Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-06-04
STANDARD MAY
Be IN CONTEMPT
NAY BEGIN CONTEMPT PRO
CEEDINGS AGAINST A
BUSTED" TRUST.
TOBACCO Cases PR0BED
Attorney General Not Satisfied That
Tobacco Trust Has Obcyed De-
cree OF Supreme Court.

WASHINGTON, June 3.-Whether
DEGREES of the United States courts
dismemberng the Standard Oil and
Tobacco trusts are being carried
out, was considered today by the Will
son administration with a view to
possible institution of the most i'm
portant antitrust movement yet con
tomplated by the president and attor-
ney general McReynolds.
In the Standard Oil case the attor-
ley general received from Chas. Il.
Morrison and oliver r.. Pagan, his
special assistants, a report Of the re-
suits of their investigation of the con-
ditlons in the oil industry and began
consideration Of the question whether
the facts disclosed will justify the de-
partment of justice In beginning con-
tempt of court or criminal proceed
ings against oil interests on charges
of violations Of the dissolution decree.
Tonight this question was unsettled.
Discussed by Cabinet.
In the tobacco case practically the
entire meeting of the cabinet was de-
voted to considering whether surface
conditions in the tobacco trade war
rant the attorney general In beginn-
ing an investigation similar to that
Just finished in the Standard OIL case.
to determine whether the decree OF
dissolution Is being violated and
whether all semblance of a tobacco
trust" has disappeared. The attorney
general, after the meeting, was non
committa as to whether the inquiry
will be undertaken.
Consideration of the workings of
the DEGREES In the two big cases the
Standard oil at the cabinet meeting
and the tobacco at the department Of
justice-took place today apparently
by coincidence. Around the rule OF
reason" principles first enunciated by
the United States supreme court In
these cases has been built practically
all Of the antitrust litigation since.
The opinions have been the guiding
stars for the attorney general so far
as the Sherman anti trust law is con
cerned.
Was Never Satisfied.
Mr.. McReynolds. who as special as
sistant TO the attorney general. orr
sinally prosecuted the tobacco trust
has been studying the workings OF the
decree ever since he entered the cabi-
net. 1t Is known that he diss greed
with former attorney general Wicker
sham as to the adequacy OF the adopt
ed plan Of disintegrating. 1t has been
understood that his objections center
ed around the pro rata distribution
among shareholders Of the trusts
of stock Of the fourteen corporations
into which the American tobacco
company was divided.
He was quoted at the time as saying
the plan deserved IAN expeditions
commitment to the scrap heap"
The report made to the attorney
general by Messrs Morrison and Pa
gan In the oil case is the result Of sew
eral months investigation. They have
studied conditions in various locali-
ties and paid particular attention to
the soaring prices OF oil. Their con-
ference with the attorney general to-
day was inconolusive and 1t will be
continued tomorrow. The nature OF
til cir findings has not been made pub
lie.
In q preliminary report made to
former Attorney General Wickersham
lust before he retired from office.
these attorneys declared that their
then partial Investigation caused them
to entertain serious doubt a. to
whether the standard OH trust was
actually dissolved. They found that
unfair competition had been eliminat-
ed and the last few months Of their
investi CATION has been largely devot-
ed to an effort to ascertain whether
the control and management Of the
disintegrated parts OF the trust" and
thee ontiol Of the prices Of oil stiil are
directed by the same concentrated in
terests as previously.