The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-21
Charges Allege Viola
ton of Decree of
f. Dissolution.
THOROUGH INQUIRY
BYGOVERN MENT
Specific Complaints Relating to
!. Conditions in Certain Commune
:; ties Result in Investigations
to Which Attorney General
Is Giving His Personal
Consideration.

Washington. September 2e.-Ihe De-
partment OF Justice Is closely watch-
ing the workings and methoos OF 'ne
disintegrated parts Of the Standard vi
Company. and rigidly investigating all
charges that the decree Of dissolution
entered under the mandate OF the SUI
preme cour. of the United states IL
being violated.
While no senAal attack on the
Standard Oil and It's former subsid-
i,aries Is contemplated at the present
time. the government has received spe-
ciac complaints relating 10 conoA,iohs
An certain communities. The inVest-
cation Of these allegations is neces-
sarily localized, confined TO the situa-
ton in the specified districts. The re-
suit Of one Of these inquiries, Tor IN
stance. was the Indictment OF John l..
archbold and other Standard Oil mag
mates at Dallas. Texas, on August ~.
In tina, case the charge was that the
Standard Oil was endeavorins TO con-
| troll the oil business in Texas. since
then another inquiry has been started
in a different part Of the country. but
s,iIl OF a similar local character.
KeepinK In Close lOocA.
In addition to these Investigations,
the government is keeping IN close
,ouch with all developments in the
pending Standard Ol-Waters-Fieree
LITIGATION. While the Federal govern
,n.nt ia not a party 70 the suit. copy
q. ALI the testimony is received by the
D.na-tment of Justice for carefui
study to determine whether there Is
any indication that the decree OF as
solution is 10; being faithfully tui-
filled.
A.,orney-General wickershsm is
Giving these important questions ms
personal consideration He is direcl-
ing the Investigations and reviewing
the testimony in the Watsrs-Pie1ce
suit
This 4. the situation at the present
time and tine ultimate outcome -
problematical OniciaIs here were en-
pha,!c in their declarations that there
had been nothing so far IN the inses
LEGATIONS Of the Department OF justice
70 warrant criminal proceedings Que
than the indictments rsturnea At Dai-
IA, They were careful TO add, how :
over That no one could tell what might
be developed by the matters now pehu-
ing in the Gu ,rts or in course of inves-
>ixation. The interest of the Attorney
General is particularly intense. they
,po.n, out. because the Federal sCS-
ernment is the only power that can "a
etitu,e contempt proceedings for the
ALLEGED violations OF a courts decree
DEGREES Working Well.
President Taft and -Attorney-uenerat
Mickersham have expressed the BELIEF
that the DEGREES in both the Oil an"
tobacco cases generally were worAins
t.eu. They have contended tnat while
vufnous competition had not been rein
PRODUCED into the business. the DEGREES
had affected certain prices in such
way as to show the presence OF real
The disinsesrauons were
not expected by them to result n rad
deal changes in the business. Ines
believed II might take a period OF
years TO demonstrate all the oenents
tof the dissolutions. Because OK the
kpec.dc limitations surrounding the
!disintegrated companies by virtue OF
kthe DEGREES, both the President and Ms
ATTORNEY General have insisted that 8
resumption Of the old combination
would be Impossible. II. on the other
shand, experience should show. despite
their convictions. that the DEGREES were
Inadequate, the question could De re-
opened In the courts and fun oppor'
ftunity, in their Judgment. afforded &c
Oupply the defects
The government At this time. Il is in
dictated, Is keenly on the alert not only
70 detect any resumption Of the ole
combinations dissolved by the Supreme
Court. but also any new form 7f mo-
nopolies in those industries.