Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-01-30

| be supplied with the money they need
' for their proper development to meet
| he rapidly growing requirements of
| the country for increased and i'm
proved facilities for transportation.
NO TIME FOR DELAY.
| We can not postpone action in this
matter without leaving the railroads
: exposed to many serious handicaps
| and hazards; and the prosperity of the
railroads and the prosperity OF the
| country are inseparably connected.
! Upon this question those who are
chiefly responsible for the actual man
agement and operation of the railroads
have spoken very plaiHy and very
earnestly. with purpose we ought to
| be quick to accept. II will be one
step, and a very important one. toward
/ the necessary separation OF the busl-
ness of production from the business
OF transportation.
NEEDS OF ANTITRUST LAW.
In the business of the country
awaits also, has long awaited and has
| suffered because 1t could not obtain,
| further and more explicit Legislative
definition of the policy and meaning OF
the existing antitrust law. Nothing
| hampers business like uncertainty.
| Nothing daunts nor discourageS it like
the necessity to take, chances, to run
the risk of falling under the COndemna-
| ton CT the law before 1t can make
| sure Just what the law is. =
Surely we are sufficiently familiar
nd
! DDS Of monopoly and OF the many
hurtful restraints Of trade to make
! definition possible. at any rate up to
the limits of what experience has dis
closed. These practices, being now
abundantly disclosed. can be explicit
! " and item by item forbidden by stat
ute in such terms as will practically
eliminate uncertainty. the law itself
and the penalty being made equally
plain.
INTERSTATE TRADE BODY.
And the business men of the coun-
try desire something more than that
the menace of legal process in the
matters be made explicit and intelli-
gible They desire" the advice, tire
definite guidance and information
which can be supplied by an admin.
istrative body, an interstate trade com.
mission.
THE opinion OF the country would
instantly approve of such commits.
sion. 1t would not wish to see it en-
powered to make terms. with monop-
oily or in any sort to assume control
of business, as if the government
made itself Responsible It demands
such a commission only as, an indis-
pensable instrument of information
and publicity, as clearing house for
the facts by which both the public
mind and the managers of great bust
ness undertakings should be guided,
and as an instrumentality for doing
justice to business where the process
es of the courts are the natural forces
of correction outside the courts are
inadequate to adjust the remedy to
the wrong in a way that will meet all
the equities and circumstances of the
case.
WHERE PROBING ENDS.
producing industries, for example,
which have passed the point uD to
which combination may be consistent
with the public interest and the free
dom of trade, can not always be dis
sected into their component units as
readily as railroad companies or SINH
lar organizations can be. Their dis
solution by ordinary legal process may
often times involve financial conse-
Quences likely to Overwhelm the Sc.
curity market and bring on it's break
down and confusion. There ought to
be an administrative commission ca
Dable Of directing and shaping such
corrective processes, not only in aid
Of the courts. but also by independent
suggestion, if necessary.
FAIR PLAY TO BUSINESS MEN.
'Inasmuch as our object and the
spirit of our action in these matters
is to meet business half way in it's
processes Of self-correction, and dis
turb its legitimate course as little as
possible, we ought to see to it, and
the judgment of practical and saga
CiOus men of affairs everywhere
would applaud US if we did see to it,
that penalties and puniSfinents
should fall. not on business itself, to
its confusion and interruption, but on
the individuals who use the instru
mentalities of business to, do things
which public policy and sound bust
ness practice condemn.
Every act of business is done at
the command or on the initiative of
some ascertainable person or group
CT persons. These should be held in
dividua.ly responsible and the punish
ment should fall on them. not on the
business organization of which they
made illegal use.
SHEARS FOR CORPORATE CLOAK.
1t should be one of the main OBJ
jects Of our legislation to divest such