Evening star., 1925-12-26
MONOPO[YPROBE
DANGERS FORESEEN
All Sorts of Chances to Stir
Up III-FeeIing Between Peo-
piles Are Scented.
RY DAVID LAWRENCE.

Al sorts of opportunities to pro
mote ill-feelng between peoples as
well as governments are wrapped up
in the proposed investigation by Con
gress into the control Of raw materials
by monopolies throughout the world.
While Great Bl'itain's control Of
the rubber supply is the conspicuous
point of attack. the Department of
Commerce is striving to formulate
some kind of understanding whereby
the American consumer will not be
charged exorhitant prices. The mo
tive, therefore. is one of ultimate
benefit, but the comprehe nature
"f the investigation may prove
fra nkenstein
For the truth iS no inquiry of such
wide scope as is being discussed can
he undertaken without looking closely
into the operations of American com
panies and corporations with foreign
affiliations. Although sugar is not
being mentioned at present as one Of
the commodities involved, neverthe-
less il is u good example of how
American capital controlled in New
York City actually manages the sugar
supply in cuba.
American Funds Abroad.
Americans are intereSte ed hea Willy
nowadays in corporations all over the
world. In fact. American funds may
he found in many an enterprise
which is being called monopoly by
The officials of the American Govern
mcnt. Were these monopolies con
Quoted inside The United States with
products Of American soil or manu-
Iacture. the Sherman anti.trus; laws
md tn" provisions of the Federal
~ a q nfnnIprS
What the Department "f commerce
wants is some Kind of protection
against monopoly which resides abroad
but reaches into America.
Thus in the matter Of pulp wood
which is so essential in the making Of
news print. there is talk Of mergers
and monnpOlies so that tho supply in
Canada will bc cornered in - few
years. American paper mills might
become wholly dependent on a pulp
wood trust resident in Canada. where
prices could he shot upward almost
at will
Sees Chances of Danger.
Secretary Hoover foresees possihili-
lies of danger /" the American con
sumner. and i using every weapon at
his disposal to command public at
tention. The congressional inquiry Il
really means ot afbhSlns pbpi'
upinion. for Congress is admittedly
powerless Even should laws be
passed forhiddinc Americans To lend
funds to compa nies abroad which
monopOlize product and hold up
American consumers. there II grave
doubt AZ To the cOnstiturionailtN ~
such \ law. much less its practlca-
hility.
So the only thing which can he done
g to negotiate trade agreements with
various countries very much along
the line of tariff acts. The question Is
whether foreign countries which just
now need every bit of stimulus they
can get will voluntarily restrain their
nationals from mulctinc the Amer
lean consumer while the mulctin= Is
-ood.
Reduced to its essence the whole
dispute can be adjusted only by moral
sua sion as an international matter OF
first importance which can lead To Ill
feeling between peoples. It's on that
basis that the American Government
is really going At the problem. though
threats OF retaliatory action and re
prisals are an inevitable CorollarN of
The discussion
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