The sun., 1915-05-27

the twentieth annual banquet of the Ma
the Waldorf. At this dinner, closing the
two days session OF the manufacturers.
N- President Taft and Warren q. Hard
Ing. Senator-elect from ohio. criticised
organized labor for misuse OF its powers
and dcplored the effect legislative incom-
petency and selfish political interests
have had in enacting legislation putting
harmful and unnatural restraints upon
business.
Last nights banquet, though dry for
the first time. was acclaimed great
success. When John Kirby. Jr. OF the
Dayton Manufacturing Company. presld-
ing. called upon ex-President Taft as the
biggest American alive" the diners rose
and greeted him with prolonged APP
plausc. The ex-President's retort that
ne had gone out of that competition"
brought n round OF laughter
Let us stand by the President In the
critical and difficult position In which
he now finds himself" said Mr.. Taft.
~ know something of the responsibility
Weighing upon the Chief Magistrate Of
the nation nj this hour and the isola-
ton he feels In living through this
momcntous hour. Coupled with this
hope that we may support the Presi-
dent I suggest also that we can greatly
bentlt our country by insisting upon
a common school education for every
citizen In the land"
Others with the ex-President at the
speakers table we're George a. Post.
col. " A. Potter. Charles y. Hilles.
W. f. McCarroll, f. +. Haviland. Or.
s. Edward Young. william II. Barr.
Theo lore G. Search. John Kirby, Jr..
George Pope. W. q. Harding. Ludwig
Nissen. II. II. Rice. J. T. McCleary, Or.
Eugene l.. Fisk and Nathaniel Curry
Taft Fnvors Antitrust Act.
Clayton and trade commission acts.
said they reafrirmed the antitrust act
He stated that he is in favor OF the anti
trust act and against It's repeal. He
said In part
My objections TO the Clayton act and
the trade commission act are that
their enactment with such hlare Of
trumpets and avowals OF hostility to cap
ital in general, with little discrim!na-
ton. had n strong tendency TO frighten
those whose judgment determines the
amount OF new investments OF capital.
and thus TO restrict the normal eXpan-
sion in our business due TO the rein
vestment OF earnings. IL is a mistake
TO suppose that capital is all owned
by rich men.
"A close examination OF the Clayton
act shows that while IL divides up the
offences denounced bv the antitrust act
into a variety Of details IL really adds
but little in its practical restriction uf
methods OF conducting business and the
freedom OF combination and the freedom
OF competition
Concerning the trnde commission act
Mr.. Taft said
The field committed 20 the turisdic-
lion of this Federal executive tribunal
Is SO wide. indeed so much wider than
that OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission which ~ already weighted down
with its duties. that the act essays to
do something that II utterly impossible
OF performance.
The commission 10 given power TO de-
termlne whether in interstate business
covering this wide field particular meth
DDS OF composition are unfair II this is
intended to authorize the commiss on
TO formulate new restrictions upon bust
ness which In its judgment ought 20 be
restrained 1t Is certainly a delegation
Of legislative authority which Congress
has no constitutional power 20 delegate
10 II. II is reasonable 20 suppose that
when the court comes 10 determine what
an unfair method OF competition is X
will look 20 thp rules of law and 10 the
statutes Of the United States for guild
ance. and II will keep the trade COM
mission within the path thus limited.
II becomes, therefore. nothing but a
tribunal OF Investigations FOR reporting
facts and the application of the law
which can only be made by the coiirma-
tion OF the court"
Discussing the Injunction clause In
the Clayton act. Mr. Taft was specially
severe with the legislators who voted
for the IN. assure at the request or threats
of labor leaders. Its provisions with
respect to the violations of the anti
trust act by labor organizations and
agricultural associations" he said, have
been proclaimed as a great charter for
the freedom OF labor in Its controversy
with capital. II was passed for political
purposes, TO eat!sfy the demands OF the
leaders Of the American Federation OF
Labor" He continued;
Nothing Is 80 unfair and unwtse as
TO enact legislation that seriously affects
the property and business interests of a
class without giving to that class the
fullest opportunity to be heard, whether
their cause Ia a Just one or not and
whether their interests are opposed 10
the public veal or not
Mr. Taft said that the decision in the
Danbury ha'ters' case would be the same
under the new Segslation. Then he
launched into an attack on the labor
leaders, saying:
The power that the leaders OF the
American Federation of Labor exercise
has become excessive and detrimental
to the public veal and the good OF So
cicty. and especially of that of the mem
hers OF the labor unions The power
their leaders have acquired by the prn-
ciple OF combination in their organiza-
ton has intoN iCated them. and they have
exercised tyranny over society and
over their own members that is certainly
leading TO reaction and to restraint OF
their great powers within proper and
lawful limits They have failed to con
demn In any way, az they ought, the
use of criminal methods TO which in a
lawless spirit their Representatives at
various times have seen At TO resort
They have raised large funds in tho
defence of men who have proved to he
by their own confessions. violators OF
the criminal law, and they have mani
Tested a desire 70 secure in express
statutory declarations an immunity for
labor unions from the operation OF gen
eral laws that should be uniform. In
other words they have sought 10 make
themselves and their agents a privileged
class not subject to the laws that ar
feet every other man and even them
selves when not engaged In labor dis
putes
H1tters' Lawlcssness BoomernnG.
THE case Of Loewe va Bawler in the
sequel 10 the judgment has much signlN-
canoe. One hundred and eighty-six de-