Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-23
start DRAFT OF
BIG BUSINESS BILL
Wilson Thinks Exemption of All
Less Than 5000, 600 Con-
Germs lmpracticable.

| WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-Work of
drafting an interstate trade commits
sion bill for the administration trust
legislation program was undertaken
today by House interstate COM
merce subcommittee. Representative
Covington, of Maryland. the chair
man, was ready with data for use as
the basis of the draft, put together
after careful study of the subject,
examination of the various bills al
ready introduced and a conference
with President Wilson.
The view of the President, who has
indicated that the trade commission
bill Is the first in Importance among
the proposed measures, are expected
to prevail in the bill when the sub
committee turns it out. It is pro-
posed to have only big business sub
iect to the jurisdiction of the trade
commission, but how a limit shall be
fixed is still an open question.
Difficulty of Enforcement.
The President has suggested the
difficulty of framing limitation in
terms of dollars and that il might be
impracticable to exempt all concerns
under IS, 900 capitalization from the
commissions inquisitorial powers.
Some of the main provisions likely
to be embodied in the sub committees
draft of the bill, it is understood,
would require:
That all the corporations, joint
stock companies and corporate COM
binations subject to the terms of the
bill to annually report all required
information, statements and records
of their organization, bondholders and
STOCKHOLDERS, business practiseS and
relation to other concerns of the same
class, and to answer specifically all
questions the commission may ask at
any time.
That failure to comply within thir-
ty days of the required time would be
deemed a misdemeanor, subject to a
fine of not exceeding 1000 for every
day of the failure to comply.
Investigate After Complaint.
That upon its own initiative or
upon reasonable complaint, by any
person or corporation or firm, the
commission may" and upon the at
torney- generals request Shall" in
yestigate the organization, conduct
and management Of any concern sub
ject to its jurisdiction, and IL any
such is found violating the law the
commission shall report to the attor-
ney-general setting forth these acts
and practises and what conduct and
read1ustment of business is neces-
sary for the offending concern to con-
tinue business, this report to be made
public only upon the attorney-gen-
erals direction.
That if the commission during an
should obtain informa-
ton concerning >, unfair competition
and practises not necessarily viola
tive of then existing law, 1t would
report this information to the Pres
ident, upon whose direction alone it
would be made public.
That courts be authorized in any
equity suit brought at the instance
of the attorney general to refer, Ell
Their during progress of the cause or
after Judgment, to the commission
any aspect of the litigation or any
decree, the commission to
report it's findings to the court to be-
come a part of the record in the
cause.
Report by December ].
That the commission to report to
Congress by December l each year.
giving facts and statistics that would
not contravene the limitations on
publicity already mentioned and rec
any necessary additional
That the commission have as to all
these concerns the same power and
as the present law confers
on the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion as to railroads and other COM
mon carriers, including the right to
subpoena witnesses and compel the
production of documentary evidence
and administering of oaths.