New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-28
The Wilson Programme OF Ter
tainty" Offers No Hope to
Business.

President wilson says III LIS !""'V 80
business men ought to shake of all their Wor'ieS
because he has now arranged everything SO as "
Give them rest and peace. If they viii only u'Ne
his word for It they may emerge from the Snauo"
NJ discomfort and depression and get re"u'
enioy n boom in business such as we nave never
Witnessed in the United States
According TO the President the long period OF
agitation. apprehension and fevepiSh guessing Is
o,or The business world has only to accept Fo'"
hin, 81 sober and sensible programme now con-
Melted" ont Of which will issue rest recupetu-
ton and successful adjustment What MI WIZ
=, esnecialv promises the harassed business
man Is certainty In his wonderful Rhapsody tle
other dav 70 the Virginia Editorial Association nc
said:
.,-ot Get rest If YOU send to bed wondering
what is going to happen to me IN the morning, -
- 20, send me 10 bed knowing what the course OF
b,siness is 10 be tomorrow morning l can rest
How much better is certain justice to the man ell
gagged in business!
CERTAIN Justice is an inspiring ideal even
though it still belongs in the realm of psycholos!
But how is il being realized in the measures
which Mr. Wilson has urged Congress 10 pass
and with which the Senate is nov palntuliy s'ruE
cling? Instead of putting greater certainty lnto
the laws against monopoly and restraint OF traue
the Wilson programme, as developed so lar'
merely creates new confusion.
Take the fim-fam provisions in the Clayton pill
with regard TO the responsibilities and immunltieS
~ farmers and union labor organizations. IhoSe
provisions were intended to be Interpreted one
WAY bv Mr. Gompers. who says that they give d
new charter of freedom to labor, and another
way by Mr.. Wilson. who says that they do not
alter i'm any material way the status OF labor ana
farmers organizations. Both Interpreters want 10
cot noitical advantage out of the trick they have
ulaved with language in the Clayton Dill boih
are perfectly willing to pass the puzzle up to the
courts. which win have TO say eventually Whe'her
Mr. Wilson overreached Mr. GOmpers or Mr. Com
pers overreached Mr.. Wilson To clarity the law
was furthest from the thoughts of those who con-
cocted and passed the subterfuges which either
exempt or merely pretend TO exempt union labor
ers and farmers from prosecution for combining
10 control wages and prices
Take. again. the provision of the Newlands
interstate trade commission bill ordering the
prosecution of those who engage in unfair trade
or unfair competition" What is unfair trade?
II is a term outside the law, which could be IN
terpreted according to the whm Of the prosecuting
authority The Federation Of Labor used TO Keep
an unfair" list and a I'VE don't patronize' list.
Are these 10 be accepted as authoritative by the
new federal commission when it starts after per
sons who engage in unfair trade and unfair
competition? Or will the commission seek to set
tie its doubts by comforting with that great arbiter
on the proper conduct Of business, Secretary Will
lam C. Redfeld?
Will business men sleep any the sounder be
cause Of the obscurities which Congress is inject
ing into The meaning of the antitrust law! We
30 not see how they possibly accept as pro-
sramme Of certainty and justice" the crude and
ambiguous legislation which the President is try
ing to force through Congress. That legislation
changing from day to day and still unbaked, is
cause Of Nightmares rather than pleasant dreams.
II the President wants to see business sleep
soundly and rise refreshed he should drop his
programme of uncertainty and unjust class dis
Elimination and let Congress adjourn.