Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
Rudolph SpreckeIs Believes
Antitrust Laws Are Detri-
ment to Progress.
GOVERNMENT CONTROL
OF BUSINESS INVOLVED
Sugar Magnate's Statement
Raises Question Of Curb on
Big Monopolies.
BY JOHN r. SINCLAIR.

VIEW AOkskA, 0SpVSHApCA Ats-1tuSlOApAA
Spreckels, president of the Sugar Insti.
tute Of America, has national reputa-
ton for fearlessness. He had IL when,
almost slngle-handed, he turned the
business grafters out of high places
in San Francisco is years ago.
In Boston, recently, he threw another
bombShell into the business world by
saying "the old theory that competition
is the life of trade Is not applicable
to present-day conditions"
Mr.. SpreckelS has always been con-
sidered progressive. Many progress
sives still hold to the old theory of
competition, and so believe In the rigid
enforcement of the Sherman antitrust
laws to maintain It.
But Rudolph Spreckels smiles. A busi-
ness man and banker rcr many years.
he is convinced that the workings of
the antitrust laws today hobble Ameri-
can business.
Nj. Spreckels challenges the whole
principle Of competition in modern
business, says 1t Is old fashioned and
not applicable to present-day conditions.
He wants it scrapped.
Unrestrained monopoly Is indefensible,
too. Society can't yet delegate uncon-
trolled monopoly to q few. Some form
Of government control is necessary. But
the larger question Is this. Has the age
OF competition really passed?
In any event, the frank statement Of
Rudolph Spreckels In Boston Is q fresh
and candid one, which VIII open up a
subject likely TO be widely discussed for
many day.
Fridays Predictions.
DR.. David Friday, well known econ
omist, formerly president Of the Mich
igan Agricultural College, has been look
ing into the business horoscope and has
found seven pertinent points upon
which business recovery may be based.
He predicts that
/. Wages will remain at their pres
ent level, with only few slight down.
ward readjustments.
2. Prices for raw materials and farm
products have probably reached their
low level and any changes win be up
8. Prices for finished materials. exc
cept. in q few minor cases, are about
stabilized.
4. Dividends in 1881 win be less than
10. per cent under the 1880 level and
higher than any other previous year.
o. Interest rates viii remain low I'M
til next Summer.
8. Bond prices viii continue up for
the next six months.
upward trend, will accelerate this pickup
later this Fall. and show q modest Inn
provement right through 1881; while
year,
Put this business prophecy In your
scrap DOCK and read 1t year from now,
Fortune in Mice.
The channels Of business often follow
strange and devious paths. Take David
mayer, breeder of white mice"--3O
years In the business. He has supplied
millions OF white mice to laboratories.
health stations and medical schools
throughout the world.
Mayer started his unusual business
with only 10 pairs Of these rodents
wnicn seems Ike starting q business on
sne provernial shoe string. Today his
nrm ships white mice to such distant
places as India, China, Russia, and
south America, and Of course to all the
experimental laboratories in Europe and
the United States. He has but two conc
PetitorS OF any consequence In this cour-
- yv vo IN Pniadelphia and the other
His business has increased tremen-
oouSIy since the rapid advance Of re-
searcn and laboratory experimentation
throughout the world. His were the
mice which were experimental upon bv
the United States Army doctors wten
ttney were searching for a solution -
the yellow fever problems both ia the
pines.
Nearly 1000 of the white mice are
ssiHlppeo every week and the demand for
the product is constantly increasing
Col. Lindbergh carried two Of Mr..
Mayors white mice, together with pnelI-
monla serum, in his flight to Quebec tn
save the life of Floyd Bennett. These
ntCle animals were taken along in order
mat the pneumonia serum might be
Irlea out II the physicians thought Il
At the Mayer headquarters IN New
York one learns that white mice breed
every three weeks, which is one of the
tningS-coupled with certain renAnd.
aDie reacCions-that makes them So Ia.
valuable to science"
Use Of By-prOducts.
The packing industry was onA ~ ths
Iirst TO dispose of by-products scien.
tincally. Fifteen years ago II was said
mat the packer In killing a hog used
everything but the squeal.
Otner businesses are now following
SUIT. manufacturing plants are study.
ing In the Laboratory Just how To ,ise
commercially all the by-products.
-AS eAAC POWcI winch manufQc-
turing plants use. In scores Of plants
II Is developed from the steam used In
Sucn processes as heating, air condi-
tioning, dye vat work and bieachine.
While power Is cheap back-power
engine or turbine may be used. In
some Industries the cost OF power and
steam Is so per cent of the total manu-
featuring cost. So the two-fold use az
terially.
A recent example in this line "a
shown by the Industrial Power Cor
poration OF Chicago, which has con-
tracted TO supply electric power. cas-
and steam to the manufacturing and
stock yards district. It cost $4O, DOC. 600
10 build the plant and is the first conn
prehensive combination Of low tenn
perature distillation of coal with the
generation Of electric current, the pro-
duction Of gas and the manufacture OF
domestic fuel.
In this plant the low temperature
distillation of coal will not only de-
velop all the electrical power and steam
necessary, but there will be enough
excess gas to sell other industries. In
addition, other valuable by-products
such as tars, light oils and benSoiI, viii
be produced.
The increasing use Of by-product
power should spell Just one thing
c0St (1f fNnsunr IN. fq.sekv,,