The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-01
Governments Plan Result ing From Recent Decis-
 ions Is Announced
APPEARS BEFORE
 HOUSE COMMITTEE
Attorney General Says Juries and Courts Have Been Reticent About Sentencing Trust Mag
 mates to Prison

Washington, May 31.-The recent de-
 cisions of the supreme court in the Standard oil and American Tobacco cases will result Tn a sweeping attempt tn secure criminal conviction of viola
 tcrs of the antitrust law. according
 to Attorney General Wiekersham, who
 appeared today before the House com mttee expenditures in the depart
 ment of justice.
 MT. Wickersham was asked why the
 government thus far had failed to lodge any trust magnatep in prison. There
 has been an unwillingness on the part Of the juries and courts to sentence
 men to prison under the antitrust law
 he replied
 "Juries are becoming more willing
 now, however to convict and judges
 who have been reluctant to impose pris-
 on penalties now have the supreme court decisions to sustain them.p | Mir. Wickersham said he believed
 prison sentences would be the most ef-
 fective means of enforcing respect for
 the antitrust law. Criminal prosecu-
 tions against the meat packers, milk dealers grocers the naval stores, and
 window glass combinations and other diic6CQ Dl lH6 dnli-lTuSl ldWt
 he said, would be augmented by other prosecutions. On this subject the gov
 ernment had definite plans. The Attorney General was closely
 questioned by MT. Beall as to the cotton
 cases in New York. Asked why actions
 were brought against those seeking to elevate the price of raw cotton rather 1 than against the spinners and bears who were trying to depress it, MT. Wickersham said the government had | believed 1t much easier to reach the | seven men controlling the raw cotton pool against whom it had exact inform ation.
 The statute of limitations has not
 run against the other" he added. If
 the government Is sustained In this
 first cotton case, the other combinations may be attacked"
 , Has there ever been any investigation <, el the attem5t os bears to depfess col
 ton prices in New fork and New Dr. . leans?" Chairman Beall asked. No Violations
 "No have never had any facts brought to my attention that seemed to show a violation of the anti-trust law in such l matters.
 l Attorney General Wickersham testified | that he had advised the United States | Steel corporation on several occasions | from 1901 to 1909 during his connection l with the firm of Strong X Calwallader. 1 and also that he had received his share of the fee turned into the firm for services to the American Sugar Refining company. personally attended to by Henry w. Taft, brother of the President. MT. Wickersham | said his share about S26,000. l MT. Wickersham was questioned chiefly 1 by Representative Beall of Texas, chair man of the committee, concerning the sale | by the government of friar lands in the | Philippines to the American Sugar Refin- 1 ing company. He said that Henry w.
 Taft had at one time appeared a spe-
 cial attorney for the government against l the "licorice trust,' part of the Amer 1 oan Tobacco company. MT Wickersham
 declared that after he became attorney general, John Henry Hammond repre-
 sented Strong & calwallader as counsel | for the so-caled sugar trust in the pur- chase of the friar lands He added that at 1 the time he gave his opinion permitting | the sale of these lands he did not know
 that Hammond represented the president | Of the American Sugar Refining company,
 MT. Havemeyer
 When asked about the connection of the | firm with steel affairs. MT. Wickersham | said:
 Advised Steel Corporation l '.I personally have advised the United
 States Steel corporation In one or two matters.
 . "Did Strong and Calwallader ever rep
 resent the New York cotton exchange?"
 asked Chairman Beall.
 ''Yes, Henry w. Taft was counsel for
 the exchange MT. Wickersham replied. l "and I think he still continues in that capacity
 | The chairman sought particularly to learn from the Attorney General why tho department of justice and the treasury department expected a s2.0o0000 settlement from the American Sugar Refining com at the port of New York. rather than en- force the severe penalties provided for by law. MT. Wickersham replied that the department felt the evidence at hand was not sufficient to support claim for penalties, though it was his belief that restitution was made because the corpor- ation feared penalties would be imposed "Then it was your judgment?' suggest ed Mr. Beall that, notwithstanding tho fact that the government had access to q memorandum book showing the real weight of sugar imported and to books showing fraudulent weights, If the gov- ernment had attempted to collect the penalties, there was strong probability of failure?"
 Yes Mir. Wickersham answered "It was sufficiently dubious to make it inex- pedient to go I think the 100000 set clement was the best possible arrange ment
 | The Attorney General denied there was any agreement preventing criminal prose- cution. That right" he said was speci- lically reserved to the government