Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-05-24
GOODRICH COMPANY
WINS LEGAL FIGHT
In Refusing to Sell League It Protects
Dealers.

In Refusing to Sell League It Protects
1T is because we believe in an abso.
lutely square deal for the automobile
supply houses" says an official of The
e, F. Goodrich Company in explanation
Of the victory recently won in the Unit
ed States District Court in Cleveland
over the Automobile Cooperative Asso-
citation Of America
"There are $4,000 of these supply
houses throughout the country. If we
sold the various consumers leagues at
our jobbing price, and If other tire COM
panies did the same, it would result in
putting out of business a tremendous
number Of our prosperous merchants
who have invested heavily in the auto
mobile supply business. This would, in
the end, be q misfortune, not only to
the individual dealer, but would hurt
every man who owns and operates
car
''!f you own a car yourself or If any
Of your friends own a car and you take
your wives and children out for an all
day outing, one of the contributing fac
tors Of your pleasure is the knowledge
if you ran out Of gas, or If you have a
blowout, or If you need various little
supplies or assistance Of any kind, you
little supply house and get fixed up so
that you will be able to continue on your
way rejoicing.
"These dealers throughout the coun-
try, who make auto touring pleasure
are not making enough profit out Of the
sale of any one article to make living.
They must make their profits in selling
little Of this and a little Of that. If
you take away from this dealer his
earnings on tires and accessories the
chances are that IS per cent Of them
would be forced out Of business, and
yet the man who joins a consumers
| league doesn't stop to consider that in
so doing he is really knocking the man
who makes long automobile trip q
pleasure and q possibility for him.
''The Significance Of our victory is the
fact that we are saving the dealers for
the ultimate benefit of the consumer
even despite the desire of very large
body Of these same consumers.
I'm connection with this victory, the
following letter sent out by The B. F,
Goodrich Company to their dealers is
Interestingly: =" -
SUIT OF IMPORTANCE TO DEALERS
| On March 81. 1916, there ended in the
United States District Court, in Cleve.
land, Ohio, a trial which has lasted fol-
three weeks, and is Of vital interest tc
the dealers throughout the country.
The suit was one brought by a con.
sumers league known as the Automobile
Cooperative. Association Of America
which was organized in New York IL
1908 and went out of business in 1911
The suit was against the B. F. Goodrich
Company The Diamond Rubber Com
pany. The Firestone Tire and Rubber
Company, The Republic Rubber Com
pany, and the u. S. Tire Company.
The Consumers League-the plaintiff
T-complained that these companies hat
refused to sell tires to it at dealers
prices; that such refusal was the res,il
Of combined action or conspiracy OF
the part of these companies, and tina
the result Of such conspiracy had beer
to cause this consumers league to fai
in business. The suit was brought 70,
$45O,000 damages: under the Sherman
Antitrust Law.
1 At the conclusion of the plaintin'l
opening proofs, The Firestone Rubber
Company and: The U. s. Tire Company
were, by the direction of the Court
dropped out Of the case,
The fight was continued by the Good
rich, Diamond and Republic Companies
It appeared from the evidence there,
after taken-consisting OF testimDny Of
q number Of prominent dealers and q