The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-12-07
RAILROADS DODGE
COMMODITIES ACT.
Attorney General Asks Con-
gress for More Strict
Legislation.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 7-Complete
enforcement Of transportation from
production by amending the commod.
tiles clause OF the Interstate Com.
merce law, authority to sue corpora.
tons wherever they ts1Esact busl.
ness; perfection OF neutrality laws
and extension OF the right OF search
warrant in criminal cases are among
the recommendations Of Attorney
General Gregory in his annual report
to Congress, made public today.
The Attorney General says that des.
pite the governments victory in the
Supreme Court in the I.ackawanna
Coal Company case the railroads are
still able to claim that the commOdi.
LES clause does not prohibit them from
engaging In production along their
lines, provided that they sell the arti-
cles produced before transporting
hem. He urges an amendment. in
troduced at the last session of Con-
gress to prohibit a railroad from trans
porting articles manufactured ior pro-
duced by 1t or by any corporation it
controls or II is affiliated with ny hay.
ing the same controlling stockholders
irrespective OF interest in the articles
at the time Of transportation. He
says II Is also necessary that Con-
gress prohibit any railroad owned or
controlled by a producing or trading
corporation. and not merely plant.
rom transporting the articles prOduc.
ID or owned.
Employment for federal prisoners
and an amendment to the criminal
code to prohibit the false labelling Of
packages which contains arms and
ammunition are among other recon-
nendations.
The last is to meet evasions OF the
embargo on arms to Mexico.
The present administration. the At
torney General says, has insisted up
on more effective dissolutions of mo.
nopolies and combinations in restraint
Of trade and at the same time has
been solicitous to avoid prosecutions
!or which there is no adequate ground.
During the year ten of these cases
have been finally determined and of
S6 cases now pending. -. including
The Reading, Lehigh Valley. Harvester
Steel, Kodak and shoe Machinery
cases, have reached the Supreme
Court. or those disposed Of. one was
The case OF the National Register Co..
whose conviction was set aside by
he Court OF Appeals. annull!ng two
counts of the indictment and constru.
ing the third so as to make a success
sul trial impossible, and the Attorney
General says "the criminal proceed.
ngs will not be further prosecuted"
The report saws considerable prog
sess has been made In the govern
ment suits against the Southern Pa
cific Railroad affecting the title to
3 oil lands. The lands involved in the
litigation says aggregate over 100000
Lcres. said to be worth 100000, 900.
Enforcement Of the white slave traf-
nc law led to A94 indictments. 1874
convictions. 81 cases nolle pressed &C.
quitals and 400 cases still pending.
Since the law passed there have been
1887 convictions, sentences aggregat-
Ing 246S years and fines totaling Sl72.-
060. Legislation is urged to enable
wives to testify against their hus.
bands.
Despite countrywide investigation
u reported breaches Of neutrality and
other criminal acts arising from the
VA. many Of the cases were found
20 lave violated state rather than fed.
n:nl 1--we. Most Of the plots involved
liffirrli" in obtaining evidence. The
Mexican situation has led to 13 in
f'C.mcnts. affecting 90 persons, of
whom - have becT convicted.
Nero plotting alone" says the re.
Hort "if not criminal. Planning or