Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-01-05
FEDERAL SUIT FILED
AGAINST SHIPPING
TRUST OFFICERS
DEFENDANTS REPRESENT
90 PER CENT OF BUSINESS
Charged With Entering Con-
tract TO Divide Transatlantic
Traffic in Violation of Sher-
man Anti Trust Law.


United states circuit court under the
sherman antitrust law against thir-
teen of the principal Transatlantic
carriers, which are estimated to con-
troll ninety per cent of the steerage
traffic, worth to them s55,0o0,000
year.
Twelve officers of the defendant
companies, all resident in America,
are named as co-defendants.
These companies, the government
charges, entered into an illegal con-
tract February 5. 1908, at London, by
which they constituted themselves the
Atlantic conference, with power 10
apportion all traffic pro-rata. impose
heavy fines on members of the con-
ference for violation of any of the
articles of agreement and wage COM
petition against all lines outside the
conference.
Suit was brought by Henry A. Wise,
United States district attorney acting
under instructions from Attorney GEN
eral Wickersham.
In its petition the government prays
the court to "enjoin the defendants
from further agreeing, combining and
conspiring to injure or destroy the
business of any person or corporation
engaged in the business of carrying
steerage passengers between points In
the United States and Europe.
Further, that each, every and all
of the defendant steamship lines be
forbidden either to enter or clear any
of their vessels at or from the port of
New York or any other port Of entry
in the United States or any of it's pos
sessions. so long as they shall con-
tinue to operate under the aforesaid
alleged unlawful combination or con-
spiracy,"
The defendant companies are:
Allan Steamship company, capital
ICED at $3.22o.00o; plies between Liv-
erpool, Boston and Philadelphia and
Glasgow and Montreal.
International Mercantile Marine
company. holding company, capital
ized at 100000. 900.
International Navigation company.
a subsidiary of the International
Mercantile Marine company.
Anchor Line, capitalized at s2,s75,-
900; plies between New York and
Glasgow.
Canadian Pacific Railway company,
capitalized at $500, 900, 900, which ope-
rates between Montreal and Liver
pool
Cunard Steamship company. with
a capital of $10.000,0 900, which has q
service between Liverpool, and New
York and Boston.
British and North Atlantic Steam-
ship Navigation company. a subsi-
diary Of the International Mercantile
Marine company.
Hamburg American line with cap
ital of s31.250,00O. whose service Is
from Hamburg to New York, Boston.
Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Holland American line, capital un-
available. which runs steamers be
tween Rotterdam and New York.
The North German-Lloyd company,
capital unavailable. which runs be-
tween Bremen and New York.
The Red Star line (a subsidiary Of
the International Mercantile Marine
which operates between
Antwerp and New York.
White Star Line Ca subsidiary Of
the International Mercantile Mercan-
tile Marine company with service
between New York and Liverpool.
Russian East Aslatic steamship COM
pany. capital unavailable, which plies
between Libau and New York.
The complaint charges that the de-
PENDANTS ''for some time have been
engaged in the United States and par
ticularly In the southern district OF
New York In an unlawful combination
to restrain a part Of the commerce OF
the United states with foreign ma
tons"
Under the terms of the contract
these lines agreed, II Is alleged to d.
vide their steerage traffice on a pro-
rata allotment with the express stip-
ulattion that no member should ear
ry steerage passengers in excess of
such allotted percentage.
TO provide against violations PEN
atty Of "a ($20) on each excess pas
serger was provided for In the allcg-
ed agreement. A further alleged pro-
vision stipulated that whenever the
accounts of any line showed |
Il had exceeded or remained below It's |
percentage. n should either raise or
lower It's rates, to effect a re-distribu- |
ton. with the express stipulation that |
whenever possible rates should be |
raised rather than lowered,
The alleged contract exacted from |
each signatory the deposit of prom |
issory note for an amount equal TO !
fl 900 for each one per cent OF traf- |
lie allotted to the slgnatory. Upon |
of any member OF the |
without permission from |
all the others this deposit was to be |
forgeited.
II also was subject TO forfeit II any |
member failed to pay the -four pounds |
fine for each excess passenger. All |
forfeits and fines were to be divided |
among the members not penalized and |
All matters In dispute were TO be re-
rerred to an arbitrator, who was given |
the further power Of imposing a pen
atty of f250 ts1,250) on any member
who dIsobcycd any OF the provisions
Df the contract.
After the adoption Of this COP