Las Vegas optic. (East Las Vegas, N.M.) 1908-1921, 1911-05-19
SWEEPING CHARGES OF GIGANTIC
CONSPIRACY MADE IN SUIT
FILED TODAY
MANY MADE DEFENDANTS
TEN TRADE ORGANIZATIONS AND
MORE THAN 15o INDIVIDUALS
ARE INVOLVED
SENSATIONAL ALLEGATIONS
GOVERNMENT BELIEVES BUILD
ERs AND CONSUMERS AT
MERCY OF TRUST

New York, May 19.-Sweeping
charges of gigantic conspiracy to
maintain high prices, to blacklist
concerns not regarded as proper" to
the trade and to violate generally the
Sherman antitrust law, are made in
a government suit filed by Attorney
General Wickersham in the United
States court here today against the
so-called Lumber Trust"
Ten trade organizations and more
than $50 individuals are named as
defendants in this suit, which may
be the first of several planned by the
department of justice against combi-
nations of retailers in staple com.
modities and the necessaries of lIe
to prevent the ultimate consumer from
buying anywhere except from local
retailers.
The government suit is replete with
sensational allegations and it Is as
serted that builders and consumers
of lumber the country over are at the
mercy of the retailers organizations
in different sections of the United
States.
The suit filed today is against the
Eastern States Retail Lumber Deal
ers' association, which is the parent
body of nine local organizations COW
ering five states, the District of Co
lumbia and the cities of Baltimore
and Philadelphia.
This is the governments first anti
trust suit conforming to the United
States Supreme Courts Standard OF!
decision, in that 1t alleges undue and
restraint Of the trade of
he consumer and the manufacturer.
t is the evident purpose of the plea
o confine the charge largely to that
'eature, small stress being placed on
he restraint of trade among the con-
,pirators themselves.
Attorney General Wickersham and
Special Assistant Attorney General
have devoted more than
| year to the gathering of evidence
N which today's suit is based. This
evidence includes copies of the alleg-
ID agreements, black lists and reports
If the various organizations, branding
and retailers, who have
Jared to violate the rules of the asso-
,iation as "Poachers," Mavericks
Scalpers," and "Illegitimate Deal
RS" to whom short shrift" must be
lpplied.
The government charges in its
,rief that by an elaborate system of
not only individual con-
but some Of the largest in
ustrial corporations, have been pre-
ented from dealing directly with
wholesalers. By alleged unlawful
greements and acts, it is charged
hat all competition for the trade of
he contractor, the builder, the manu-
acturer of finished lumber products
nd the individual consumer has been
brown entirely into the hands OF
he retailers in the association and
IS constituent organizations The
overnment bill further alleges that
a some localities the wholesaler sell
ng to consumer has either been
eavily fined or expelled from the or
anization.
1t is believed that should the courts
phold the governments contention
hat it is violation of the Sherman
nti-trust law to prevent the ultimate
onsumer from buying direct from the
roducer, other suits will be started
gainst combinations OF retailers al
eyed to be in control of the market
ng of many of the commodities of
lie.