Arizona republican., 1916-01-10
Result of Several Confer ences Between Attorney General and U. $. Cham Der of Commerce Made Public in Statement
GRepublican A. p. Leased Wire]

TRepublican A. p. Leased Wire]
 WASHINGTON, Jan. 9.-The policy of the department of justice in the en- forcement of the antitrust laws is outlined at length in a statement made public tonight by the chamber of com merce of the Unieed States, announc- ing tie result of the several confer ences between MT. Gregory and con- mittee of the organization.
 The outline, which was submitted to and approved by the attorney general, is prefaced by an explanation that the chamber has constantly been presented with inquiries with regard to the re- lationship that might be established between the federal trade commission and the department, and with requests for information as to the government s attitude in future antitrust proceed ings. The attorney general was told, the statement says, that an expression from him might be regarded as reas- surfing to the public mind' and might "dispel some of the uncertainty which heretofore existed"
 The statement in part follows:
 By way of introduction the attorney general expressed the view that much of the misunderstanding that exists in some quarters in relation to the Sher- man act is due to the fact that in the minds of many it has come to be thought of as a statute apart from the general body of laws. This, he pointed out. is not the case. On the contrary the Sherman act is enforced by the de- partment of justice in the same man. ner and according to the same rules of policy as other statutes-With the same care and with neither more nor less rigor Plain or inentional viola tions are proceeded against vigorously as under other statutes. When, as with all statutes, doubtful cases arise in which there was no intent to violate the law. they are dealt with just as similar cases under other statutes arc dealt with: that is, with view to en- l forcing strict compliance with the law 1 but without unnecessarily stigmatizina or unnecessarily burdening with litiga l ton persons who have been honestly mistaken as to the-law and who stand i ready to rectify their mistake.
 -Four points were taken up.
 "F'irst: The complaint that the law 1 is uncertain.
 Second: The policy of the depart ment cf justice as regards the methods of enforcing the law in admittedly doubtful cases.
 Third The means adopted by thu department to guard against unjus i prosecutions.
 Fourth: The policy of the depart ment in cases where it and the fedora | trade commission are both charged with the enforcement of the law.
 "Concerning the first point the at torrey general stated that while con cededly there is in the law of restrain of trade an area of doubt. in the vas majority of cases it is not difficult t tell whether a proposed transaction i or is not in violation of the statute Such doubt as there is, he furthe stated, will be greatly by de cisions in the shipping pool case, tn anthracite coal case, the Harveste case the Steel case and the Unite Shoe Machinery case. which are nov pending in the supreme court.
 This led to the question as to tn policy of the department as regards tn method of enforcing the law in thos cases which are admittedly doubtful On that point. the attorney genera stated that where men have entere into a transaction believing in goo one and subsequently, upon complain
 mace. the department reaches the con
 clusion that the transaction was not
 accordance with the statute, it has nc
 and will not be the policy of the de
 pertinent to invoke extreme penaltit
 against them. In such a nase the dc
 partment would consider that the iu!
 and quickest way of enforcing the Ia would he by a civil proceeding which the question involved could |
 contested or a consent decree entere
 or bv a notice of the departments COT
 clusion. with opportunity to abandon
 modify the transaction.
 Tn this connection the attention the attorney general was called
 paragraph F of Section six of the Fet
 eral Trade Commission law which al l. thorizes the commission upon applic; I (Continued on Page Two)