Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-14
Plans for Anti Trust LegisIa-
ton Outlined at White
House Conference.
PUT MEASURES THROUGH
AND QUIT, is PROGRAM
Congress Will Not Be Here After
June Is. Unless Something
Goes Amiss.


Tor nearly two hours with the democratic
members of the Senate committee on in
terstate commerce, headed by Senator
Newlands. its chairman This is to be
followed by a conference this afternoon
with members of the House judiciary
committee, headed by Representative
Clayton of Alabama In one days work
the President proposes to clear the at
mosphere of misunderstanding as to what
the administration wants and will stand
for and at the same time put the ma
chinery to work that will turn out laws
supplementing the Sherman act at the
earliest possible moment.
Discussion Of a proposed interstate
trade commission was participated in by
all the senators at the conference In
the opinion of several of the senators
such commission with limited powers
Will be created, it taking the form of an
auxiliary to the courts with power to
inquire Into all corporation affairs, to
subpoena witnesses and make recommen-
datfons either to the courts or to Con-
gress.
Such a commission would be appointed
by the President with the consent of the
Senate, and would consist. probably, of
three or five members, not more than two
or three. whichever the total number
might be, to be members of the same po-
liticaI party.
Such commission would have the au-
thority to investigate corporations upon
its own initiative, the complaint of any
person or corporation. or upon the re-
quest of the Attorney General, and it's
scope would be such as not to conflict in
any manner with the Jurisdiction or DOW
ers of the Department of Justice, but
rather as an aid or auxiliary to that de-
partment
whether the antitrust legislation
VIII be embodied in more than one bill
was discussed, it being the general
opinion that there should not be more
than two. All the contemplated fea-
lures of the proposed legislation, it
was pointed out, could be contained in
one measure, hut some Of the senators
thought that the trade commission
might be interested in a separate bill.
while legislation supplementing the
Sherman law to reduce the debatable
area surrounding it, prohibiting inter
locking directorates, and provisions to
locate individual responsibility for vio-
lations of the law and fixing personal
guilt, together with other features to
the statutes, might be em-
bodied in another.
The main features Of the Presidents s
antitrust program are now thoroughly
understood, and those with whom he
was in conference today indicated clearly
that he will have his party back of
the tariff and currency reform.
To Make Guilt Personal.
The President wants the Sherman law
to be strengthened by legislation that
will reach the man or men who control
combinations of corporations. As to the
proposed prohibition of interlocking di-
rectorates. the President will not only
insist upon this prohibition, but he will
go farther
He will attempt to reach the indi-
viduals who direct the running of a
number of combinations and thereby
fix prices to suit themselves. 1t is not
necessary, according to the admin!stra-
tion view that the men who really run
the big trusts in the industrial world
should appear upon any board of di-
rectors ANY one of several big
financiers in New York may exercise
the influence that controls numerous
combinations without their names ap-
pearing upon single board. So, while
the proposed legislation will seek to
prohibit interlocking schemes it will try
to reach the man or men higher up
whose word works the dummies on the
boards of directors.
Besides making the prohibition men
toned, the administration bill will seek
to locate and punish individuals respon-
sble for throttling competition. This
means drastic criminal responsibility for
aggregation of combinations working
through one or more people. No matter
whether the president or the general
manager or the superintendent or the
clerk gives the orders that violate the
existing and new laws. he will be reached
and forced to serve term in prison if
convicted.
For Trade Commission.
The next most important feature of the
proposed legislation is to be an interstate
trade commission which will act not only
as a bureau of information, but will de-
termine whether DEGREES of the courts
dssolving combinations are being car
ried out. AS 1t is the hope of the admin
istration that most of the combinations
will dissolve themselves or do SO through
mutual agreement with the Department
of Justice. the proposed commission
would not be as necessary in watching
the trusts do what they had promised as
to acquire information helpful to trade.
The expectation is that the new legisla-
ton will give reasonable time. proba bly,
two years, for the combinations against
which it is directed to adjust themselves
to it's operations so that present methods
of business will not receive a shock.
1t is the determination of President Will
son and his democratic counSelors that
Congress shall put through the Legislative
program the leaders agree upon and ad-
journ early in the summer, not later than
June Is, if Intentions can be turned into
realities.
1t is the belief of the leaders who talk
ed with Mr.. Wilson today that this can
be done. Having enacted beneficial leg
islation the democrats will take long
rest and give the country a breathing
spell.
It Is unanimously recognized that it will
| be unwise to have Congress working
| through the summer. Democrats too
| must get back to their homes for the
conversational campaign and the pri
maries.
To Be Party Legislation.
| The new antitrust legislation will be
party legislation, too. That was also de
termined upon today. The framing of the
legislation will be done by the democratic
| members of the Senate and House com
4 mittees having it in charge and disagree
ments will be worked out in caucus, a.
was done in the tariff. The plan tried
| out in currency legislation will not b,
| followed.
| The democratic party will be respon
| sible for its actions to the country ant
| will take no more chances on havint
| legislators of other parties complicatint
/ things and clogging the legislative ma
i chinery When everything is agreed upoI
the opposition senators and representa-
tiyes will be called In and allowed t.
view the handiwork.
1