Evening star., 1914-07-09
HEARS MORE TALK
BY BIG BUSINESS
Continued from First Page.)

Association OF Illinois, completed the
delegation. He has been working out
plans for the proposed convention
since March. The delegation was ac-
companied. in an advisory capacity. by
Prof Thomas Conway, Jr., Of the Uni
versity of Pennsylvania.
Want President as Guest.
This delegation invited the President
to attend the conference in Chicago as
guest of the Illinois association. Others
whom they have invited to the confer
ence are Secretary McAdoo, Controller
John Shelton Williams and Assistant
Secretary Hamlin. who is to be a mem
Der of the federal reserve board. Iney
propose to invite all members OF the
board. and the directors for each OF the
twelve regional banks. Judge Eaiot ana
United States Treasurer John Burke.
They were in conference this afternoon
with Representative Glass OF the oank-
ing and currency committee OF tne
House.
Chicago business men who called 9; on
President Wilson In regard to antl-
trust legislation before Congress nave
sent the White House a letter express
ing their appreciation Of the courtesies
shown them by the President
with the Chicago business men at the
White House yesterday is the posi-,
bility that the trade commission VI.
which has passed the House and IS now
pending in the Senate may be mod1neo
as to details. To that end the Chi
cazoans remained in this city to con-
fer today with Representative CoTlns-
ton of Maryland, author OF the house
trade commission bill, who has recent
ly been appointed a justice of the Su-
preme Court of the District. The Presi-
dent arranged for the conference.
Proposals for Amendments.
Members of the Chicago delegation
told the President that they favored
the trade commission bill, but sug-
eested certain notifications which.
they contended. would make 1t
| Strengthening agency, helpful to all
business" They advocated a trade
commission with broad powers OF in
vestigation and authority to order the
discontinuance Of practices contrary TO
law. They objected to making all cor
porations return annual reports to the
commission, and thought too many
definitions Of illegal practices were un-
necessary. After listening carefully to
wired Representative Covington at his
Maryland home to come to Washington
to confer with the delegation.
The President listened carefully for
more than an hour to what his callers
had to say and interposed some ideas
of his own on the subject The ques-
ton of business prosperity was men
toned in general way. and afterward
officials close to the President said he
had learned nothing to change his
previously expressed opinion that con-
ditions were growing better.
President Wilson was particularly
pleased to hear that the delegation did
not object to the proposed commission
passing on questions of unfair competi-
ton and practices.
So k{o,. uTo~$r
In the brief Of its petition submitted
to the President the Chicago Association
maintained that:
THE Sherman law should be retained
and not changed.
'It should be administered by a strong
businesslike commission which should
act on it's own initiative. upon request of
the President, the Department of Justice
or upon complaint Of aggrieved indi-
viduals.
IAN extensive system of definitions
Is not practicable Each case should de-
pend upon its own circumstances. The
criterion Is not as to whether competi-
ton is to some extent reduced, but as to
whether the practice Is fair or reasonable
and not against the public interest.
1.-The commission should have broad
powers of investigation and power to
determine and order the discontinuance
of those practices forbidden by the law,
and such investigation should precede
action in the courts by the Attorney
General.
The commission should have jurisdic-
ton over individuals as well as corpora
tions.
The commission should have power to
award damages as reparation to injured
parties.
Annual Reports Opposed.
.sIpasnnuch as fha commission, would
have power to investigate and forbid
when unlawful. any business practice Of
any one an extensive and expensive sys-
den and unnecessary
The form of bill suggested by our as
sociation as an expression Of its prin-
| cipes and creating such a commission
| follows as far practicable the inter-
state commerce act and furnishes mere
| ly machinery for the administration Of
| the Sherman act
With regard to the Clayton antitrust
| bill. the association maintained that sec
| ton two. forbidding discrimination in
price between different purchasers. neces-
sarily would make fixed prices and de-
stroy. rather than aid. competition. 1t
| held that section three. forbidding re-
fusal of owners of mines and others to
sell to any responsible firm. was well
covered by the Sherman law where such
practices were contrary to public bene-
fit; that section four. forbidding the dis
position Of merchandise on condition
that the purchaser shall not use or deal
| in merchandise Of a competitor can be
| readily reached by the Sherman law,
and that If applied literally it would re
| duce the incentive to capitalize good will
| in American trade names.''
Termed Class Discrimination.
Other sections. the association thought
| covered by the Sherman law. and Sec
ton seven. exempting certain organiza-
tons from the operation of the act. It
held ''to be class discrimination
| The Chicago delegation included John
v. Farwell Wholesale dry goods dealer;
J. NJ Barnes Of Marshall Field & Co..
Thomas Creigh Of tho Cudahy Packing
Company. l. A Goddard of the State
Bank Of Chicago. Joseph H DeFrees,
lawyer: Ezra Warner: Wholesale
ware dealer; A. w. Shaw. publisher:
Cornelius Lynde, jr.. lawyer. and J. T.
Pirie, jr., dry goods merchant
| Representatives of the National As
ISOLATION Of Supervisors Of State Banks
| discussed with the President regula-
tions which he is said to have asked
them to frame by which state banking
laws would be made to conform to the
new regional bank act. The delegation