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Show SEEN SEENand NandHEARIaround NandHEARI and HEAR HEARaround HEARarouncitbe . arouncitbe arouncitbeNATIONAL around t/ie t ie "he he "heNATIONAL [ " tieNATIONAL / NATIONAL CAPITAL CAPITALBy CAPITALBy r rBy By By Carter Field FieldFAMOUS FieldFAMOUS FieldFAMOUS FAMOUS WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT . . . . . . - - - - - - - - - WashmgtonThe WashingtonThe Washington Washmgton -The The - The .f f of . f breaking breakmg up "trusts trusts " " and "con con "con- "conspiracies "conspiracies " . - spiracies sp11'aCles sp11aCles ' in m restraint restramt ot of trade " wIll wIllbe willbe willbe be changed if the Department of ofJustice ofJustice ofJustice Justice is able to persuade congress congressto to reVIse revise the laws la\\s la s \ at the commg coming commgscsslOn comingsession comingsession scsslOn session Details have not becn been becnorked beenworked beenworked \\orked orked worked ' \ out , but the idea is that I if ifcertain ifcertain ! certam certain practices , . whether v.hether vhether in con con- conformity conformity . - formity form1ty \ with \ 11h the old construction of ofconspIracy ofconspiracy ofconspiracy conspIracy or not , produce IdentIcal IdentIcalprIces identicalprices identicalprices prIces or are to eliminate ehmmate v.eak veak w . eak com com- competitors competitors . - petitors petltors , or to concentrate conccntrate control controlof controlof controlof of the market marhet in 111 any given line In Ina ina ina a few hands , those practices shall shallconstitute shallconstitute shallconstitute constitute a violation of the law lawThe lawThe lawThe The whole point pomt is to be that the thepractices thepractices thepractices practices shall be judged not on onthclr ontheir ontheir thclr their own merit mCrIt , lack of morals , or orwhatnot orwhatnot orwhatnot whatnot . , but on the results that fiow flow fiowfrom flowfrom flowfrom from themThe themThe them themThe The best interpretation of the ad- ad administration's ad administration's . - ministration's ministrations ' attitude is levealedin ievealedin levealed ievealed In the prosecution now going on , at atMadIson atMadison atMadison MadIson , Wis , against agamst oil 011 compa companies . nies mes flies , oil 011 executives e'cecutives ececutives ' , and publIcations publicationswhich publicationswhich whIch printed prmted news about price in- in intentions in intentions . - tentions It is contended by the thegovernment thegovernment govcrnmcnt government that mere publIcatIon publicationm , m certain certam journals , of price changes changesserved , served actually as notice to all in inthe inthe inthe the oil 011 business to make their prIces prIcesJust pricesjust prices3ust Just thatBut thatBut that thatBut But the difficulties dlfficulties of proving provmg a VI vi-olition vi olition - . ohbon ohtion of the present statutes in inthJs inthis inthis thJs this practice 1 is < ; just what the govern govern- government government . - ment would like l1ke to overcome o\ercome o ercome otercome \ m In fu- fu future fu future - . ture actions achons Hence the desire for fornew fornew fornew new laws which will wIn make the reo re- re reosuIt result re result - sult suIt a crime , regardless of the ap- ap apparent ap apparent - . parent innocence mnocence of the actIons actIonsV.hlCh actionswhich actionswhich V.hlCh VhlCh which . led to that resultWh resultWhat result resultWhat Wh What What t is really burning burmng the gov- gov government gov government . - ernment up is identic bids on gov- gov government gov government - . ernment supplies Officials Officxals mention mention17 17 bids for re enforcement bars at atDenver atDenver atDenver Denver , 14 of which VhICh , were precisely precisely$1,144 precisely1144 $1,144 1144 $1,14416 114416 $ , , 16 each , 12 bids for such bars barsat barsat barsat at Los Angeles , with 11 of themprecisely them themprecIsely themprecisely precIsely $194,05189 19405189 $194,051 194051 $ , 89 , every ever > ; one of of10 10 bids at Fort Peck for such bars barsexactly barsexactly barsexactly exactly $253 253 $25363380 25363380 $ 633 80 Then in Feb Feb- February February . - ruary , 1936 , there were 16 bids of ofJust ofjust ofjust Just $3 3 $ $ 483 50 for a steel sheet or- or order or order . - der , followed in m June b by ; > ' 15 bids for forthe forthe forthe the same order at the same figureLawyers figure figureLawyers Lawyers Are Irked IrkedThe IrkedThe . The prize case , officials complam complain complainwas , v.as vas was . on steel pipe , where the navy navyfound navyfound navyfound found 59 bids by b > ) 59 companies , each eachone eachone eachone one ofh1Ch of \ which \\h1Ch h1Ch \ was exactly $1600183 1600183 $1600183These $16 16 $ 001 83 83These 83These These are just a few of the cases casesof casesof casesof of , . . identic bids which have gotten gottenthe gottenthe gottenthe the Department of Justice lawyers lawyersred lawyersred lawyersred red headed headed-cases headed cases - cases which seem almost al almost almost most miraculous unless one as assumes assumes assumes sumes , which is what the govern government government government ment lawyers want the public pubhc to as- as assume assume as assume - sume , that there actuallyas actually \ was \\as as col colIUSl collusio'i collusion IUSl lusio'i lusioi 1 ' ' among the bldders-consplra bldders consplra bidders-conspira- bidders conspira biddersconspiracy bidders - conspira conspiracy - . cy m restraint restramt of tradeT'eus tradeThis trade tradeThis ' This T'eus Teus is the result the government governmentwants governmentwants governmentwants wants to make mahe illegal , without com com- compelling compelling . - pelling the government to prove that thatIn thatin thatin In achieving that result some prac- prac practices prac practices - . tices at variance vanance . with v.lth vlth the anti trust trustlaws trustlaws trustlaws laws lawsere were \\ere ere \ \ emplo employedNot employed employedNot ed edNot Not for one minute do the govern government government government ment attorneys concede that for the thecorporatIons thecorporations thecorporations corporatIons doing this bidding blddmg to toagree toagree toagree agree on such an absurd proceed proceedmg proceeding proceeding mg ing in advance would convict themof them themof themof of incredible stupidity Theyould They \\ould ould would wouldnever \ wouldnever ouldnever never admit admlt that such matching matchmg to tothe tothe tothe the penny could be a cOIncidence cOIncidencedue coincidencedue coincidencedue due to the combination combmatlon of ot freIght freIghtrates freightrates freightrates rates , wages and suppl1esBut suppliesBut supplies suppl1es suppliesBut But it's its ' pretty hard to prove that thatthere thatthere thatthere there is really "conspiracy conspiracy " " in m the themeamng themeaning themeaning meamng meaning of the present anti trustlaw trust trustlaw trustlaw law language That is why the thegovernment thegovernment thegovernment government is so avid , first m in prose prose- prosecutmg prosecuting prosecuting - cuting cutmg this present oil 011 case , and sec sec- second second . - ond on amending amenaing the law to get atthe atthe at 'the the ' the results instead of ot the steps lead lead- leading leading . - ing to the resultsThe resultsThe results resultsThe The oil 011 case , they fuey think fumk , will con convmce convmce convince vmce the fue country and congress that thatthe thatthe thatthe the law needs amendingMidterm amending amendingMidterm Midterm Conventions ConventionsThe The plan of Herbert C Hoover and andof andof andof of Chairman John D M HamIlton Hamiltonof , of the Republican national commit commit- committee committee . - tee , to hold a midterm Republican RepublicannatlOnal Republicannational Republicannational natlOnal national convention , is calculated by byRepublican RepublIcan senators and representa representatlves representatives representatives Washington tlves tives who happen to be in Washing Washmg Washing- . - ton to insure msure the election of three threeor threeor threeor or tour four more Democratic senators senatorsand senatorsand senatorsand and from 30 to 100 more Democratic Democraticrepresentatives Democraticrepresentatives Democraticrepresentatives representatives next year than thanwould thanwould .ould ould would . otherwise have any chance chanceIt It is proverbial , these opponents opponentsof of a midterm convention point pomt out outthat outthat outthat that the party not in m power makesa makes a stronger showing in m the mIdterm mIdtermelection midtermelection midtermelection election In fact flct : , there are very few veryfew instances mstances v . where here there was not nota nota nota a swingback swmgback two years after a land land- landslIde landslide landslide - slide . , frequently strong enough to tolose tolose tolose lose control of the house for the theparty theparty theparty party in m power President Roose Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roosevelts velt's velts ' enormous popularity populanty prevent prevent- prevented prevented prevented - - ed this natural swingback swmgback in 1934pointing 1934 , pomtmg pointing a prophetic finger athat at \/hat hat ghat ghatwas \ / whatwas hatwas was to happen in m 1936The 1936The 1936 1936The The Democrats gained gamed the housein housem house m in 1910 , after President Taft senor s enor enor- enormous enormous . - mous victory in m 1908 The Republi- Republi Republicans Republicans Republi.cans Republicans - . - cans captured both house and sen senate senate senate ate in m 1918 , foreshadowing foreshadowmg the over overwhelmmg overwhelming helmmg whelmmg \ \ Republicanvictoryof Republican RepublIcm ; : victory of 1920But 1920But 1920 1920But But aside from these big sWings swingsit It is the normal law of politics that thatthe thatthe thatthe theyhave the 'outs outs ' cuts outs " do verylell very \ well \lell lell ; ell v . wlicn when hen they have no national ticket running runnmg to tohandicap tohandicap tohandicap handicap the local candidates . The answer is very mmple blmple simple , and ande.pldlns andepldins ande\pldins ande pldins e.pldlns epldlns e\pldins e pldins \ ' . why so many RtjlJbl1can Rcpubhcan RtjlJbl1cansenators Rcpubhcansenators Republicansenators ) senators and nnd representatives represcntaUves , and so somany somany somany many Republicans Repubhcans who plan phm to run runm runin runin m in districts dnd .md md and . states now repre repre- . - , ao do no wam want wama wanta a midterm mldterm convention . Here's Heres Here ' s the PointThe Point PointThe The point is that a Repubhcan Republican Repubhcanrunnmg Republicanrunning Republicanrunning runnmg running for the house of ot representa representatives . tives tivcs next year , say in Massachu Massachusetts Massachusetts Massachusetts setts , can run on any platform h he hepleases hapleases pleases He can tell the folks in iii inhis iiihis inhis his district dIstrlct . , for instance , that he hewants hewants hewants wants all restrictions on cotton cottonplantmg cottonplanting cottonplanting plantmg planting stopped , so that tllat cotton WI will willbe willbe } ] be cheap , and there will be plenty plentyof plentyof plentyof of work for the local te\tile te tile te.tlle tetlle textile \ ' . mills millsthereby , thereby enabling them to competewith compcte compete compctewIth competewith wIth those of other nations He can canpromIse canpromise canpromise promIse a fight to the death to bar barall barall barall all textile imports , e especially < ; pecially from fromJapan fromJapan fromJapan Japan He can promise to fight ev- ev every ev ever . - ery er appropriation for water power powerirrigation , lrrlgatIon irrigation and reclamation projects projectsout projectsout projectsout out West . , which help to keep up uptaxes uptaxes uptaxes taxes but bring brmg no local benefit to tohIS tohis tohis hIS district dlStrICt . . , And in m doing domg all this thJs he hewIll hewill bewill wIll not be handicapped by any na- na national na national - . tional par.ty party pnt.ty pntty paity : . . platform , or any eny party partyleader's partyleader's partyleader's partyleaders leader's leaders ' promises or speechesOut speeches speechesOut Out m the West West , , where water re resource resource resource source appropriations appropnatIons are wanted wantedthe , the Republican nominee nommee can prom prom- promise promlse promise - ise lse to work like everything for bIg bIgappropriatIons bigappropriations bigappropriations appropriatIons for this type of ot workHe work workHe workHe He can promise anything anythmg he bel1eves believes bel1eveswlll believeswill believeswill wlll will help his candidacy , regardless regardlessof regardlessI I ot of the attitude on the same questIon questionof of any or all other Republican candi candl candi- candidates candidates - . dates . Sen David I Walsh is fond of oftellmg oftelling oftelling tellmg telling a story of when he was chair chair- chairman chairman . - man of ot the Democratic senatorIal senatorIalcommIttee senatorialcommittee senatorialcommittee commIttee in an off oft year electJon election electJonHe electionHe electionHe He tells of how he changed his hlS 1Ine line 1Ineof lineof lineof of speeches spceches every time he crossed crosseda a state bne lIne , making mahmg speeches m in meach ineach meach each case in line Ime . with v.lth vlth the campaIgn campaIgnbeIng campaignbeing campaignbeing beIng made by the local DemocratIc DemocratIcsenatorIal Democraticsenatorial Democraticsenatorial senatorIal candidate candJdate candidateNeutrality candidateNeutrality N Neutrality eutrality LawThe Law LawThe The present neutrality law , on onwhich onwhich onwhich which so many political leaders and andpacIfists andpacifists andpacifists pacIfists pinned pmned their hopes for keep keep- keepmg keeping keeping - - ing mg the United Umted States out of war , IS ISvIrtually isvirtually isvirtually vIrtually in the scrap basket It Itwas Itwas Itwas was repealed , so to speak , by edIct edIctNot edictNot edictNot Not a formal edict , but a presiden preslden presiden- presidential presidential - . tial speech \ which thick \ ; hlch not only disclosed disclosedclearly disclosedclearly disclosedclearly clearly the attitude of the adminis admlms adminis- administration administration - . tration , buthlch but which \\hlch hlch \ \ also rece1ed receitied receitiedoverwhelming rece1\ rece1 receivedoverwhelming \ ed edoverwhelmmg overwhelmmg overwhelming approval ! from rom the thecountry thecountry thecountry thecountryThere country countryThere There v . were ere a few criticisms cntIclsms , not not- notably notably . - ably that of Representative Hamil Hamil- Ham Hamilton Hamilton . - ton Fish , New York's Yorks ' widely wldely kno.m knom known kno.mwIndmIll knownwindmill knownwindmill . wIndmIll tuter tilter , but they were Just Justthe justthe justthe the exceptions that proved the rule ruleIncidentally ruleIncidentally Incidentally Mr Fish was one of ofthe ofthe ofthe the few commentators who pomted pointed pomtedout pointedout pointedout out just what the new policy laId laIddown laiddown laiddown down by President Roosevelt means meansfor , for there is no doubt whatever that thatIt thatit thatit It puts the country squarely on onthe onthe onthe the road to entanglements , WhICh WhIChthe whichthe whichthe the neutrality neutrallty law sought to avoidand avoid , and might very easily lead to warThe war warThe The President's Presidents ' plan pbn is nothIng nothIngless nothingless nothingless less , in fact , than economic v . war warstarted ar , , started with a view to making mahmg phys physlcal physical physical lcal ical aggression unprofit unprofitable unprofitble \ble ble < \ The ThePresIdent ThePresident ThePresident PresIdent |