Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-20


neither buying or selling and simple
as the process may seem YOU, may de-
pend upon it. If applied, his will be
short Shrift
The bill then alleges that among
the organizations with which the re-
tailers and wholesalers are in touch
| to prevent selling direct to the CON
| sumers are the Lumber Secretaries
| Bureau of Information, Chicago. H.;
| the National Lumber Manufa cturers
| Association. St Louis, Mo. and the
Lumber Credit Agency, Chicago.
None of these is a defendant.
| zone of the means of accomplishing
| the unreasonable restriction of trade"
| SAYS the governments complaint, has
1 been the formation of the American
| Lumber Trades Congress which meets
| periodically and is attended by Off
GERS and delegates of manufacturers,
| wholesalers and retailers. At regular
| meetings of the congress in Mnneap-
oils. in 1908 there was adopted an uni
versal code of ethics. n part of which
reads as follows;
| ut should be the duty of manufac-
turers and wholesalers to take an act
| i've interest in the marketing of their
| products through regular channels
only.
| 1T is the sense of the conference
| that the widest possible trade publicity
be given for the purpose of making
known irresponsible irregular dealers and
manufacturers "
The bill further alleges that names for
bIacklists have been gathered by indi-
vidual members of the association. con-
eentrated at the headquarters of the
Eastern States Retail Lumber Dealers
Association, No. IS Broadway, New York
City, and distributed to members under
the title of Statement to Members" and
"Ofieial Reports"
It is alleged that the blacklists have
been discussed and approved in the exec
utive sessions of the association. At one
time the government contends, the
blacklists were published as Yes" and
mo" lists, indicating which consumers
were proper" trade for wholesaler and
which were improper
Attached to the governments bill as
an exhibit is one of the "Bo" lists al
legged to have been issued by the Nation
al Wholesale Lumber Dealers Associa-
ton on Jan. l. 1902. in which the Carnegie
Steel Co. Deering Harvester Co, House
hold Sewing Machine Co. International
Paper Co., Otis Elevator Co, d. NJ Os-
borne Co. Philadelphia & Reading Coal
and Iron Co. the Pennsylvania Steel Co.
and many others are blacklisted as i'm
proper" trade.
Another exhibit is a circular. alleged
to have been issued by the New Jersey
Lumberman's Protective Association in
February, 1904. for the detection or deal
ers who were selling out of their terrific
~, 1t is marked "Offical Report No. 81
and reads as follows:
Don't hang this UP in your office.
Half of the sales to contractors can be
traced to exposing this list. In reporting
irregular shipments members are request
ed to supply the number and initials of
the car, the name of the consumer to
whom consigned, the initials or name of
the shipper, date of arrival of the car,
place of delivery and point of origin"
Another is sample of queries alleged
to have been sent out regarding prospec-
tive customers 1t reads;
Kindly advise us in strict confidence
for the use of this bureau what you
know of the moral standing, hnancial
responsibility and business methods oil
(blank). The source of this informa-
ton will not be disclosed
Answers to such queries, the govern
ment alleges seldom concerned the
financial or business responsibility OF
the party inquired of, but invariably
indicated if he were proper" or i'm
proper" trade.
Another exhibit alleged to have been
a circular issued by the National
Wholesalers Lumber Dealers Associa-
ton. blacklisting large number OF re-
tail lumber dealers doing business in
the principal cities OF several states
reads:
"The following have been reported by
the various Eastern associations as
jobbing or selling directly or indirect
ly to consumers.
1.-The members of the National
Wholesale Lumber Dealers Association
ars requested to cooperate with the
Western Association by refusing to sell
them lumber"
Still another alleged to have been
issued by the Western States Retail
Lumber Dealers Association in April
1909 naming blacklisted manufacturers
who had sold direct to consumers reads
as follows:
You are reminded that it is because
you are members of our association
and have interest in common with
your fellow members in the informa-
ton contained in this statement, that
they communicate it to you in the
strictest confidence with the under
standing that you are to receive it and
treat 1t in the same way. The follow
ing are reported to have solicited,
quoted or sold direct to the eonsum-
ers:"
This Is Only a Starter
Washington, May 19.-At the depart
ment of justice today, it was stated
that the suit filed in New York against
the so-called Lumber Trust would be
the first of series to be instituted
wherever similar violations of law are
alleged.
Officials of the department made it