New-York tribune., 1907-06-21
PASSENGER POOL TOO.
NLW .STE14MSHTP CHARGE
Govcrnmcnt Nay Widen Scope of
Ocean Traffic Inquiry.

galion of the alleged steamship freight pool TO
lie made by the Interstate Commerce Commits
SION that body may he asked to investigate an
aiIesed pool of transatlantic steamship COM
panies in their passenger ticket business. 1t
seems that IN connection with their passenger
business the steamship companies have three
organizations, known conferences" which
promulgate rules mutually advantageous to
themselves.
Hugh Gordon Miller. formerly United States
Attorney for the District of Southern Virginia
who has investigated the subject for a client
said yesterday:
The steamship passenger business be-
t"een this port and Europe is carried on
by means of network of sub-agents in the
various cities and sections of the country To
suppress competition and keep out any new lines
ihe present foreign lines to Europe and the
British Isles. with one execution have combined
and passed a set of rules and regulations one
Of which is to the effect that any sub agent who
sells tickets over new line Will be disqualified
from continuing as agent of any of the lines
T.: the combination.
"Fhe continental conference embraces the fol-
owing lines: AUstro-American. Cunard. French.
faclbuTg, American. Holland. North German
I-io q, Red Star the Russian-Ea Asatic and
II" Union. All of these lines operate under a
set Of rules, resolutions and regulations, duly
adopted AZ a regularly called meeting. Rule
Of this conference says: Agents prohibited
from booking passengers for any steamship ex-
cept these Of the lines of the Continental.
Mediterranean and North Atlantic passenger
mission in writing
This resolution operates effectively in re-
straint Of trade. Similar rules govern the North
Atlantic passenger conference composed of the
Cunard. American. neutrality-suspicious.. North
German Lloyd and Anchor lines. and the Medi-
terranean passenger conference. including the
White Star. Cunard. Hamburg American. North
German Lloyd. Italian Fabre. French Austria
American and La Veloce.
BLACKLIST DECISION APPLICABLE.
.r =; o;rl-W Nv hat ne e.
cision preventing wholesale druggists from using
blacklists applies to this case. Practically the
whole passenger business of these companies in
the United States is conducted by agents on
commission. People go TO them just as they 60
70 druggists for drugs a blacklist OF one line
10 this exclusive channel Of trade by an or
gsnization of all the other lines. effectuay pre-
venting the dealers in foreign passenger tickets
throughout the United States from doing busl-
ness with such line thersby cutting the ar
teries TO the very heart of its business, would
seem to me TO be a particularly aggravated
case of combination in restraint and suppression
If trade II seems TO me to be more effective,
more extensive and more destructive than any
combination yet proceeded against by the gov
ernnlent The combination covers both inter
state and foreign commerce, as it affects the
entire traffic in foreign passenger tickets
Throughout the United States, as transacted ny
citizens OF this country soil within the Jnrls-
diction of the United States
The combination and agreement We're ehteIeo
into and rules passed at meetings held within
the United States. and the overt act OF putting
the rules into effect is daily committed IN this
country.
Tho sacretarv of the three associations or con-
ferenree is now and always has been since the
organization of the combination. one ana the
same person. Each conference, though auii'ii.
istered by the secretary has separate oanN
account but all are run by him from his mead
quarters A chairman is elected TO preside al
each meeting Of the conferences. but the secfe-
tarv is the administrative head OF the eHtre
combination. In addition TO Rule - VIM.
have spoken of. these associations nave, 10
49, L,o,-ledee ten other rules or resolutions
vrbfch are binding on every member OF the three
conferences To avoid writing letters, mum
her Of travelling agents go about lhsIt uc'lliS
+he rep,,Iar agents and sub-agents OF the steam
snip companies comprising the comohla'loi-'
SECRETARY OF CONFERENCES SlLENl'
m the second floor Of No 10 Broadway is
large old fashioned suite of Offices OUTSIDE OF
which is the sign: Transatlantic SIeaiIlsiiip
Conferences" Lawson Sanford. the secretary OF
the combined organizations refused 10 sis7
ar,- inforrnatjon regarding the objects or the
corferences "I am conducting a private pusl-
ncrs here" he said, "and do not care 10 'ah
about it As to any relation may nave WI"
the steamship companies you Will nave 10 go -
them" .,
Gustav schwab New York agent Of the Nor'h
German Line said: Yes, we have an orsaili%a
Ion known as the Continental Passenger CON
serence II exists for the purpose OF regulating
or- cents in the United States We have more
hat
than three thousand Of them. do not see tnat
2 rule prohibiting our agents from hahdhhs
tickets of any line not IN our asSooia'i'' - a.
all in restraint Of trade
Concerning the allegations of Peter virgin
a eons Emil Boas, Of the Hamburg-Ar American
Line, said: ,-,.
eWe have opened up service 10 Philadeiphla
and Baltimore on the urgent request OF meT-
chants and railroads and have kept up the
servjce regardless of whether We lost money
or not There Is hardly a port in the United
States that has not approached us, elthef
through the railroads or merchants, or both 10
give il direct communication
"Pefer Wright & Sons claim credit for open
IN, nm traffic and blame us for having service
TO different ports. They took credf 10 mem 's
selves for doing the same thing for which theV
blame us There is a great deal Of notoriety
seeking in this affair
wRIGHTS HAVE TUGBOAT MONOPOLY
'I understand that Peter Wright & Cons have
a monopoly of the tugboats IN Philadelphia ana
that when the first steamer Of the Rotterdam
service went into Philadelphia they refused her
tugboat That shows how the champions 81
free and unrestrained trade are In their own
field
'.The question is now in the hands Of the In
terstate Commerce Commission, and don't see
why should furnish the other side with argu-
rnents"
Gustav II. Schwab. New York representative
OF the North German Lloyd Line. said: Il have
little 10 add 10 the remarks ot Mr.. Boas. The
inference is that the whole affair has been pre-
ctptated 10 arouse feeling against foreign
steamship lines. The idea that the representa- =
tires of the company making the complaint are
American capitalists is absolutely false, for the
!!rs - owned BY foreign capital
I: Vas said yesterday at the office OF Sander
o. sI,a