The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-19
WILSON CONFERS
WITH REYNOLDS
President and Attorney General
Discuss Various Pending
Antitrust Bills.

Washington, February 1S.-Presi-
dent Wilson and Attorney General Nc
Reynolds spent two hours tonight at
the White House examining In detail
various bills pending before Congress
dealing with the trust problem 1t
was the first opportunity the President
has had for long and detailed discus
sion on the subject with the chief legal
officer OF the government, though they
have been IN brief conference frequent
iy before
No announcements were made after
ward, the Attorney General expressing
the opinion that the whole question
would have TO be worked out gradually
but an idea OF the principles the ad-
ministration desires embodied in the
proposed legislation was gained from
an authoritative quarter.
Some OF the proposed measures on
which hearings are being held VIII be
entirely revamped. and others will be
dropped. so as TO make the legal ma
chinery carrying out the proposed re-
foms as simple as possible.
rThe Acknowledgement and President
are In agreement that the proposed In
terstate trade commission can be made
a valuable instrument for dealing with
the trust problem. provided Its powers
are properly restricted. 1t should not
for instance, they think, exercise any
administrative or regulatory functions
or in any way encroach on the field
OF the Department of Justice. Coop
Grafton between the department and
the commission would be aimed at.
much OF the work now done by the
Department of Justice being trans
ferred to the new commission.
The Attorney General believes the
interstate trade commission could
gather facts useful In preliminary
way for government prosecutions. or
might be the basis of Judgment in
dealing with the desire OF corporations
voluntarily to bring their business
within the confines of the law. In
either case, 1t Is proposed to give the
commission merely powers of nqui-
sition possessed by grand jury. It's
findings to be passed on by the De-
partment of Justice. The commission.
the Acknowledgement thinks. could
keep an eye on corporations already
dissolved. to determine whether de-
crees are being carried out.
The suggestion that the commission
he not required To obtain reports from
small organizations and concerns ut
der $4,000, 600 in capitalization. is be-
ing considered favorably. and there is
Ia general disposition on the part of
the President and the Attorney Gem
eral to advise that the new legislation
should not interfere with the ordinary
combinations or partnerships OF small
concerns, which In no way operate In
restraint OF trade or to produce mon
opoly.
Both the President dnd Mr. McReynolds
realize that there are many decisions al
ready on the sherman law, and they desire
not to add In .any way to judicial compll-
cations. They agree II might take years TO
interpret some Of the things proposed In
pending bills. ind that the effect might be
10 restrict the Sherman law This Is ono
OF the problems the Attorney General and
his advisers Will work out. Some OF the pro-
posed specific additions to the law relating
to price-nXing may be dropped entirely. and
prevention OF evils arising In this connection
left to the Department OF Justice for prose
cution Mt present.
What the administrator is DESTROYS OF do
Ing is to add such legislation rs Will HELM to
prevent monopoly, but will In no way On
crease the already debatable area around
the antitrust law.
Further conferences between the President
and the Attorney General arc likely. and the
IDEAS OF both probably VIII be transmitted
informally In future White House confer
ences with members OF the congressional
committees having the legislation In charge
Tho emphasis at present L. on the fact that
the pending measures are purely tentative
and launched CHIEFLY for purposes OF discuss
soh