LAD #27: The Clayton Anti-Trust Act

In order for the government to gain an increased level of control on business, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act was set in place. The administration of Woodrow Wilson passed the Act after Henry De Lamar Clayton, Jr., a Democrat from Alabama, introduced it. This act helped to set the basis upon which businesses are regulated today. In the past, the Sherman Anti-Trust Act was the only means through which big businesses could be monitored. Using this act, Theodore Roosevelt was able to become the nation's first trust buster. The Clayton Anti-Trust Act, passed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission Act, was used to regulate the behaviors of large corporations with regards to the law. Unlike the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, which effectively hindered the actions of the Knights of Labor and the American Federation of Labor, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act cannot be used against labor unions. Due to its national heritage, Major League Baseball was one of the only corporations left untouched and unregulated by the Clayton Anti-Trust Act. Now, unlike in the past, strikes, pickets, and labor unions could be enacted against big businesses without interference from the government.