Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1914-02-25
FOUGHT BY WILSON
EXEMPTION OF LABOR UNIONS
AND FARMERS FROM TRUST
LAWS PLANNED.
IS AWKWARD FOR PRESIDENT
~ Paragraph 10 Inserted in Anti-Mo-
nopoly Measure Consistency Would
Require That He Veto the
Entire Legislation.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-It is possible that
president Wilson may be Obliged to
use his personal influence to prevent
his partly in congress from inserting
In one OF the antitrust bills a para
graph which may cause trouble. The
president II is known Is opposed to
any legislation which win exempt GER
tain organizations from prosecution
under the antitrust laws. but II is be-
neved that the majority in congress is
preparing to insert just such provi-
sion into pending legislation and Mr..
wilson. 1t is said. wants to stop IL.
1t is the intention OF these Demo
Gratis, who probably can dominate the
mouse, TO secure the insertion in one
OF the antitrust laws OF a provision
which shall exempt from prosecution
labor unions and farmers organiza.
tons. IL is OF course the intention OF
the Democrats to make some excep-
TONS. The organizations OF the kind
named of course can be prosecuted II
they do certain things, but they first
are not TO be prosecuted for entering
into any combination or agreement
having in view an increase OF wages,
shortening of hours, lettering OF
the conditions Of labor, or. and most
important FOR any act done in fur.
therance thereof that is not in itself
unlawful" AS for the farmers or
carnations, IL ia intended to exempt
them from prosecution when they co.
operate In an effort to obtain and
maintain a fair and reasonable price
for their products.
Fear II viii Be Abused.
On the face of things this legisla-
ton may look fair and square. Per
haps 1t is, for many of the Legislators
and thousands OF their constituents
are coming to the belief that labor and
the farmer should be put into classes
by themselves and should be helped
by Legislation which would be perhaps
unconstitutional IL enacted in favor Of
any other classes, or divisions II you
will, OF the citizenship of the United
States. The objections which will be
entered TO the legislation rest upon
what some men say is the certainty
that it will be abused and that if It
becomes part OF the law OF me land
labor unions will be allowed to do
what they will unchecked, and that
the farmer will be allowed to raise
prices to the sky provided he can do
1t through cooperation with his fell
lows
Last year the Democrats did what
they could to exempt labor and the
farmer from prosecution under the
Sherman antitrust law. In the sundry
civil bill which was passed one year
ago this month there WIS inserted a
provision forbidding that any OF the
money voted for the use OF the attor-
Dey generals Office in prosecuting the
trusts should be used to prosecute la
Dor unions and farmers organizations
engaged in such lines of endeavor as
those drawn above. Mr.. Taft vetoed
this bill as one OF the last acts OF his
administration.
In March last the Democrats re-
passed the sundry civil bill in virtual
~ the form in which il was sent to
Mr.. Taft. President Wilson approved
the measure. but attached TO It n
memorandum "condemning the prin-
ciple OF special exemption of organi-
cations of farmers or laboring men
from prosecution for maintaining
combinations in restraint Of trade and
commerce"
WouId Tie MrRevnotde, Lsndo