The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-19
BLOW IS AIMED AT
 WATER POWER TRUST
New Features Incorporated
 in House Bill
VIEWS OF PRESIDENT
Provisions Meet No Objections Fror, J. W. Worthington and Other Alabamians Interested in
 the Subject
! By (. D. STEWART

Washington. April Especial IA strong antitrust provision is contained in the administration water power bill which will soon be introduced in the House. It is the belief of the framers of the bill that the new law will pre- vent water power sites over which the federal government exercise Jurisdiction from falling into the hands of the so called trust" The administrations recommendations for general water power policy submitted to the com mittee which framed this bill, met no objections from J. W. Worthington and other capitalists interested in the de- velopment of water power in Alabama, but 1t Is not known whether the Ala bama interests will regard the bill in it's present form as inimical to their company or otherwise.
 The administration water power bill, which will be passed by the House this session. was prepared by Repre- sentatives Adamson of Georgia. Sims of Tennessee. and Montague of Virginia The bill follows closely the letter of the Secretary of War to the commlt- tee outlining the Presidents views.
 Special care was taken in the prepa- ration of the bill to devise a provision that would prevent any combination from acquiring federal water power sites. Section 15 of the bill provides that no dam operated under the law. shall be owned, trusteed or controlled" by any combination in the form of an unlawful trust" or by any combina- ton tfat seeks by unlaful conspiracy to limit the output of electric energy or in the restraint of the generation sale or distribution of electric energy"
 May Forfeit Rights
 It is made the duty of the Secretary of War to determine neither a dam has come under the control of d trust and an order of forfeiture. or terminate the right to build or operate 1t at any time.
 The bill provides that the public shall be protected from eXtortlonate or un- reasonable charges for current Rem edial measures in this regard are placed in the hands Of the Secretary of War
 Section II of the bill provides that for electric current that goes into inter- state commerce, the rates, charges and service to the consumers" shall be just and reasonable. and every unjust and unreasonable and undulN diScrimina- tory charge. rate or service is hereby prohibited and declared to be illegal" This section further provides that when the Secretary of War shall be of the opinion that the rates or charges for electric current are unjust. unreason- able or unduly discriminatory, he Is authorized to determine and prescribe what shall be just and reasonable rates If any company shall refuse to observe an obey prescribing req sonable rates or services the authority to build and operate shall be forfeited in the discretion of the Secretary of War
 This provision as to rates and serv- ice, however, is not to operate in states that have laws providing "adequate regulation for rates, charges and serv- ice to consumers
 Under the proposed law the right to build and operate dams is to continue for a period of 50 years. At the eX- piration of that period the government may take over the property, or the