The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-09-02
Abuse of Power,
 heMciiency and
 Injustice Charged
Federal Trade Commissions Acts Subversve of Public Interest, the Chamber of Commerce of United States Alleges in Petition
 to President Wilson

 of power, irefficiency and unjust abuse Of business interests, are among grave charges against the federal trade com mission, which have been laid befor: President Wilson by the Chamber oi Commerce of the United States.
 In letter sent to the President several days ago, and made public tonight by the chamhe-, the directors of the organ ization approve and submit report de nouncing the trade commission as an IT, responsible body that has lost the conf dence of the public and asking the Pres ident to remedy this condition by fillius two existing vacancies in the member ship with able men whose interests will be single to the commissions work. This report vas prepared by the cham, ber's federal trade commission, of which Rush c. Butler, a Chicago lawyer, ;s chairman It presents the following seven specific charges with detailed crit icisms as follows:
 "The commission has undertaken the exercise of functions beyond it's own ju-- isdiction to the detriment of its propcr usefulness.
 WORK LEFT INCOMPLETE
 'iThe commission has begun the study of important situations but because of vacillating interest or for other reasons not apparent, has left it's work incom- plete.
 The commissions procedure origin ally orderly and appropriate, has been changed without public notice or notice to Congress.
 ''The commission has abused it's pow CTS of publicity.
 Prominent features of the commis- sions recent food investigation were sub versive of common justice.
 'In presenting information to Con- been needless of the accuracy and frank ness which it's position and the circum- stances require.
 The commission has departed from the Fundamental purpose for which it was established
 The report sets forth that it does not undertake to criticize in detail specific acts of the commission, but rather to point out mistakes in principles of con- duct.
 NO SPECIAL INTERESTS
 The President is assured that the com 1ission, which has followed the work of he commi ssion since it's organization hree years ago, does not represent spe- lial business interests
 After quoting from the Presidents ad- dress to Congress in 1915 on the proposal 10 create the federal trade commission, and the general sentiment of approval treated by the commissions establish snent, the report says: s4te 'It gave promise of becoming con- structite body, expert in analysis and in Information, able to suggest sound na- tonal policies for preventing abuses and for encouraging proper development in the great field of American business en- teprise
 'The expectations that were thus sup ported are now being disappointed. . Instead of being body with pedmanency in it's personnel the commission in fact has in it's membership, after but three years, none of the first appointees."
 Referring to the fact that two com missioners and a prominent member of it's staff have been simultaneously can didates for prefarment," the report con- tinues
 NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE BODY ..Conditions such as these inevitably lead to impressions that the commits sion is no longer a responsible body ap- preaching it's duties with serious pur- pose to promote the public interest alone; that it seeks aggrandisement for itself and it's members: and that 1t lacks the impartiality essential to any public agency which is to speak with authority T fa fho Of the nation, rather than to create discord, confusion and disorganization."
 In support of the charge that the com mission has taken on improper functions to the detriment of its intended duties, the report cites the commissions news print report and it's efforts to supervise distribution of coal before creation of the fuel administration. In both these activities, the report asserts, the com mission was highly inaccurate in figures of costs and dealt recklessly alike with national interests and personal rights. At the same time it is charged the body failed in it's constructive task of point ing out how trade associations might be improved and instead denounced these institutions.
 PUBLIC MONEY WASTED
 Investigations of the lumber industry, of resale price practices and of bitumin- ous coal production were started but never completed, the report says and these arec ited as outstanding examples of permitting public interest to suffer and at the same time wasting public money.
 Tn dealing with the subject of unfair methods of competition, says the re- port, the commission originally gave business concerns opportunity to remedy their practices before making public complaints against them, but