The Washington times., 1924-08-05
VIIlNOP0I Y
IS TAR('E
Of Party
Democrats and G. O. n, How
ever, Have Much Anti Trust
Activity 10 Show
81 WILLIAM HARD.

IS . 5
BY WILLIAM HARD.
Next to the tariff, the Trusts
seem likely III this campaign to
Be the top issue.
La Toilette declares that the
breaking DIP Of monopoly" ii the
cardinal principle ii his new
party.
The Democrats in their plat
form maintain that monopoly
widely exists and must be broken
up and put down.
IN. articles last week this
writer dealt with the tariff issue
and Indicated the lines along
which the Republicans on the one
hand and the Democrats on the
other would this year fight their
battlb.
The Way Of MOnOpOIists.
In articles this week this writer
win deal with the attack now about
70 be made upon the Republicans
BY the Democrats ana BY the Ia
Fcllettites in the matter Of the
''trusts" and win describe the ef.
forts put forth by the Republicans
% be ''trust-busters' themselves.
It Is to be noted st the beginning
that irrespective OF all theories. one
way or the other. 1t turns out III
practice to be true that everybody
ls against monopoly IL the
monopoly" is owned ana held by
somebody else.
The so-called radio trust,n which
has been denounced by the Federal
Trade Commission and which main.
tairis that II Is absolutely desirable
and necessary 70 have 4 fffoiiopui
istie control over certain aspects 81
radio transmission, was III the De.
pertinent Of Justice the other day
pleading with teafs In its eyea
Against the .'ifltiEic trust, which
according to the radio trust, y viii
not allow its music to be broadcast
BY the radio trust except under
monopolistic and oppressive condi.
tions.
when the i.radlo tfista Il III.
tackled by the Federal Trade Com
mission, It experiences a horror ard
contempt for 'demagogues.v When.
however, the poor Hfadio trust
feels itself getting .devodred by the
dastardly music trust" It begins
to yell and yowl like La Toilette
himself.
Setting it down, then, that no.
body Is for any monopoly except
the people who happen to own that
particular monopoly, It becomes
easy to understand the rest Of this
story.
g. o. p. Activity.
Even the Hafdink ana Coolidge
Administration, supposed to be the
very last word ii cUhservatism
among aii administrations IA our
times, Has brought suits against
"inonopolies and trusts and
''conspiracies" and restraints of
trade" steadily and vigorously, and
with a considerable degree Of high
success.
This writer has made a study and
analysis 6f the general scope and
general nature Of the antitrust
suits brought. and prosecuted by
the Harding Coolidge Administra
ton.
The general showing has to be
admitted to Be one OF activity and
also achievement. The contention
of the Democrats and 81 the La
Follettites has to be not that
nothing has been done; but that
more could and should have been
done.
In particular, It ID open to the
Democrats and to the La Toilet.
tites to complain that few violators
Of the Federal antitrust laws have
been put into Jail.
In fact, in only five instances
under suits brought by the Hard.
ing Coolidge administration have
violat0ts of the Federal antitrust
laws been sentenced to jail; and
these cases work out as follows:
In three Of them the offenders
were relatively powerless and
friendless workingmen, who were
prosecuted for actions growing out
Of the great strike OF the railroad
nhopcfatt trade unions In 1922.
In 0ne OF these three cases thu
offender served thirty days in q
JAIN in Kentucky.
In another OF them the offender
served ten days in jail in Ken
lucky.
In the third Of them the offend
ers have appealed to the United
States Supreme Court and are not
vet in Jail.
In the remaining two cases the
alleged culprits involved were bust.
ness men. Those are the only twc