New-York tribune., 1911-09-28
ATTACKING LUMBER TRUST
Government Files Fourth SUIT IN
Federal Court at Denver.
MANY DEFENDANTS NAMED
Department of Justice Alleges
Restraint of Trade in at
Least Twenty States.

Denver. Sent g7-Chargee that the So
called Lumber Trust dominates the trade
OF at least twenty states by maintaining
SPY system. bIackists. divisions Of terri
tory and other alleged Illegal methods. con
Quoted through a central agency In Chi
caco called thc Lumber Secretaries Hu-
r,du Of Information. are made in suit
filed in the United States court here TO-
day hy the Department Of Justice
This is the governments fourth move in
nationwide Gght against the Lumber
Trust in addition To the criminal indict-
mcnts already standing against the secre-
taries Of fourteen lumbermcus associations.
Antitrust suits under the Sherman law
are now pending against the Michigan and
the Eastern states Retail Lumber Dealers
associations.
The Secretaries Bureau and the Colorado
and Wyoming Lumber Dealers Association
arc defendants iu the action filed to-day.
The government asks the court 10 onioin
the bureau from continuing espionage ON
umbermcn by paid spies and circulating
| checklists" and other confidential i'm
formation" II asks that the Colorado and
Wyoming association be enioined from
contributing TO the aid Of the bureau.
Lumber dealers associations In about
twcrty states are named in the bill a.
members of the Secretaries Bureau, but
are not named as defendants in this suit
Fourteen secretaries OF various lumber as
~ociauous represented in the bureau were
indicted recently in Chicago under the
criminal sections Of the Sherman law.
Charges Of Conspiracy.
The government charges that the alleged
conspiracy between the lumhermen and the
secretaries bureau has eliminated all com
petition for the trade Of the consumer. OK
cept among retail Yards
II IS charged that a dealer is prevented
from soliciting or competing FOR business Tn
the territory Of another, that contracting
builders and other large consumers are pre-
vented from buying at Wholesale: that lum-
her dealers who have not oheyed the
ethics" prescribed by the organization
have been watched by detectives from the
( central bureau and their irregular sales
published TO other members Of the sssocia-
ton: that they have been "blacklisted
and have found it difficult 10 continue busi-
ness The effect, the government alleges
has been TO fix prices and restrain trade.
The bill is renlete with allegations OF
threats and intimdatious said 70 have been
rractised upon manufacturers wholesaler
and so-callcd "unethical' dealers.
Many Defendants.
The government also alleges that tho
following lumber associations I'm addition
to those Of Colorado and wyoming. are
represented iu the clearing house
Northwestern Lumbermen's Associat, ion
Southwestern 1uurerWeu Association
Michigan Retail Lumber Dealers Assocla-
ton. Indiana Retail Lumber Dealers As
sociation. Ohio Lumber Dealers Assocla-
rou. Illinois Retail Lumber Dealers As
eoriatiou, Wisconsin LUMBER Dealers -
socisfiou. Nebraska Lumber Dealers As
=ociatiou. Western Retail Lumber Dealers
Association. Retail Lumber Dealers nS-
S0ciatiOn Of Tennessee, Georgia ana AId
hama Mississippi and Louisiana hHId'
T.ur7ber Association. Fennsvlvanis Ium-
rer Daaf fors' Association. the LunDermeh e
Association of Texas and tho Retail Asso-
ciation Of Western Tennessee ana N'h-
tuckv
Customers lists" made MP annually,
the government charges. designate from
which manufactures and wholesalers
members Of the allied associations are per
mIfted 10 buy their supplies. The Lumber
-rrrafa~iez' bureau. acting as the clear
inc boues is alleged 10 be the medium
through which the alleged blackists. etc,
have been furnished 10 al dealers IN me
combined associations. BY attacking the
bureau the Department Of Justice expects
10 strike ar the root Of the alleged re-
=rrsinfs which are said 70 make the distri-
hutton Of lumber from the MANUFACTURE
10 the consumer costly. -
ATTORNEY General Wickersn7m and ms
srocisI assistant. clark Mckorcner' ma Fe
bean working more than year gathering
tho evidence on which the SUITS are
3D. ought