The Washington times., 1915-02-06
MANY WON'T SERVE
ON TRADES BOARD
Biggest Men Refuse Invitations
and Result Fails to Inspire
Confidence.
Continued from First Pase.)

be worked out In both actual stat
utes and administrative management.
But, realizing this, the Administration
authorities are the more concerned to
have a commission that will be capable
Of making the most Of what II has to
work with. and enforcing the demand
for more authority by producing use
ful results with the modest hrst grant.
There have been some pretty frank
exchanges Of opinion between friends
Of the Administration in the last few
days concerning the list Of names that
has been reported decided upon, an
the exchanges have not resulted In con-
clusions gratifying to the Adminlstra-
tton or complimentary to the tentativ.
choices for the commission.
As a result. in part. Of this condition.
and also by reason of the fact that
there never WAS a final and unqualified
determination to nominate the list as
that the list. when 1t goes to the Senate,
may be very much changed. 1t Is also
true that the Ave men who are now
commonly looked upon az finally select
ed. may all be nominated.
has opportunity to know inside Ad-
ministration facts. that the list would
probably be extensively revised II the
kind OF men whom the President has
tried to get could be found and induced
couragement has met the President In
these efforts thus far
Too Many Refusals.
II am not at liberty to name names.
but whenever the people In charge OF
this business have heard expostulations
lately they have thrown up their hands
and rctorted:
You ought to see the list of men
Ia A
commission, and have refused them! "
1t 10 known that a long list OF men.
big enough to be seen clear across the
country. men known for their profes-
sional and business parts. men who
have built themselves into importan mt
to consider places on the trades COM
mission. and with a depressing regu-
larity they have declined.
Some Of them went away. promising
mission is constituted; and to decide
after that. They gave various reasons
for deciding not to serve: but the law
impressed large proportion of them as
giving no powers definite enough to
make the new commission very iigni.
fed or effective body.
1t had been the hope Of men whc
backed this legislation that a commits
sion Of big: able. confidence-inspirtns
| men might take hold Of its administra
ei'i' dTu uitiiu6tciS ucNcIOp tue pEo'
gram into something worth while.
Recalled Old Days.
These men recalled especially the be
ginninss of the Interstate Commerce
Commission, when the great Cooley sa,
on that board. and laid. wide and deer
and firm. the foundation principles Oh
which men like Prouty, Lane. Clements
and other big men Of the later mem.
berShip builded. II was earnestly hOped
that trades commission Of patriots
the chance with a new and not very ef-
fective law. in the hope of performing a
great public service.
were not to be found. That Is the long
and short Of the matter. The whole de-
velopment of the matter has been ex-
tremely disappointing TO the President.
according to men who commonly know
his attitudes on important public Ques-
tions. As It stands now, the tentative
list, heretofore. made public will be
sent t. Congress if men are not found
who. willing to serve, would make the
commission more nearly measure up to
the Presidents high ideals for II.
The tentative list recently. unofficially
given out. and supposed to be decided
upon, it's
Joseph z. Davies, of Wisconsin. chair
man.
E. N. Hurley. Of Chicago.
William H. Parry. Of Seattle.
George L. Record. Of New Jersel.
William J. Harris. Of Georgia.