The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-12-09
COMMERCIAL MORALITY"
Has Been the Aim of Federal Trade Com
mission.

Washington, d. C.. Dec. 9.--The coun-
try's business men have given hearty CO.
operation to the federal trade commits
standards of commercial morality in
American business, according to the an
nual report of the commission made pub
lie to-day.
Development of the commissions pol
icy has had for its first purpose the re-
port declares. promotion OF the best bust
ness efficiency. Its aim has been "to un-
derstand and make allowance for the diff
ficulty of the problem, to see both sides
of every case, to protect men in the fur
therance of legitimate self interest by
all reasonable and normal methods and
at the same time TO keep the channels of
competition free and open to all. so that
man with small capital may engage in
business in compt tition with powerful
rivals, assured that he may operate his
business free from harassment and in
timidation and may be given fair OPP
portunity to work out his business prob
lens with such industry, efficiency and
intelligence as he may possess"
The report lays stress on the work OF
the commission in preventing unfair com
petition. Since its creation and up to
the end Of the fiscal year the commission
has considered 246 applications for the
issuance of complaints against corpora
tions and firms accused of unfair prac-
tices. OF those, l07 have been disposed
of in various ways. Some concerns were
ordered to discontinue the tactics com
planned of. others voluntarily agreed to
cease unbusnesslike methods, and in
some cases no law violations were found.
The charges covered many kinds OF law
viola tions.
The trade commissions work has in
cluded also economic and special investi-
CATIONS. What the commission considers
its most important economic inquiry was
into the subject of co-operatio in export
trade. This report was issued during the
summer and recommended to Congress
that American manufacturers be permit
ted to form export combinations. A bill
providing for that. having the endorse
ment of the administration, is now pend
ing in Congress.
One investigation had to do with uni
form accounting methods. That showed.
according TO the commission, a hrge pcH.
centage of the country's manufacturers
and merchants had slight knowledge of
their costs of production or selling ex-
pense. An investigation of trade possi-
bilities and conditions in each OF the
industries, the report says, de-
veloped information that will prove in
to producers and persons con
investments.
The commission investigated the high
prices of gasoline. started inquiries into
the print paper situation and the btu
minous and anthracite coal industries
continued its Investigations OF resale
price maintenance and aided in disposlng
of the Mexican sisal crop.
Activities in connection with enforce
ment of the Sherman act included an in
to determine the relations ex-
isting between various companies into
which the Standard Oil company was
dissolved and preparation of decree in
the Corn Products Refining company case
referred to It by the federal courts.
An urgent appeal is made to Congress
for larger appropriation for carrying
ON the work of the commission, which
the report declares, has grown so heavy
he present force OF employees cannot
handle IL