Norwich bulletin., 1914-01-15
Prevention of
 Immunity Baths
ONE RECOMMENDATION or THE
 FORTHCOMING MESSAGE.
TRADE COMMISSION
President Proposes a Department te
 Serve as Auxiliary to the ceurts and i. to the Department of Justice.

Washington, Jan. 1<.-President VII son took into his confidence today on the subject of antitrust reform the democratic members of the senate committee on interstate commerce and a sub-committee of the house judi cfary committee. With these commit tees. which will be in charge of anti trust legislation. the president spent several hours. reading his forthcoming message and pointing out the general lines along which he believes trust iegislation should be framed. From the conferences the following pro- gramme was assured:
 Prohibition of interiocking directo- rates in banks. trust companies and allied industrial corporations
 Specific Definition of MenopoiissA
 Illumination of uncertainty as to what constitutes @ restraint of trade under the sherman law through spe- cif1c definition of monopolies and trusts so that there can be no ''reasonabls'' restraint Of trade The removal of all possibility of immunity baths'' for offending corporations or individuals
 establishment of an interstate trade commission which would take over the bureau of corporations, serve as an auxiliary to the courts and department of justice and act as a bureau of in formation to which the business world could direct inquiries, but which would
 
 or of regulation.
 Provision in every case for penalties based on individual responsibility and personal guilt.
 Message Generally Approved.
 The conferences were devoted large ly to generaliues. The president did most Of the talking, with occasional tails were left to the committees them selves to work out in cooperation with the president, the department of jus tice and the department of commerce. The president impressed on the con ferees his desire that the task be ap- preached in a friendly rather than hostile attitude toward the business world and expressed a wish for . com mon agreement not only among the members of the two committees, but of leaders in congress generally who have been active in pressing antitrust
 Although senators end members of the house would not discuss the details of the message there was a general ex- pression of approval of it's contents.
 An Interstate Trade Commission.
 The days developments made 1t cer- tain that the tentative bills already prepared by the trust sub committee of the house Judiciary committee would be framed particularly to include for an interstate trade commission, which the subcommittee had not embodie5 in its plan.
 Both committees have practically de- terrnined to go ahead with the work of drafting the bills. eliminating hearings, as they consider enough information on the subject already Is at their dis posa1
 Concerning the proposed interstate trade commission. the opinion was ex- pressed by several senators and rep ressntatives that It would be created, but with limited powers.
 There are pending in congress sew eral bills providing for a trade com mission. All would provide for non partisan board to be appointed by the president. with the consent of the sen ate. The present idea is that a board of this kind, while serving as an arm to the courts, also should be an aid to the department of justice and in no manner conflict with the jyrr4sdie- ton Of that department