The New York herald., 1922-01-05
Rigorous Supervision by
State and U. S. Agencies
Is Suggested.
IPROFITEERING RAMPANT
illegal Combinations Are in
Almost Every Field, He
Tells Boston Hearers.

Dpectol Dispatch TO THE New York HERALD
BosroN, Jan. 4.-Until the predatory
and Illegal open price associations, de-
signed to restrict production and
maintain price levels at "all the traffic
will bear" are suppressed or vigor-
q ously regulated. the. cost of living VIII
continue to refuse to respond to the
\ law Of supply and demand, Samuel
4 Intermyer. counsel to the New York
y State Legislative Committee on Hous-
4 ing. told the Building Trades En-
I ployers Association and the General
Contractors of Massachusetts at their
Z annual banquet here tonight.
\ The text of the New York lawyers
4 address was: "Can we suppress or must
4 we tolerate and regulate trade conspira-
cies?" 1t is these Illegal combinations,
3 extending into practically every field,
< Mr. Untermyer finds, that are mainly
responsible for the present intolerable
Il conditions. The Federal Trade Commits
sion from which much was expected. he
finds. has been an utter failure in the
suppression of illegal combinations
Complete determination of these price
fixing agencies Mr.. Unterniyer also
finds to be practically impossible owing
to the extent of heir ramificatiors
Alternatives Suggested.
He therefore suggested these alter
natives
The extension of what amounts
to an amnesty to all such organi-
znf xryl.f Lob. x.rfft L., s@x- tfvvNA
Will make a full disclosure Of their
existence. and which, within a
time to be allotted by the public
authorities, shall give proof OF
permanent disbarding.
federation of the organizations
in their least Objectionable form.
namely. under rigorous control
and supervision by State as well
as Federal agencies.
''I urge trade associations and COM
morcial bodies throughout the country
70 awaken to the peril of the present
situation Mr.. UnternIyer said. "Un-
less effective steps are taken to de-
stroy these Illicit secret combinations the
cost of living will continue to mount
regardless of all economic laws, and as
the result our inability to compete in
the markets OF the world will be de-
stroyed, as it Is already we'll nigh de-
stroyed. More than at any other time
in our history this country now needs
a high tariff to protect its industries
against the pauper competition brought
about by the tragedies of the war.
Such protecton involves leaving our
home markets to our home producers.
so long as the channels OF compei-
tion are kept open between competitors
at home our people will be thereby pro-
tected against extortion. But II compe-
fjtion at home can be eliminated by
these combinations and competition from
abroad can be shut out by q protective
tariff It Is not difficult to understand
what will happen to us"
Amnesty Proposal Discussed.
On the proposal TO grant amnesty to
such organizations as acknowledge their
guilt and disband Mr.. Untermyer said
ig "rhe granting OF such amnesty to
those applying therefor and complying
with the conditions should be accom-
: panied by the vigorous prosecution OF
all who do not promptly meet these am
nesty conditions and particularly of all
future offenders. For that purpose there
should be maintained by the Depart
ment of Justice and in the office OF the
Attorney-General of each State n sepa-
rate organization with investigators
and others whose duty it would be to in
uuire into and prosecute violations OF the
law.
'"rhc suggestion OF such an amnesty.
] repeat. is prompted solely by my con-
viction that the great mass OF the cul-
prits are no longer reachable. They
are too numerous. II would take an
army of lawyers and investigators and
scores of additional judges devoting
themselves to this task alone to cope
with the situation so as to do equal JUS
tice, and IL would require well nigh a
decade I'm which to accomplish the work
1f it could be accomplished at all after
this lapse Of time"