of commerce of the United States
Of America. 1t goes to the 543 com
merclal organizations In forty-seven
states. and the votes of these organiza-
tions. when recorded, will be made
public.
The referendum is based on the re.
port Of a special committee composed
of two business men. The committee
presents its recommendation in such
form that the membership of each or
ganizatlon is enabled to express its
opinions by voting for or against the
various proposals.
The seven definite recommendation
to be supported or rejected are:
That there be created an Interstate trade
commission of at least fivo members, ap-
pointed by the president and confirmed
by the senate. not more than mere ma
tority OF whom shall be OF the samo po-
litical party.
That Jurisdiction OF the commission IN
conducting investigation extend to all cor
porntlons engaged In Interstate or foreign
commerce except such as are amenable 60
tho Interstate commerce commission. ut
has not been iudicially determined wheth-
or or not banks are engaged In interstate
commerce. but Il is not understood TO bo
the purpose OF the blu creating nm inter-
state trade commission TO include banks
among the corporations placed within the
Jurisdiction OF the commission.)
That the commission should not now bo
given authority TO advise applicants con-
cernlng the legality OF proposed contracts.
combinations etc. under the Sherman net.
That the annual reports OF corporations.
u required. should AT the outset be con.
fined 20 those OF the larger corporations
tsny. 20 those having capital resources OF
H,0OooN or more or Co those having an
annual Income OF s2.50G0O0l and TO such
other classes of corporations as the COM
mission may officially determine
That In the annual reports made 20 the
required 10 disclose trade processes. shop
costs. classification OF sales and profits
among particular articles, names OF GUS
toners or other like private Information.
That the publication OF facts obtained
by the commission be confined 90 such as
are 10 the public interest
That congress should direct the COM
mission to investigate ana report TO con-
gress nt the earliest practicable date on
the advlsability OF amending the Sherman
act 10 allow greater degree OF co-opera-
iion In the conduct ana for the protection
~ the foreign trade
In suggesting that the membership
Of the commission should he composed
OF i've members rather than three ns
proposed In the present house bill. the
committee argues that since n large
proportion OF Interstate business of i'm
portnnce II now transacted by corpo-
rntions the duties of the commission
will be 80 important that 80 small u
membership MS three Is inadequate,
The committee also concludes that
commission may earn II greater degree
OF popular confidence for nonpartisnn'
ship and impnrtiallty than II depart
mental oiiicln. can hope Ia attain, The
committee also II convinced that the
larger commission would provide for
different points of view and opportu
nifty for the inclusion OF business ex-
perience
The committee believes that there
should be no discrimination MS 10 the
kinds OF corporations with which the
commission deals. since such limita'
ton might develop n suspicion of IA
voritism. II says. Neither size nor
any other arbitrary standard OF classi-
fcation Is sure criterion Of lawful
ness or unlawfulness under the anti
trust acts or under any other laws"
The committee Is convinced that the
general jurisdiction OF the commission
shoG!d lot extend 10 persons aud part
nerships. giving this reason:
las a matter OF business Judgment.
individuals and partnerships as such
will not engage In interstate or for
elgn trade on scale sufficiently large
as TO have the potenuality of effecting |
n restraint OF trade or creating mo-
nOpOly Before their business assumes |
a character or volume that creates |
possibilities of illegality under the anti
trust acts they are under practical
necessity of adopting the corporate |
form with its limited liability and 9th
er advantages"