Evening star., 1942-03-29
A Sound Policy.


The Governments decision to sus-
pend antitrust proceedings for the
duration OF the war against concerns
engaged In war work is one which
should meet with general approba-
ton.
This new policy seems amply sur
rounded with safeguards designed to
protect the public interest. Thus,
there will be r.o suspension or pest
ponement Of prosecution for any &C
tual fraud committed against the
Government. Nor will the deferment
of any proceeding mean that any in
dividual or corporation is to be ex-
onerated If guilty OF wrongdoing, for
the prosecution will be instituted as
soon as the war emergency ends,
under an arrangement which Con-
gress will be asked to make for ex-
tension Of the statute Of limitations.
As a further safeguard it is stipu-
lated that the action taken in each
Case WILL UC 41duC PuOAI.
In working out this policy, Attor-
ney General Biddle, Secretary OF War
Stimson, Secretary Of the Navy Knox
and Assistant Attorney General Ar
mold made it clear that they were mo-
tivated solely by a desire to avoid
anything that might reasonably be
expected to interfere with the pro-
duction Of war materials. Approx
ing the agreement, the President
summed up the matter aptly by say
ing that this is a time when we must
give attention to first things first
that If we should lose the war the
antitrust laws and all American in
stitutions will become quite academic.
The PRONUNCIATION Of this policy at
this time is reassuring evidence that
the Government is taking realistic
view of the necessity for laying other
things aside in order to concentrate
our undivided energies on the war
effort. Any antitrust prosecution, at
best, is q complex and time-consum-
ing procedure. Often they deal with
highly technical aspects Of law and
business concerning which the opin-
ions Of lawyers, judges, businessmen
and public officials are apt to differ
widely. Win or lose, any antitrust
case is certain to take up great
deal Of time and energy which might
better be devoted to war production,
and If satisfactory formula for de-
ferring these domestic battles until
the war Is over can be found-as is
the case here-it Is clearly in the
public interest to put 1t into effect.
In this connection, 1t might not be
amiss to express the hope that the
sound consideration underlying this
wartime antitrust policy will prove
equally persuasive in other quarters.
There is, for example. the matter of
congressional Investigations. A GER
tain number of investigations un-
doubtedly are necessary to keep men,
DCio Va SoiiSICoo PiOPCAly 1il1Oi Alco
and to enable them to legislate in
telligently. But these, too, are time
consuming procedures, and they can
be-and have been-abused Many
Government officials, 1t seems, are
obliged to spend the major part Of
their time In appearances before con-
gressional committees whose investi-
cations often overlap or duplicate the
activities Of some other committee.
Upon occasions, unfortunately, these
inquiries appear to serve primarily as
a sounding board for some one with
an ak to grind. The objective sought
through the antitrust policy will be
promoted to the extent that 1t may
be possible-consistent with the
proper functioning of Congress-to
control these investigations.