The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-02
j ACTION
1|lEv|ER act
Ne SURPRISE
s,ussd from Page Ont.)

- ~ congress probably you'd
~ Il any time 70 draft :. law
Sosld come within the limits
~ By the supreme court -
f5o1al.
3ss1S eonns went 20 far - TO
EsSss1 hat since the supreme
aeistsd that the law must
. a11njtely what Is . fair stand
sssee 70 o. to be able TO inform
seeseed person Of exactly what
.sseras are against him. it was
Sisly doubtful what the ST.
.e court lay sly hereafter
- validity OF the Sherman
~ yust Law since that statute
;.at 8 vague and indefinite az
i1ref law and made no more
..eet 10 define THAT 10 reason
n. a unreasonable restraint Of
"a ny more tha- It had been
lhie to say what . res able
e~saasonable pr. it would be.
c1taiply . tendency OF the su-
.a court to permit laws Of sup
"a demand to operate without
s,seint Of law is observ ID BY
- persons inside and outside oil
1raas Who think the law-makine
~ ahould let business alone al
4 tImes and that the customer had
= ovr remedy when prices went
= high.
Capper's View.
. m other viewpoint, however, II
stressed by Senator Capper, who
ia today:
aYes, | am disappointed, and l be-
~ the PEG. lie of tn country will
: disappointed. l do not wish te
n,ticise the supreme court. but II
! unfortunate tat a technically
,lolld 10 permitted to thwart the
nrpose Of a law and give the peo'
| y he W. Of it.
n comes a. poor time, too, fol
~ morale of our people is still dis
| nYbed BY the fact that los OF per
~ made large 80 out Of thu
mr. an ill probably go scot I. ee
~0f course there is no so much
| vcasering nowadays as there was
~ there can be 10 doubt that thu
resence OF the Lever act on thu
antute books act l as a restraining
Sluence. The psychology of-th'
| resent decision is bound to be dis
eouraging and ! a going to con
nit the lawyers in the senate ant
- whether we cannot draft a Law
Int will reach the profiteer."
Frees Pr0fiteers.
Many Of the pending cases will
ltll be prosecuted by the depart
rant Of justice -Ader the Sherman
mti-trust law but 1t was admitte'
Ast the effect OF the decision woul'
h to d. Up the m .jority of the pend
Il suits and Investigations. In
led, the department ~ some exten
Ares the view of Senator Cape
yhen he says that at present Their
i very little profiteering and tina
Nstigations cannot do as muc'
"a now as formerly. Ocials ar
Dtlined to think that as a deter
ut the Lever act has outlived it
Utulness and that the economi
hus Of supply and d land an, or
11ting gain since the sources {
1pply have bee opened throug
y return of peace-tlme condition.
cannot be said that the dep-rt
1eat views with satisfaction, how
aer, the release from prosecutio
I sources OF individuals who wer
nilty If profiteering bu- who car
II now be leached because OF tn
ell2pse OF : Lev. law
Spuld not be surprising to find j
V next congress . movement I
naeh these profteers by q reviys
I roposals.previously made to r.
tsver war profits through taxation
q the other hand, owing to the VI
ettled conditions of busine-; an
He need for stimulus instead {
nstraint everywhere, the chance
such a movement being sue. es!
" IN !. conser iative Republica
eoagress are SO slim to be h. rdl
vorth ,nslderation a. a proepec