Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-06-06
BILL REFERRED
TO TRADE BODIES
Ask SAB Commercial 0rganiza-
lions For Views on Measure.
RECOMMENDATIONS MADE

Initiated by Chamber of Commerce Of
United States on Report Of Special
Committee - Voting to Be For or
Against Seven Recommendations.
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
Der Of commerce OF the United States
Of America 1t goes to the J43 com
mercial organizations in forty-seyen
states, and the votes Of these Ursaniza-
tions, when recorded, viii be made
public.
The referendum is based on the re
port Of special committee composed
of two business men. The committee
presents its recommendations ia such
form that the membership Of each or
ganization is enabled to express its
opinions by voting for or against the
various proposals
The seven definite recommendations
to be supported or rejected are;
That there be created an interstate trade
commission Of at least FIVE members ap-
pointed by the president and confirmed
by the senate, not more than mere ma
iorty Of whom shah be Of the same po-
lltcal party
That jurisdiction Of the commission in
conducting investigation extend 10 all cor
poratiOns engaged in interstate or foreign
commerce except such as are amenable to
the Interstate commerce commission. 1T
has not been iudicialy determined wheth-
er or not banks are engaged in Interstate
commerce. but IL is not understood TO be
the purpose Of the bin creating an inter
state trade commission 70 include banks
among the corporations PLACES within the
jurisdiction Of the commission1
That the commission should not now be
given authority to advise Applicants con-
corning the legality Of proposed contracts,
combinations, etc, under the Sherman act
That the annual reports Of corporations.
II required, should at the outse; be con
hned to those of the larger corporations
(say, 20 those having capital resources OF
100000 or more or 10 those having an
annual income Of S2500000l and TO such
other classes Of corporations rs the COM
mission may officially determine
That in the annual reports made to the
commission corporations ought not TO be
required TO disclose trade processes, shop
costs. classification Of sales and profits
among particular articles, names Of Gus
toners or other like private infGrne ton
That the publication of facts obtained
by the commission be confined TO such as
ere 10 the public interest.
That congress should direct the COM
mission to investigate and report 10 con-
gress at the earliest practicable date on
the ACCESSIBILITY of amending the Sherman
act 10 allow a greater degree Of corpora
ton IN the conduct and for the protection
Of the foreign trade
In suggesting that the membership
of the commission should he composed
OF FIVE members rather than three as
proposed in the present house bill, the
committee argues that since a large
proportion Of interstate business of i'm
portance is now transacted by eorpo-
rahons the duties of the commission
will be so important that 80 small a
membership as three is inadequate.
The committee also concludes that a
commission may earn a greater degree
OF popular confidence for nonPartisan-
ship and imparhality than a depart
mental official can hope to attain. The
committee also is convinced that the
larger commission would provide for
different points of view and opp0rtu-
nifty for the inclusion Of business eX-
perienCe.
The committee believes that there
should be no discrimination us 10 the
kinds Of corporations with which the
commission deals, since such q limita-
ton might develop a suspicion of fla
voritism, Ii says. Neither size noS
any other arbitrary standard of classi-
fication is a 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
should not extend TO persons and part
nerships, giving tlds reason
AS "a matter of business Judgment
individuals and partnerships as such
viii not engage ia interstate or for
eign trade on a scale sufficiently large
rs 10 have the potentially of effecting
a restraint OF trade or creating q mo
nopoly Before their business assumes
character or a volume that creates
possibilities of Illegally under the anti
trust acts they are under a practical
necessity If adopting the corporate
form with its limited liability and 9th
er advantages"