The Washington herald., 1921-02-07
COMMERCE BOARD
FIGHTS COAL And
LIVE STOCK BILL
Termed Added Step in
Paternahstic Legis-
lation.

Taking the ground that the Fed
eral coal bill and the Federal live
STOCK bill, now pending in Congress,
are earnest of a tendency toward
government operation of industry,
the Chamber of Commerce of the
United States is opening a vigorous
night on these two measures.
It was announced last night that
copies Of brief pointing out what
chamber officials hold to be the
dangerous tendency in such legis-
latton will be sent tomorrow to
members of the Senate and House
with a letter signed by President
Joseph H. Defrees, asking careful
consideration of the arguments ad-
Vanced against the bills. At the
same time chamber headquarters in
the Mills Building is sending to 1,4OO
organizations and more than $4,000
corporations, firms and individuals
Included in the membership a re-
quest that they lend their assist
ance in opposing the legislation
The Federal coal bill, known also
as the Calder bill. has been intro
duced in the Senate and is before
the Senate Committee on hanufac-
lures. The Federal livestock com
mission bill. popularly known as the
packers bill, has been passed by
the Senate. A similar measure, held
more moderate id form, is before
the House.
Object to Principle.
In expressing its opposition to the
proposed Legislation the chamber
declares that:
I'm taking this position we must
not be understood to object to rea-
sonable legislation affecting indus
try where the public interest re-
quires it, nor do we at this time
base our objections upon the power
| Of Congress to enact such bills
] however doubtful that may be. We
/ object in principle to legislation
which gives the government such
control. either through bureaus.
commissions, licenses or other agen-
| cies as will in effect amount to gov
ernment operation of industry. The
| objection to these bills is that they
! go beyond government regulation
and substitute government opera
tion in the great meat products and
coal industries of the country"
In the so-called packers bill. as
proving that government operation
is provided, the chambers brief
says:
"(a) Stockyards are, in effect, de-
Clarcd to be public utilities, and
their practices, rates and charges
are to be determined by the com
mission.
"Cb) The entire livestock prod
ucts industry in all forms is coerced
into waving its private character
and accepting under the form of a
! license, voluntary in form, but com
pulsory in effect, full governmental
direction of its entire business. even
to the extent OF fixing prices at
which livestock may be bought or
the products of livestock sold.
"Cc) The commission, in carrying
out the provisions of the act, Is
/ given greater power To control by
its own rules and regulations pri-
vate industry than public service
commissions ordinarily have over
railroads or other public utilities"
Contradicts Policy.
In the livestock bill the chamber
sees a principle advanced that could
be extended to all private industries.
declaring:
1T is contrary to the established
policy of the Chamber OF Commerce
of the United States to advocate the
! interests of any particular industry
/ the bylaws of the national cham
| Der providing that II may take ac-
tion only on questions national II
scope, timely in Importance and gen
eral in application to commerce and
industry.
IF. however, the Federal govern
ment may exercise a control over a
] particular industry not Classifiable
as a public utility such Gas is here
| proposed through a Federal Live
stock Commission over the meat
packing industry, then the principle
underlying the legislation is obvi-
ously not to be considered as affect
ing that industry alone, but all
other private industries"