Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-05-20

New York. May 1e.-In the first fed
erai antitrust proceedings brought
under the Sherman law as interpret
ed bv the Standard Oil decision, the
department of justice filed suit in the
United States court here today against
various constituent organizations of
what is popularity known as the "Lum-
Der trust" alleging the existence of
. widespread conspiracy "unreasona-
BILE TO restrain the lumber trade in
this country.
First of Series of Suits.
u is said that the suit may be the
FIRST Of a series planned by Attorney
General Wickershan, looking to
breaking up alleged agreements among
retailers Of many of the commodities
OF life TO maintain high prices; 10
force ell Ultimate consumers to buy
from retailers. and to blacklist whole
slers who sell TO others than mem
bers Of the retail organizations in the
various states and cities.
Over $50 Individuals Involved.
Ten trade organizations and more
than $50 Individuals are made defend
ants by the suit brought today. 1t
alleges violltions Of the Sherman an
ti-trust law and asks the court to
grant a permanent injunction restrain
ing the defendants from continuing
the conspiracy charged.
5Iaeklistins System of Trust.
An elaborate system of blacklisting
adopted BY the alleged eonspirators
copies OF circulars sent out by the
various organizations classifying con-
sur1ers as proper" and Improper;
extracts from reports threatening
Short shri1t' to dealers who violate
the rules of the organizations. and
branding sucn offenders as ~pcaChers,"
"scadpers mavericks" and ''illegiti-
r1ates,r are set forth in the govern
ment's petition.
Large Concerns Placed Under Ban.
II is alleged that not only have pri-
vate consumers been olscklisted. but
tnnt many Jf tie great Industrial con-
Germs 0f the country have been put
under the ban by the lumber dealers.
Many Sensational Allegations.
The g.tvernmert's bill. which aggre-
gates probably twenty thousand words.
is reuietc with sense tional allegations
and Interesting exhibits. The suit in
stituted today is directed specifically
sEfinst the reten ORGANIZATIONS in the
eastern states. but the trial unQues-
tlonablv viii embrace the methods
ad'nted by retailers and wholesalers
throughout the United States.
A Long Planned Test.
The case is regarded as Attorney
General Wickersham's long-planned
test suit to have the courts determine
how Ear combinations Of retailers may
20 10 prevent the ultimate consumer
from dealing directly with the whole
saier or producer.
Not an Attack on Mjddlemen.
The governor takes the position that
any a-rr ruie1ts or acts which prevent
q consumer from buying where ne
chooses or 70 his best advantage are
unreasonable restraint of trade and
a sioiaficn Of the Sherman law. The
sui' is not intended as an attack on
tho uiddlenan as such because the
DEPARTMENT Of justice takes the prop
oeitlou that there is legitimate bust
ness Opportunity for him.
Most Important of Antitrust Suits.
% is known that willie the depart
nent has been making a nation wide
~ rest isation Of the question as il
relates To lumber. its agents have re-
ported 10 Attorney General Wicker
snam that the case is nearly paral-
ieied In the marketing of many other
cof~Tnodities in daily use by the Amer
fcan family II the courts sustained
the governments contentious in this
case there IL promise Of a sweeping
attack al along the line upon SINH
Jar alleged consDira cies. Officials NJ
the department OF justice regard the
case as the most important in prin-
ciple OF all the antitrust suits the
government had undertaken.
Evidence Collected for Year.
Attorney General Wickersham has
personally directed the gathering of
fhe Evidence. which has occupied more
Clark McKercher, who has been in
active charge OF the preparation OF
the case filed the bill today, which
we- .lso signed by Henry A. Wise.
United States district attorney at
New York; James a. Fowler assistant
70 the attorney general. and Felix
Trznxfurter. assistant United States
sttorrev.
The Principal Defendants.
The principal defendants in the suit
are. Easts-n states Retail Lumber
Dealers ssooiation. a. New York cor
poration. the central body Of the nine
other defendant organizations, Rich
ara :. White OF New York. William
e. McBrlde OF Philadelphia. and Louis
A Mansfield Of New Haven, it's Off
c~rs William r. Gaines of Greenfield,
Macs r. T.. Perkins. Of Providence
II. T.. William y Galliher OF Washing
tor. u. g.. Charles "a. Tibbetts OF
White Plains. y. v. its directors, and
- other individual members.
The New York Lumber Trade as
sociation and =. trustees
Tho building Material Mems asso-
clatiOn OF WeStcnester county, its Of
fc-rs and six directors
Tho Lumber Dealers association cf
Connecticut, A. Schumacher, Water
bury. Conn. j.. A. Lines. Tnsonia,
Conn. Louis A. Mansfield of New
FaVen. Conn. it's officers. and twelve
directors.
The Massachusetts, Retail Lumber
Dealers association.
The Lumber Dealers association of
Rhode Island and it's officers and
eight directors.
The Retail Lumbermen's association
CT Baltimore, its officers and seven
directors.
rhe officers Of the Now Jersey Lum-
h>rfnen'S Protective association and
twenty y-two members.
The officers Of the Retail Lumber
mems association of Philadelphia and
twelve directors.
The office = OF the Lumber Exchange
Of the District Of Columbia and It's
sriens. in its biil. the government
alleges.
Conspiracy Of Retailers.
That the retailers have conspired to
prevent manufacturers and wholesal-
err from selling lunoer rfrect to the
ccrsumrr. "a consumer for these pur-