The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-26
Members of Senate and
House G Committees
in Conference.
EXPECT TO BEGIN
EARLY HEARINGS
Representative Men, In and Out
of Congress, Known to Have
Reasonable Ideas, Will Be
Called On for Sugges-
tons - Discussion of
Measures.

Washington. January 25.-How to
expedite the administration antitrust
Legislative program was the subject
OF an informal conference to-day at the
home of Senator Newlands. of Nevada,
chairman OF the Senate Committee on
Interstate Commerce. Participating In
tho conference were majority members
OF tho committee. Senator'S Pomerene,
Robinson. Thomas. Thompson. Myers
and salisbury, and Representatives
clayton, Floyd and Carlin. OF the House
Judiciary subcommittee.
Co-operation of committees in both
houses was agreed on an essential to
quick results In carrying the program
to. completion. and to this end the sug
gestion Of Joint hearings met with gem
Trfhi favor. Chairman Clayton agreed
to submit the matter TO the Judiciary
Committee for determination.
The conferees further agreed that
there should be selection in conduct OF
the hearings; that matters which re-
Gently have been inquired into thor
ouEhly by committees OF Congress
should be dismissed briefly, and that
representative men. known to have
reasonable Ideas, he called on for sug
gest.ons. Such men would include
members OF Congress outside tho COM
mittees and commercial leaders of the
country. IT also was determined that
the committees SnOulu EeeR COuTSei OIL
Attornoy-General McReynolds. Joseph
II. Davies. the Commissioner of Corpo-
rations; members OF the Interstate Com
merce Commission and the President.
There was general discussion OF anti
trust measures. with a view TO their
Improvement, but no changes were de-
cided upon. Several suggestions were
offered relating to a proposed amend
ment prohibiting holding companies.
but this also was left for future de-
cision. An effort Will be made TO be-
gin hearings next week. The ain, OF
the committees, 1t was said. would be
10 have the program ready for Con-
gress by March /.
Joint Conferences To-Day.
Further joint conferences of COM
nittees In charge OF trust legislation
VIII be held Tomorrow, and the House
Judiciary Committee viii meet on
Tuesday to pass on proposed plans for
hearings on the bills submitted.
Besides plans for hearings. the sub
committee. comprising Representatives
Clayton, Floyd and Carlin. purposes TO
confer with the President and admin
istratlon leaders on an amendment to
the trade relations bill to prohibit
holding companies. 1t was concerning
this feature that President Wilson has
said he still is open-minded. In his
message on trusts, the chief executive
referred to this feature In an inter
: rOSatOry FORM: tEt..
I'VE are agreed, 1 take 1t, that hold
ing companies should be prohibited,
but what OF controlling private owner
ship OF individuals or actually CO.
operative groups of individuals2 Shall
private owners of capital stock them
selves be suffered to he, In effect, hold
ing companies? We do not wish,
suppose, to forbid the purchase OF
stocks BY any person who pIeases to
buy them In such quantities as he can
afford or in any way arbitrarily to
limit the sale OF stocks to bona hde
purchasers.
Shall we require owners OF stock,
+ when their voting power In several
companies. which ought to bc indie.
pendent of one another. would consti-
tute actual control, to make election
In which of them they will exercise
their right to vote? iris question. I
venture for your consideration"
Measures to he Taken Up.
Tho House Interstate Commerce and
Foreign Commerce Committee is ex-
pected to meet this week to take I'M
the interstate trade commission bill.
!, Chairman Adamson plans to study
carefully the measure already sub
nlitted by the judiciary subcommittee.
This committee and the Senate Inter-
state Commerce Committee also Will
begin deliberations on the measure to-
g.
sion authority TO regulate the issu-
ance OF railroad securities
While tho preliminary antitrust pro-
gram Is In the shaping, Congress has
much to keep 1t busy. The proDosed
Federal Investigation of conditions in
the Michigan copper and Colorado coal
mines will hold much of the attention
of both houses during tho week. The
Senate Committee on Education and
Labor. to morrow will take up for con.
sideration the Ashurst and Thomas res
olutions on this subject In the House.
it Is planned to bring In special rule
on Tuesday to carry out the strike In
designations ordered by tho Democra tic.
caucus last week.
1t is expected that Representative
Foster, chairman Of the Mines Commit
tee, Will head tho subcommittee OF
three or five members that will be ap-
pointed to make the inquiry. The sub
committee Will hear witnesses at Calu-
met and Houghton, Mich, and at Pue-
s bio. Trinidad and other Colorado towns.
Three or four weeks Is the minimum
time figured on for tho inquiry.
Lee and Glass Cases.
~ In the Senate the contest over seat
ing Senator-Elect Lee. of Maryland,
s probably will be disposed of Senat tor
Kern. chairman of the Privileges and
Elections Committee. which has recon-
mended that Mr.. Lee be seated, viii
call up the report. The debate may
4 be prolonged. as Republicans propose
4 discussing at length the questions In
$yolved as TO tho interpretation OF the
constitutional amendment providing for
Adirect election of Senators. S 3.
After the Leo case iB disposed OF, the,
committee report recommending that a
q scat in the Senate be denied Frank r.
"A Glass. appointed to fill the unexpired
Continued on Second PEGGY q, e 81