The sun., 1915-06-10
New Freedom for Business.

New Freedom for Business.
Some Of the present edge of busi-
ness satisfaction over the confidence
encouraging decision Of the Federal
Circuit Court in the antitrust law
suit against the United States Steel
Corporation has been very promptly
dulled BY the Governments an
nounced intention to appeal the case
to the Supreme Court. The decision
Is none the less momentous in the
far reaching beneficial consequences
which 1t is bound to have in contrib
nting to a revival Of enterprise, al
ready stimulated by the economic op-
portunity which the European war
has brought to the United States to-
gether with the increase OF facilities
which II has provided for the realiza-
ton Of opportunity.
Business confidence among us has
acquired sturdy growth in the last
few months. 1t has not yet come TO
full development. but II has proved
its strength in series OF tests by
shock and strain. the endurance OF
which has itself tended To an en-
hancement Of confidence. To-day the
business community has become so
used to discouragemen which have
disappointed some OF Its immediate
expectations from time to time that
II Is hardened to fresh disarpoint-
ment on any occasion. Moreover. II
Is 80 imbued with the conviction that
prevailing factors are working for a
complete eventual recovery Of profit
able activities, to be succeeded by
an era Of unprecedented prosperous
expansion, that nothing short OF n
catastrophe would impair the vlgor
which confidence in the future has
come to acquire.
One OF the factors which have con
duced materially to the fortitude Of
confidence has been the accumulation
Of evidence Of change In politics
from anti to pro-business conditions
The decision In the Steel suit goes
far to clinchlng conclusions, forming
for some time past, that the civil
war on business Is practically over
II has not been ended by Executive
proclamation to that effect. dictated
in the pride Of contemplated achieve
ment In the field Of legislation ex-
tending the scope Of Government In
reference with trade and industrial
enterprise. 1t is ending in meet
ing Of the minds between the public
and the business organization.
Men Of affairs have seen that the
essential demand Of the people, po-
l!tically expressed, Is that business
should he conducted on a basis of
something else than n hoggish zeal
for swollen profits. The people have
perceived an adjustment of bushes ~
to conformity with their will. Exag-
gerated political misrepresentatio lions
on both sides were responsible for a
contest designed on the one hand to
save business from an uneconom.c
disruption and on the other TO com
pei dlslntegra ton Of corporate en-
terprise which would have been dis
astrous.
Misunderstanding seems now to he
all but cleared away. The. people
never did want to destroy business
and business never did want to sup.
port monopoly. Both sides of the
account are squared in the case Of the
United States Steel Corporation.
The signal vindication of the cor
poratlon in the Federal court last
week Is a monument to the sagaclty
Of the Gary policy OF fair dealing in
the business treatment OF employees,
customers, competitors and the gen
eral public. The fact that our larg-
est industrial unit 80 triumphantly
survives the ordeal OF litigation Is
proof that there Is no fundamental
antagonlsm TO big business.
Had the Administration seen fit Ia
no mere legallst view OF necessities
In the Steel litigation and that on the
broadest grounds OF public policy II
saw no reason for appeal from the ade-
quate Judgment pessed on the corpora
tion, the encouraging effect OF the de
cislon would have been all the greater
As It is the business community can
feel only sense Of disappointment
because there IL stll survival of
politics which Is not aware that the
political tide has turned among the
people. But 1t Is doubtful If dsap
pointment In this regard will have
any other sequel than to retard q
little the constructive development,
to which the Steel decision tends &c
furnish an impetus. In the sturdy
strength OF Its newborn confidenc,
the business community will avail
the outcome OF appeal, satisfied thin