Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-25

|
days hearing before the Stanley steel
trust committee that the steel plate as
sociat ton operated from 1900 to 1905 with
ers to control output.
| Officials Of companies which were
parties to the agreement produced checks
and vouchers to show their participation
in the ironclad understanding. When the
participants exceeded their allotted out
put they paid penalties into the general
fund, and when they fell below they re-
| ceived benefits
Unable to Get Name.
The committee tried hard to secure the
name of the attorney who drew up the
second agreement which supplanted the
| first agreement, burned before being
signed. but failed to get the name.
| This mornings testimony removed all
| question of doubt as to the actual opera
| ton Of an agreement among the com
| panies, and the practice was defended on
| the ground of preventing destructive
competition.
| because of '.restIessness over the pro
priety Of continuing it,
Observed the Agreement.
W. c. Moreland of Pittsburg, secretary
OF the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company,
was the first witness this morning.
Have you any relations with the Steel
Plate Association of the United States?''
he was asked. This was the association
referred to in yesterdays hearing as
forming an agreement among steel manu-
facturers.
The witness replied in the Affirmative.
r,f Cha nkC oh
that the Jones & Laughlin Company had
in 1904 paid to Willis l.. King, treasurer
of the plate association. large sums or
money in pursuance to the agreement.
What were these vouchers for?'
Il don't know, except as stated IN the
vouchers
The vouchers were accompanied by a
statement showing, various debt and
credit items. tending to show that the
Jones & Laughlin Company operated
with the Steel Plate Association from
1900 until 1865.
..Didnt you hear that there was a steel
plate pool, of which your firm was
member
II know that our vice president. Mr..
King was treasurer of the organization.
but 1 knew nothing of the details be-
yond approving and paying the vouchers
as they came to me properly autnen-
ticated. "
I'm the minutes of the board of direc-
tors and the executive committee, was
not this pool discussed?
mo, l never heard it discussed.
Did not your officers discuss such
grave matter as the fixing Of your out
put at a percentage Of 4.75 in loop
Did Not Know Details.
Il knew in a general way there was
something of that kind, but did not
know the details"
Have you never seen the agree
ment?"
NO, / never saw any such agree
ment. L searched for everything in re-
lation to the plate association"
Did you make reports to w. c.
Temple. the commissioner under the
agreement?'
mo, but If reports were made they
were probably made by our treasurer.
W. c.. King"
Did Mr. King attend the recent
Brussels conference of steel men?'
He is over there"
He is one of these observation-disclosures
ment fellows?" asked Chairman Stanley.
Il am sure / don't know anything about
that
Questioned by Mr.. Young of the COM
mittee. the witness reiterated that he
only knew in a general way Of the
Steel Plate Association.
The essential feature of his testimony
was that his company was in the associa-
ton until 1905. 1t was claimed yesterday
that the association broke up in 1902.
The next witness was A. F. Huston,
president of the Lulens Iron and Steel
Company of Coatesville, the company
alleged to be prominent in originating the
Steel Plate Association.
He identified the printers copy of the
agreement of the Steel Plate Association
He told Of meetings held at the Waldorf
in the autumn of 1900 with representa-
tives of the other parties to the agree
ment.
Mr.. Huston went on in a graphic man.
ner to tell Of the hard times of 1902 to
1905, when common labor got less than
81 day and nine out Of ten steel manu-
facturers failed. The meetings were to
and to maintain reasonable rates.
Rapid Growth in Value.
HIS company was incorporated in 1890
at 100000 and the book value is now
more than $8OOOOOO.
He was cross questioned by Mr.. Beau
of the committee to account for the in
Grease in the value of the property from
$500, 900 In 1890 to $6.OO0OOO few years
later. The witness, said that many new
mills had been put in. paid for largely
out Of the profits made prior to 1900. He
said his company is close corporation
and not subsidiary of the United States
Steel Corporation. More than half his
workmen are American citizens.
When you went into this agreement
in 1900 were your employees mostly
Americans?"
mo. 1 wouldn't say that" He testified
that he pays common labor S1.35 to 81
day and skilled labor about So day
Did you have an attorney when you
met in New York;
mo, l don't recall that we had"
"Was nothing said about who prepared
the agreement"
Not that l can recall"
He told Of the distribution among the
| parties to the agreement of the printed
| copy Of the document. 1t was sent around
! for inspection and signature.
Mr.. Beall piled the witness repeatedly
with questions to try to develop the name
| Of the attorney who prepared the agree
ment. but the witness was blank In his
recollection upon that point.
Ibid you sign the agreement"
Il don't remember"
| How soon was the agreement re-
( called ?'