Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-19
Attorney General Hasn't Dissolved
a Single Trust, but Has Helped
Ten in Last Seven Months,
Worse Than BaIIinger in Delay.
STILES Greatest Victory Ever Won
for People Before U. S. ST.
preme Court by Action in the
Union Pacific Dissolution Case.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-An rec
or for first aid to trusts" have been
broken by the Department of Justice
under the administration Of Attorney
General McReynolds.
During the seven months he has
been in charge of the Governments
ramnegn for fighting monopolies the
Attorney Generals notable accom-
samrnts-exclusive Of the number
o. small proceedings instituted-stand
a follows:
Number Of trusts dissolved-NCNE.
Number of trusts or other infusn-
hal defendants which have received
first aid"-TEN.
The only other Cabinet officer in
tAe history Of the United States who
approached the present Attorney Cen
"r0L I0 this respect was former Sec
Rotary of the Interior Ballinger, and
the record Indicates that he was not
even n close second.
Here is the record:
I. UNION PAciFIC-S SOUTHERN
PACIFIC RAILROAD cAsE-Tne
United States brought suit to
compel the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company to dispose of s12G,-
65000o Of the stock of the South
eru Pacific, under the Sherman anti
trust act Attorney General Wicker
sham Won the case. The Supreme
Court ordered the Union Pacific to
proceed to divest itself of the stock
The lawyers for the Union Pacific
drew up a plan and submitted 1t TO
the new Attorney General Of the
United States, Mr.. McReynolds. He
accepted the plan, although, contrary
to the expressed wishes Of President
Wilson, he withdrew his request for a
public hearing.
ON top of this Attorney General
McReynolds forfeited the right to ap-
peal the case by consenting to the
entry Of decree by the Circuit
Court, and it can not be reopened eX-
cent by special action on the part Of
Congress.
Thus he effectually stifIed what is
considered the greatest victory ever
won in the Supreme Court by the
people. The man who represented the
Attorney General in the latter part Of
this remarkable proceeding, E. Car
ros. Todd, has been promoted by his
chief to the position Of First Assist
ant Attorney General, in full charge
Of the trust busting" work of the
department.
2, THE ANTHRACITE COAL
Observation-Disclosures began this dur
Ing the time Wickersham was Attor-
nay General The latter assigned him
to the case.
HE first proceedings were taken
under the Hepburn rate law, and. in
effect, McReynolds lost the suit. Then,
with the same E Carroll Todd, he
Med bill under the Sherman anti
trust law, charging conspiracy. After
.ong struggle McReynolds won a
decision from the Supreme Court.
Part Of the responsibility for the
doubtful victory was laid to failure
on the part of McReynoIds to draw
MS bill properly Now, in 1913. al
though the proceedings were begun
originally in 1907, the Attorney Cen
5Fal has just filed a bill against the
I'VE coal companies concerned, whicn
complies in form and manner Of
p'eaoing with the rules established
LOT such cases by the Supreme Court
N 1888. In other words, he has just
no" made fair beginning in the
case, And the retail price of coal has
steadily gone up.
). THE INTERNATIONAL HAIR
FEsTER TRUST CASE-This case
vas nearly settled by Attorney GEN
sfal Wickersham. A compromise was
proposed. Wickersham thereupon
mace out list of conditions for the
.-al ester Trust to subscribe to, but
7t We're so binding and SO favora BILE
"" ne Government that the trust de-
-ea II could better afford to fight
"-gHgh the courts.
MS suit, which was begun nearly
Continued on Page 2, Column 6.