Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-16
ATTY.-GE NERAL
SUGCESTSREv|SEO
NEUTRALITY LAWS
Annual Report Asks for No
Changes in Anti Trust Stat
utes-SOme Recon-
mendatiOns.

Washington. Dec. 1O.-New avs to pro-
tect the United States against neutrality
violations such as have marked the
progress of the war In Europe and the
Mexican revolutions were asked of Con-
gress to-day by Attorney-General Gregory
In his annual report. The attorney
general suggested amendments to the
present neutrality statutes to make it
specifically a crime against the United
States, to place bombs or other explosives
on vessels sailing from American ports
and that 1t should be made a crime for
any person to escape or attempt to escape
from an informed warship of a b~elligerent
nation: and in any event authority should
be given to some government department
to arrest and return any such person to
the place OF internment. Another sug-
gestion was that authority be given the
government to seize arms and ammuni-
ton about to be exported in violation OF
a presidential proclamation Of an en-
barge on shipments of that character and
to seize arms and ammunition about to
be used in connection with military ex-
petitions which themselves are now
prohibited by law.
The encouragement again recommends
Ill ~ tIS '-"'
of the interstate commerce act to prohibit
a railroad from transporting in interstate
commerce articles which It manufactures
or produces, or which are manufactured
or produced by any corporation controlled
or affiliated with it by having the same
controlling stockholders, Irrespective of
whether such railroad or such controlled
or affiliated corporation has an interest In
the articles at the time of transportation.
ut is also necessary" he added In this
connection, III transportation and pro-
duction are to he completely divorced
that Congress prohibit any railroad owned
or controlled by a producing or trading
corporation and not operated merely as a
plant facility. from transporting in inter-
state commerce articles produced or owned
by such corporation"
Another recommendation would change
provisions for the removal of persons
indicted in federal proceedings to the dis
trict where the indictments were return
cd so that a federal warrant may run
after indictment to any part of the United
States with the privilege that the defend
ant may give bail.
Mr.. Gregory asked for no changes in
the antitrust laws. When decisions
have been rendered in the Harvester.
Steel. Steamship Pool, Lehigh Valley.
United Shoe Machinery and other cases
now before the Supreme Court under the
Sherman act. avs the report, "the So
called area of debatable ground in the
law OF restraint Of trade will have been
greatly circumscribed."
The encouragement points out that
by January l. 1917. almost 1000 federal
prisoners will be idle at the L~eavenworth
and Atlanta penitentiaries unless some
plan Of employment for them is de-
vised. IT is necessary. he declared. that
legislation be passed to meet this con-
dition and he promised to send informa.
ton to Congress relating to the manu-
facture Of supplies for the government.
This information will include estimates
Of machinery, the cost of installation,
price of raw material. value of finished
product, and character of articles to be
manufactured.
Il shall also urge as part OF the plan"
said the encouragement, the payment
monthly to the families OF prisoners OF
a portion OF the amount earned by
prison labor. and in case of single men
the retention of some portion Of these
earnings to be paid over to them after
their release from confinement"
The encouragement said that n fur
niture factory Is In consideration for the
L~eavenworth penitentiary where ulti-
mately all furniture needed by the fed
eral government may be made. A tex
tile mill and twine plant at Atlanta for
making mail bags. blankets and cotton
duck for tents is being contempla ted.