New-York tribune., 1913-07-24
READY TO START HIS
ANTITRUST CRUSADE
Attorney General MCReynoldS
Will Begin Civil and Grim
inaI Suits at Once.
AGAIN AFTER STANDARD OIL
Administration Spurred to Ac-
tion by Democratic Platform
and May Try to Jail Cor
poration Heads.
From The Tribune Bureau.I

Washington, July 23-Within a few
days, possibly tomorrow, the Attorney
General will begin the first of a series
of antitrust suits. the Department oil
Justice agents having completed sew
eral Investigations of alleged monop-
olies. There will be civil and criminal
actions in the campaign to be waged by
Attorney General McReynolds, who re-
alizes that his predecessor set high
standard for vigorous and effective
prosecution Of violations Of the Sher-
man antitrust law.
The first suits will be Of a civil
nature, and if the government is sue
cessful, criminal prosecution Will tol-
low, provided such action is warranted
low the evidence. Ii is probable that
there will be series of criminal ac-
tions, according TO wei Informed
authority.
Mr.. McReynolds does not intend 10
be the goat" of the Wilson admin
istration, and will strain himself to of
set the criticism which has developed
as the result Of the Diggs-Caminetti
case and his plans about the Standard
OH Companys dissolution in compli-
ance with the decree Of the United
States Supreme Court.
Included among the proposed actions
against alleged trusts will be suit, or
suits, TO break the suspected Standard
l.. n
Standard Oil Corporation Mr. Nc
REYNOLDS has in mind a plank in the
Baltimore platform. which said:
I'VE condemn the action of the Re-
rubhcan administration in compro-
missing with the Standard Oil Company
and the tobacco trust. and its failure
10 invoke the criminal provisions Of the
antitrust law against the officers of
these corporations after the court had
declared that. from the undisputed
facts in the record. they had violated
the criminal provisions of the law"
No effort is made at the Department
of Justice to conceal the fact that Mr..
McReynolds is investigating the opera
lions of the Standard Oil Interests with
a view to beginning criminal prosecu-
ton or haling the high officers of the
corporation into court on the charge OF
contempt. He believes that ii is pos
sible to send officials Of the Standard
oil Company of New Jersey, including
John d. Archbold. head Of the corpora
ton. to Jail for contempt. and the in
Vestigation is being conducted along
this line, although some other course
may be adopted.
Particular investigation is being
made of the activities Of the suspected
trust In Texas and Indiana. 1t is as
serted that the Magnolia Oil Company
OF Texas is in reality d part of the
trust, Mr.. Archbold and other officers
Of the New Jersey corporation con-
trolling it's operations. Department Of
Justice agents have followed out every
charge made against the alleged trust
in the Waters-Pierce Oil Company's
suit against the Standard Oil Company.
end believe that some of The allegations
are founded on facts.
In regard to the tobacco trust, there
IS a difference of opinion between the
attorneys in the Department Of JUS
lice, but Mr.. McReynolds is spurred TO
the necessity Of some sort of action BY
the plank in the Democratic platform.
He is making a personal study of this
,ase. and already has devised several
tentative plans TO attack the corpora
ton, but is not ready to discuss them,
in view Of his experience when ne was
called to the White House and re-
quested TO soft pedap on his COM
ments on She two trusts.
Several antitrust suits instituted by
Attorney General Wickersham are
pending. These have been investi-
gated by the new administration and
most of them will be pressed this fall.
as Mr.. McReynolds is eager 10 make a
record for trust prosecutions.