Evening star., 1914-07-08
Opposes Some of Legislation.

after a hasty luncheon reached the White
House shortly after noon.
Protest against some features Of the
antitrust legislation was registered by
the Chicago delegation 1t based its
argument on the report of the special
trust law committee appointed some time
ago. The finding Of this committee was
in favor Of machinery to enforce the
S1ve legislation on the same subject
The main propositions submitted to the
President by the Chicago callers were
these:
That an interstate trade commission
bill be passed by Congress and that no
other trust legislation go through at
this session of Congress; that the powers
of the commission be limited to invesu-
cation Of formal complaints and the
right to indiscriminate investigation be
withheld: that interlocking directorates
shall not be prohibited. but that the in
terstate trade commission shall have au-
thority to investigate in all cases where
it appears that interlocking directorates
are circumventing the laws OF the coun-
try as to trade combinations; that provi-
sion should be made for appeal from
the commission to a higher court
The committee took the position that
| II the trade commission is authorized to
| make investigation on its own initiative
| and without complaints from any direc-
| ton, business will feel itself menaced
and subject to attack at any time. but
| confined to investigation after complaint
there will be less investigation of an in
discriminate and probably irresponsible
nature.
Interlocking Directorates Favored.
| The visitors asserted that interlocking
directorates are often wise and necessary.
and should not be directly prohibited.
| That there should be the power to control
suggestion
was made that the proper way to regu-
| late the alleged evil Is to give the COM
mission the right to investigate whenever
| 1t has reason to believe that interlocking
directorates are being improperly used
| in restraint Of trade and In violation oil
laws.
| The visitors also spoke to the Presi-
dent about the fling OF annual reports.
taking, uI and suggested that the trade
commission be given power to call Tor
annual reports from whatever corpora
tions it desires to hear from, but not to
make a hard and fast law calling for
reports from all corporations.
| After the conference the White House
issued a statement saying that the
President expressed his pleasure at
| having been consulted by the group of
gentlemen who represented the Chi
| cago Chamber of Commerce, and said
that he felt that the conference had
been mutually instructive and helpful"
!
of the Clayton bill. the President told
the business men it was intended to le-
| galize the existence and operations of Ia
Dor unions and similar organizations as
such The Chicago men replied that they
would approve of such a provision il
nothing else were provided.
The Chicago delegation included: John
P. Farwell, wholesale drygoods dealer
~. NJ. Barnes of Marshall Field & Co.
Thomas Creigh of the Cudahy Packing
Company; l.. A. Goddard Of the State
Bank Of Chicago; Joseph H. Defrees
lawyer: Ezra Warner. wholesale grocer
W. e. Clew. iron and hardware dealer
A. ". Shaw, publisher; Cornelius Lynde
jr., lawyer. and P. T. Pirte. jr., dry.
goods merchant.
Illinois Bankers Here.
The Illinois bankers who are to see the
President tomorrow have been in Wash
ington for several days and have held
| conferences here with government Off
cials The delegation is composed of r
S. Champion of Chicago. William George
| of Aurora and Andrew Russell OF Jack.
| sonyilIe Ill They decline to discuss the