Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-04
The Alleged Wooden Trust Needs
Probing, Says Ohio Man.
Shoe Manufacturers al Mercy
Of The Machinery Trust.
American Sugar Refining Co. Again
to Be Put Under Fire.

| washington, May 3.-The lnVestigat-
ing trend of Congress took a wide
range today, for inquiries into the af-
fairs of the United States Steel Cor
poration, the American Sugar Refining
Co and the American Wooden Co. were
placed on the program of the Demo-
cratic House; the big shoe industry in
terests were under fire: and a Senate
committee on expenses opened the way
for a decision as to a ADMINISTRATION
of the charges against Senator Lorimer
of Illinois, Resolutions directing that
special committees probe the records to
determine whether any of the first
three named big corporations involved
are operating in violation of the anti
trust, interstate commerce or national
banking laws have been started on the
legislative ways. The Steel Trust res
olution, the creation of Rep. Stanley.
Ky, was approved today by the House
committee on rules and will be report
ed to the House tomorrow.
Representative Hardwick, Ca, is
the author of the resolution providing
for inquiry into the American Sugar
Refining Co., and this will be eonsid
cred by the rules committee tomorrow.
il tHt C0iIliIIIllGS IletS diit litAit, II may
also consider a similar resolution sub
mitted by Rep. Francis of Ohio, direct
ing that a special committee of five be
named to inquire into the American
Wooden Co. Whether there is a trust in
wool in this country is information de-
sired by men interested in the wool
schedule soon to be revised.
Opposition attacking. through the
same channels but with contradictory
statements, the proposed removal OF
the duty on shoes, as provided in the
tree list bill now before the House of
Representatives, developed simultane-
ously at the Senate and House ends of
the Capitol.
While large shoe manufacturers tes-
titled to the Senate finance committee,
that they were forced to keep prices
high because they were in the grip of
a shoe machinery trust which con-
trolled absolutely every manufacturer
of shoes In this country. Representa-
tive Weeks on the floor of the House
was praising the concern, which owns
all the patents on and controls all the
shoe machinery in the United States.
He declared that because the United
Shoe Machinery Co. refuses to sell any
machinery outright. only leasing it to
the manufacturer, the latter is enabled
to engage in business with less CAPT
tai and that the tendency of this meth
cd was to increase manufactures.
The manufacturers declared that
this trust operates on a different basis
it does with those in this country, for
oil oh m
use some of their own machinery.
Weeks. on the other hand. said:
THE United Shoe Machine Co. leases
it's machinery abroad exactly as it is
leased in this country and at the same
rate"
Senator Bailey told the manufactur-
ers that in his opinion, their contracts
with the trust could be proved Illegal,
that in spite of the Shoe Machine Co.'S.
patent rights, he thought their action
could be construed as an effort to re-
strain trade, and he declared that the
attorney general might make some
trouble for the trust after he had
learned of the statements at today's
hearings.
Representative Diffenderfer. Penn,
today introduced resolutions calling
upon the secretary of the navy and the
secretary of war to furnish Congress
with all information relating to shoe
contracts for the army and navy prior
to 1909. Similar resolutions introduced
| last week by Rep. Gardrer were con-
| fined to 1909, 1910 and 1911. The Gard
ner resolution regarding navy shoe
contracts was passed by the House
yesterday and the committee on mill
tary affairs is about to report favor
ably on the proposed inquiry into army
| contracts. The inquiries We're based
| upon charges made by Mr.. Offender
| fer that one shoe manufacturing con-
Germ has monopoly on government
| contracts and has frozen out" all
competitors. The resolutions were re-
| ferred, respectively, to the naval an6
| military committees.
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