The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1911-05-24
Against Lumber Trust by
Government.
ALLEGED PLOT TO BLACKLIST
COnsernS is Charged-Elab-
crate System TO Main
tain High Prices.
TRUST METHODS SHOWN UP

New York, Nay 2O--SWe ePing
} charges Of a gigantic conspiracy &c
maintain high prices, to blacklist
concerns not regarded as -proPeF"
trade and to violate generally the
Sherman antitrust law. are made
in a Government suit filed By At
torney General Wiekersham in the
United States Court here to-day
against TIE so-called Lumber trust.
Ten trade organizations and more
than $50 individuals are named as
defendants in this suit, which may
I be the first Of several planned by
. the Department of Justice against
combinations OF retailers IN staple
commodities and the necessaries Of
I life TO prevent the ultimate consul
mer from buying anywhere except
from local retailers.
Attorney General Wickersham
and his special assistant. Clark Nc
XercheT, have devoted more than
] year to gathering the evidence on
which to-day's suit is based. This
evidence includes copies OF the al
legged agreements. blacklists and re-
ports Of the various organizations,
branding wholesalers and retailers
who have dared 70 violate the rules
OF the association as 'poachers,"
mavericks "scalpers" and lille
Ultimate dealers" to whom short
shrift must be applied"
This is the Governments first
antitrust suit. conforming 10 the
Supreme Courts Standard Oil decis-
ion, in that it alleges undue and
unreasonable" restraint of the trade
Of the consumer and the manufac-
turer II is the evident purpose of
the plea TO confine the charge large
ly TO that feature. small stress be-
ing placed upon the restraint of
trade among the conspirators them
selves.
The Governments suit is replete
with sensational allegations, and II
is asserted that builders and con-
sumers of lumber the country over
are at the mercy of the retailers
organizations in different sections
of the United States.
The suit filed to-day is against
the Eastern States Retail Lumber
Dealers Association, which is the
central body of nine local organiza-
tions. covering five States, the Dis
trict of Columbia and the cities Of
Baltimore and Philadelphia.
The Government charges in brief
that by an elaborate system of
| blacklisting, not only individual
consumers but some of the largest
/ individual corporations have been
prevented from dealing directly
with wholesalers. BY alleged un-
/ lawful agreements and acts, 1t is
charged that all competition for the
trade of the contractors, the build
ers, the manufacturers of finished
/ lumber products, and the individ-
ual consumers, has been thrown en-
tirelv into the hands of the retail
ers in the Eastern States Retail
Lumber Dealers Association and it's
constituent organizations.
The Governments bill alleges that
in some localities the wholesaler
selling TO a consumer has either
been heavily fined or expelled from
the organization.
Oficials of the Department of
Justice regard the suit as the most
important in principle of any yet
undertaken by the Government
against alleged conspiracies said to
affect the cost of living.
It is believed that should the
courts uphold the Governments
contention that it is a violation of
the Sherman antitrust law to pre-
]
buying direct from the producer.
other suits will be started against
combinations of retailers alleged
to be in control of the marketing of
many Of the commodities of life.
The defendants named in the suit
and who are alleged to have con-
spired among themselves and. with
the assistance of the National
Wholesale Lumber Dealers Associa-
ton. have prevented wholesalers
from selling directly or indirectly
to c"nsrmers. are:
Tho Fastern States Retail LUm-
Der Dealers Association. a New
York corporation, with Offices at No.
IS Broadway.
The New York Lumber Trade AS
ISOLATION OF New York City.
The Building Material Mems As