New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-03-16
Administration Bill Creates
Non-Partisan Body of
Three Members.
FIGHTS OF SWEEPING
INVESTIGATION GIVEN
Bureau of Corporations Absorbed
Courts May Ask Anti
Trust Information.
From Tn. Tribune Bureau


Washington. March 15.-The new
,raft OF the administrations trade
Commission bill was made public to-
night by the House Committee on In
..-state and Foreign Commerce. The
tm creating an interstate trade com
mission with wide powers TO investi-
cate corporations engaged in interstate
commerce. will be introduced in the
House tomorrow. It viii have pracu-
cauv the unanimous approval Of the
1,opse committee, and has been framed
by a subcommittee which consulted
,be President in revising the tentative
measured offered several weeks ago by
representative clayton.
Mr. CLAYTON introduced a bill with
the understanding that the Judiciary
committee would handle all antitrust
LEGISLATION. The Interstate Commerce
committee however, was given juris-
diction Of this phase Of the trust regu-
lation programme, and after extensive
hearings the committee has written a
new measure.
The bill creates q commission Of three
members. with provision that not more
than two commissioners shall be Of the
same party. The commission absorbs
the present Bureau Of Corporations and
assumes broad investigating rights Il
will make Investigations on its own int-
tiative or on the request of the Presi-
dent. the Attorney General or either
branch Of Congress. The federal courts
are also privileged TO call on the COM
mission for information in any anti
trust suit Publicity Of information
collected by the commission is discre-
tionary with that body.
While the commission will be ad-
ysory to the Attorney General and
other government agencies, it is not
contemplated that it shall interfere IN
any way with the Attorney Generals
right to initiate suits under the trust
or commerce laws.
Full Endorsement Of Committee.
The bill. as now drawn, not only rep
resents the administration views. but
received the unanimous and non-par-
tisan Endorsement of the House COM
mittee. This subcommittee consisted
Of Representative Covington. of Mary
land chairman. and Representatives
Sims Of Tennessee; TalcOtt, of New
York; Rayburn, of Texas, and Mon
tague, of Virginia, Democrats, and
Representatives Stevens, of Minnesota:
Esch, Of Wisconsin, and Knowland. of
California, Republicans. All members
Of the full Interstate Commerce Com
mittee have approved the bill with the
exception Of Representative Lafferty.
Progressive. who was absent from the
ratification meeting.
Publicity Of information collected by
The committee" said Mr.. Covington to-
night, rs discretionary with the COM
ity to prevent the disclosure Of trade
secrets which are Of no value TO the
public In protecting lawful competitive
business, and which if disclosed might
simply afford opportunity for injurious
use by competitors. Information is to
be obtained by the commission within
constitutional limits and made public
II deemed best. The bill now pre-
sented comes from a unanimous sub
committee, and is indorsed by practi-
-ally the whole Committee on Inter
state and Foreign Commerce.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
sion has been Of great value to the
people because Of It's independent pow
ers, and this likewise will be an inde-
pendent body removed from the con-
Continued on fourth page, third column.