Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-03
"BoiIer Plate" and "Ready
Print" Disseminators Sued
ANTITRUST LAW INVOKED
Government Would Prevent Combi-
nation to influence Millions.
AGREED DECREE Is FILED
Proceedings Against the Western
Newspaper Union and Ameri-
can Press Association.

CHICAGO. H., August 3.-Mith the fiji
ing of an agreed decree in a civil anti
trust suit against the Western Newspaper
Union and the American Press Associa-
ton. the federal government today took
an advanced step under the Sherman law
to prevent what the Department of JUS
tice regarded as the possibility of CON-
bnation to influence the thought of sixty
million readers of rural newspapers.
The proceedings in this antitrust suit
terminated in record time. United Sta es
District Judge Kenesaw Lands entering
the agreed decree Immediately following
the filing of the government petition.
and the answers of the defendants.
The suit was directed against the fol-
lowing corporate and individual de-
PENDANTS:
Central-West Publishing Company
tholding company of the Western News
paper CnionD, Western Newspaper Union.
Western Newspaper Union of New York.
r. Cramer, Milwaukee,; II. IL. Fish.
Omaha; NJ. ii. Mcmillan, Chicago; Ameri-
can Press Association, organized in New
York; American Press Association. or
Smith, W. G. Brogan and Maurice r.
Germond.
Restrained From Combining.
The decree is designed to end a bitter
trade war between these corporations.
which furnish boiler plate and ready
print to thousands of country news
papers. The defendants are restrained
from combining or continuing alleged I'M
fair methods in competition, which would
result in destroying one or the other and
complete monopoly for the survivor
with all its potential power OF influence
ing the sentiments on economic and other
important questions of the readers of the
1900 small newspapers of the United
States which, 1t is estimated, fall into
the hands of two-thirds of the people of
the country.
Pointing out that an attempt was made
in 1909 to bring about a consolidation
of these interests, the government petit
ton says the expectation was that in
view of the great power thus acquired in
disseminating information the united
property could be disposed of at great
profit to those interested in inStilling GER
tain economic ideas in the minds of the
public, and that it was the design that
such disposition of it should be made.
Monopoly Threatened.
The circulation from week to week Of
information and Of articles dealing with
questions of public Importance is of itself
interstate commerce, and for one concern
to acquire the power to distribute all such
information and to deceive the public by
its perversion is itself a serious and sub
stantial restraint upon and a monOpoliz-
ing of interstate trade and commerce.
Such Il restraint and monopoly will re-
suit. unless defendants be restrained from
carrying on their warfare against each
other
IF all plate and ready-print were sup
piled by one concern the petition adds
then the news thus distributed, and the
discussion of economic and other i'm
pOrtant questions thus supplied, would
all be designed to mold the sentiments of
the readers to one particular view. and
that presenta ton of diverse views and
full and free discussion of important
questions from different standpoints
which is essential to their proper under
STANDING and hence necessary to the best
public interests, would be prevented"
William T. chantland. special assistant
to the Attorney General, investigated and
developed the governments case James
A. Fowler. assistant 10 the Attorney
General, conducted the negotiations which
brought about a friendly settlement. The
petition in equity also is signed by At
torney General Wickersham and James
H. Wilkerson, United States attorney at
Chicago.
Answers of the Defendants.
Mr.. Wilkerson explained the defendants
had agreed to the decree on being shown
copies of the governments petition.
The answer to the governments petit
ton as presented by the American Press
Association, through its attorney. Charles
A. Drodek of New York, was an admis-
sion of all he allegations concerning the
Western Newspaper Union, and a denial
of all the allegations against the Ameri-
can Press Association.
Charles F. Harding, counsel for the
Western Newspaper Union. also sub
mitted an answer denying all the allega-
tons against that organization, but ad
hitting the allegations against the Ameri-
can Press Association