New Dealing Senator Joseph C. O'Mahoney of Wyoming likes to play the role of a giant killer with a special shillelagh cocked for big business. Since General Motors is a giant -the biggest, most profitable corporation in the U.S. -it was the logical target last week for Democrat O'Mahoney's Senate antitrust subcommittee. Ostensible purpose of the hearing: to "appraise the antitrust laws" and ascertain "needed amendments."
O'Mahoney dredged up three charges. He produced competing diesel-locomotive manufacturers to testify that a wartime order from the War Production Board made G.M. virtually the sole producer of long-range diesel locomotives. This, one witness said, gave...