New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-02
N.t;ors! Chamber Of Con-
merce Tells Wilson Mem
bers Are irresponsible"
Sensational Charges
Declared Disproved
President Asked to Name
"Men of Judgment" to
Present Vacancies


WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-Usurpation
If power, inctficiency and unjust
,huse of business interests are among
crave charges against the Federal
Trade Commission which have been
laid before President Wilson by the
Chamber Of Commerce Of the United
States.
In letter sent to the President sew
.ral days ago and made public to-
night by the chamber the directors OF
the organization approve and submit
a report denouncing the trade COM
mission as an irresponsible body that
has lost the confidence Of the public
This report was prepared by the cham
ber's Federal trade committee, OF
which Rush, C. Butler. a Chicago law
yer, is chairman.
The report quotes from the Presi-
dents address to Congress setting
forth the need for the commission and
presents in detail seven specific
charges to show that the commission
has changed in a radical manner its
original policies and departed from the
purposes for which it was created. 1t
concludes by urging on the President
that he appoint to the commission, in
whose membership two vacancies now
exist, men whose training, tempera-
ment, experience and reputation for
sound judgment qualify them for the
positions and whose interests will be
single to the commissions work"
ON no other manner" says the re-
port. "can confidence in the commission
be restored"
Seven Complaints Made
The committees examination of the
commissions activities leads to seven
Specifications of conduct which the
committee disapproves:
1.-THE commission has undertaken
the exercise Of functions beyond it's
own jurisdiction to the detriment of
its proper usefulness.
"The commission has begun the
study Of important situations, but
because of vacillating interests or
for other reasons not apparent has
left it's work incomplete.
1.-THE commissions procedure, orig
inally orderly and appropriate, has
been changed without public notice
or notice to Congress.
1.-THE commission has abused it's
powers of publicity.
prominent features of the COM
missions recent food investigation
were subversive of common justice.
In presenting information to Con-
gress and the public the commission
has been needless of the accuracy
and frankness which its position and
the circumstances require.
THE commission has departed from
the fundamental purpose for which
it was established
Says Powers Were Exceeded
To show that the commission ha:
undertaken the exercise of function:
beyond its jurisdiction the committe.
paper manufacturers and publisher
with which the commission dealt The
commission, it is declared, in seeking
to have producers and consumers agree
to establish the commission as an arbi
ter of their differences went beyond
the law of its creation, and, possessing
no power to enforce its findings, wa:
placed Gin the awkward position Of
having it's award ignored" That the
commission went beyond it's functions
in this connection is indicated, the re-
port declares, by the fact that the
Senate voted down bill meant to au.
thorize the commission to do the
things it has attempted to assume
through agreements. The commission
itself, the report sets forth, admitted
that some of it's efforts we're without
express authority of law.
In its charge that the commission has
left incomplete its study of important
terests or for other reasons, the COM
mittee points out that upwards of
100000 has been spent by the COM
mission and its predecessor, the
bureau of corporations, in investiga-
tons of the lumber industry and that
no final conclusions and recommends
tons as to fundamental economic con-
ditions have been published although
repeatedly promised to Congress sional
committees. Although tie commission
and its predecessor have been engaged
since 1913 in an inquiry into the sub
lect of maintenance Of resale prices,
the commission, the report declares, has
tailed to complete its study and never
mas presented an analysis of the fun
oamental economic questions involved
IN making any legislative decisions as
regards this subject.
=, Perhaps the strongest Indictment of
tne commission is contained in that
part of the committees report dealing
with the change in the commissions
procedure as to unfair methods of COM
petition. While the commission through
us annual reports and testimony before
congressional committees has given
.he public and Congress to understand
:nat before it issues formal complaint
II notifies the party complained of re-
sarolng the nature of the charges and
sHoros him an opportunity to state his
osae OF the case or to desist if he
acknowledges saa impropriety,the commits
s.oh, IN fact, has so changed it's pro-
cedure that it itself has become an in
s'lument for unfairness, the COM
mittee's report declares.
10 prove its assertion that the COM
mission was biased in it's recent food
X.alvestigatlon the committee points out
ia tn@' the commission proceeded with
s sLo apparent purpose of creating in
a aat; public impression that allie
49, concerning the artificial con-
tr ~ OF important food products were
d. as. IN this connection the report
JJeeiares the commission selected
a aUJJutlhents already in it's possession
smu mad them presented to It at public
t ~ by Its special counsel, refusing
-; permit concerns that were men
t noned In the documents to offer any
Il fsSelmony or produce the documents.
IS heId public sessions at Boston.
axni.aoelphla, st. Paul and other cities.