The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-09-26
ATTORNEY GENERAL
 W|CKERSHAM TALKS Gives Interview Regarding
 Prosecution of U. s. Steel IS NOT DETERMINED
Attorney General Also Touches on Probable Dissolution of the So- Called Powder Trust-Wili
 Investigate Thoroughly

| New York, September 25.-Attorney | General Wickersham tonight, in response | to many inquiries regarding the possible prosecution of the United State Steel
 corporation, made the following state
 ment:
 "It has been the consistent policy of the department not to state in advance
 of actual proceeding that action agains
 any particular party had been institute There are many reasons why this is the proper position to maintain. In the first place, until investigation Is complete it is not known whether or not a case of violation of law exists. and in the second place the character of proceeding | cannot be determined until then and if the facts shall require criminal proceed ings to be resorted to- ordinary proudence would determine that publicity be not given to that fact until indictments are found
 The purpose and duty of the depart
 ment of justice with respect to the en- forcement of the Sherman law against trust corporations which are formed or exist in undue restraint of interstate com merce, or which are attempting monopoly has been declared a number of times by the President and Attorney General The carrying out of the purpose requires a. careful investigation of every one of the combinations whose size and control of a particular business in which en- gagged would give rise to a presumption that it was existing or acting on con- | travention of the antitrust law. '1t should go without saying that. a great, complex combine of corporations, dominating the trade of the country in
 an important industry would not escape the careful study of the department. | ''Each case stands on its own footing and depends upon it's own particular facts ] A conclusion on the part Of the depart lsment to bring suit against a particular corporations would not, of course, pre- vent it from dsputing the government contention and defending the suit. Or if in anticipation of action by the gov ernment. those in control of such com
 bine should work a plan of separation to avoid illegal conditions, the depart
 ment would necessarily give very care- fui consideration to the plan, so as to avoid hostile action if possible. Personally, l should much prefer that business in- terests should themselves readiust their organizations as to remove all possible criticisms concerning their legality than that the department of justice should have to conduct legal proceedings to com pei such adjustment
 The Attorney General also considered
 plans for the reorganization of the so- called powder trust in conformity with the recent decree of the United States
 circuit court for the district of Della
 ware T. c. Dupont, president of the E. I. Dupont-De Nemours Powder company
 and James M. Townsend, counsel for
 the company, and the Attorney General
 and his assistant, Will A. Glasgow of Philadelphia were parties to the confer ence. At it's conclusion MT. Wickersham
 said the company had submitted certain
 suggestions, but no conclusion was reached.