Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-23
ATTORNEY GENERAL IS PLANS
Little Hope of Catching the Big Of
fcials.
THE SMALL FRY UN1MPoRTANT
If Men Like Archbold and Rogers
Escape There VIII Be Little Use
Convicting the Others

Despite the fact that the Department of
Justice announces that It proposes to be-
gin criminal prosecutions against the
Standard OIL trust 1t Is positively known
that there is no hope of getting John D.
Rockefeller and some of those high up in
the workings of the great combine. This
was admitted by high officials of the De-
partment of Justice today, including At
torney General Moody.
Rockefeller is now in Europe but he did
not run away because of the prospects
that the government would get after his
pet oil combine. He need have no fear of
being indicted by a grand jury from evil
dence now in the hands of the Department
of Justice.
There is little hope in the department of
getting Henry H. Rogers and John D.
Archbold, vice presidents and active man
ayers of the Standard OIL. They the
real power behind the great combine. Some
months ago they came to Washington and
talked for two hours one night with Presi-
dent Roosevelt. The facts as to their con-
ference never became known.
1t is as frankly admitted by Attorney
General Moody almost impossible to reach
the higher officials of a great trust of this
kind. The same is true of railroad presi-
dents. All the department can hope for is
to get as far up among the officials of the
oil octopus as possible. 1t is hoped to land
few of the big fish, and the energies of
the officials of the department are to be di-
rected toward getting as high up as pos
sible.
Attorney General Moody conferred with
President Roosevelt today. He Is ~prepar-
ing the testimony he will lay before grand
jurfes in several states. 1t is expected that
he will be prepared to submit the records
to grand juries in less time than week,
and any delay In indictments will then rest
with the juries.
1t would be comparatively easy, accord
ing to Department Of Justice officials, to
catch q number of small minnows con-
nected with the Standard Oil outfit. but
the department will ignore its opportuni-
ties in this direction, because 1t knows that
these men are merely guilty In a technical
manner and not deliberate violators of the
law. The feeling is strong that If the
prosecution can not reach men who issue
the orders 1t Will not reach the point de-
sired after ALL
Mr.. Moody's Announcement
Attorney General Moody late yesterday
afternoon announced. predicted in The
Star, that the Department OF Justice will
begin prosecution of the Standard Oil trust.
While It is getting ready to do that the
department will continue It's Investigations
of the Standard combine with a view to
multiplying the legal attacks
The decision as to prosecution has been
decided upon after a number of confer
ences with the President and two meetings
OF the cabinet.
The statement OF the Attorney General is
as follows:
After full consideration of all the infor-
nation now available. including the report
of the commissioner of corporations and
the evidence taken by the interstate COM
ciusion that criminal proceedings agains.
the Standard Oil Company should be be-