The Washington herald., 1915-06-07
Mr.. Perkins Arraignment.

of the United States Steel Corporation, but "as a
citizen for a long time and now deeply concerned
over the trend of events takes vehement excep-
ton to the which Attorney General Gregory
gives for his determination to appeal to the Su-
preme Court of the United States from the decision
rendered by the United States District Court for
New Jersey refusing to dissolve the United States
Steel Corporation. The Attorney Generals state
ment was:
While the case against the United States Steel
Corporation was instituted by the last administra-
| ton l am in complete accord with the views of
the law upon which it is based. OF course it will
be taken to the United States Supreme Court.
Admitting that the case is of supreme inn
portance and that al the Wilson administration
had given this as its for believing that the
case should be carried to the Supreme Court,
where final opinion could be had great many
people would have approved" Mr.. Perkins Bit
terly arragns the administration for thus endors-
ing the course taken by Messrs. Taft and Wick
ersham, accusing it of being under the influence of
the Bryan platform of 1905 which declared that
the solution of the trust problem lay in the dis
solution of large industrial corporations" He
it also of Inconsistency in thus stating its
reasons for appealing the Steel case, and in proof
quotes numerous utterances of President Wilson,
notably that nobody has been suspicious of any
business merely because it big, but only
when it was thought that bigness being used
to take an unfair advantage" that "the road lies
clear and firm before business" that 'it is road
which it can travel without fear Of ernbarrass-
ment' that there is nothing more fatal to busi-
ness than to keep guessing from month to month
and from year to year whether something serious
is going to happen to it or not and what in par
tcular is going to happen to it if anything does"
that at is impossible to forecast the prospects of
any line of business unless you know what the
year is going to bring FORTH" and that "a day
has dawned for the beloved country whose last
ing prosperity and happiness earnestly
desire"
For once Mr.. Perkins leaves himself open to
the suspicion OF nsincerity. though that may do
him injustice. Admitting the supreme Importance
of the Steel case and that many persons would
approve of an appeal if the reasons for it were
differently stated by the Attorney General he
complains in the next breath because the admin
istration is not satisfied to accept the unanimous
decision of the tribunal that is to the highest
in the land He resents the action OF the
Attorney General who deliberately and spe
cihcally sends the case to the Supreme Court de-
claring his belief that the company should be dis
solved" AS the for the appeal being taken
can make difference to the ultimate outcome, it
only be assumed that Mr. Perkins real attitude
is that of opposition to the appeal being taken at
all. 1t is doubtful whether big business"
interests will unanimously approve this view. By
many it will be regarded highly desirable that
the case should he decided by the court of last
resort and disposed of for all time and surely
Mr.. Perkins is not to fear to meet the issue
As for the position of the administration its
determination upon relentless fight to dissolve
the corporation if possible certainly tends to sus
tain Mr.. Perkins charge of Inconsistency. in the
light OF the Presidents words which he quotes but
there will be lack of excuses for its policy of
pursuing to the limit suit instituted by its pre-
decessor and this suit. it must be remembered was
awaiting decision at the time of the Presidents ut
verdict into account
The policy Of President Wilson's administration
with relation to corporations may or MAY not be
guided by Mr.. Brvans 1908 PLATFORM but at anv
it has given MIR. Perkins or any one else
to regard it less antagonistic big bust
ness than the administration of Mr.. Taft. Mr.
Perkins has taken advantage Of an opportunity to
castigate two administrations. but he did not go
back to the time OF an earlier and more discrini-
wealth., who in some quarters is regarded as the
originator OF most of the troubles which have bcset
the great corporations in recent years. Mr.. Per-
kins must look hopefully to the Supreme
Court, serene in the knowledge that the mere fact
that Mr.. Gregory is in sympathy with the views
OF Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Wickcrsham will not make
his brief or his argument any the more formidable.