Denver labor bulletin., 1917-07-14
Especial Correspondence.)


NEW YORK, July 9.-The labor
press, and consequently the labor
movement, is directly interested in a
man of the committee on industrial
relations, to induce immediate action
by the federal trade commission
against the manufacturers of print pa
per who have boosted the prices of
paper, by conspiracy, to an uncon-
scionable point which interferes with,
if it does not prevent the use of, paper
for the dissemination of vital news.
Mr.. Walsh names specifically the
principal offenders and points out to
the federal trade commission how they
can be compelled to lower prices and
the means available for their prose-
cution.
Statement of Frank P. Walsh.
His statement and letter to the COM
mission follow:
, The federal trade commission has
reported to the senate that there is a
band of men in this country and Can
ada in an illegal combination arbitrar-
lily fixing prices of print paper, so that
many small publishers have been
forced into bankruptcy and many
more, large and small, will follow.
under the law to stop this. They may
enter an order commanding these
known offenders to desist. There is
no excuse for the usual laws delay.
If the conspirators refuse they may
have peremptory orders from any or
all circuit courts of appeal in the
United States where the offenses are
being committed, compelling compli-
ance with the demand of the commits
sion. Such orders under the federal
statutes are summary in character and
take precedence over all other cases.
The present war emergency makes
it imperative that such orders be made
Immediately
Defiance of the law in the present
circumstances must be checked with
the strongest and speediest power of
the government. No such order has
yet been entered by the federal trade
commission.
Gives Names of Exploiters.
Washington, D. c., June %, 1917.
Federal Trade Commission,
Washington, d. c.
Gentlemen: You are hereby noti-
fled that the following named individ-
uals and corporations, with others, are
and have been for many months past
using and exercising unfair methods of
competition in the production and sale
of news print paper:
E. w. Backus, Minnesota & Ontario
Power company.
George H. Mead, The Spanish River
Pulp and Paper Mills (Ltd).
P. T. Dodge, international Paper
company.
Alexander Smith, Abitibi Power and
Paper company Itd.).
George Chahoon, Jr., The Lanren-
tide company (Ltd.).
They have
Banded together, confederated and
conspired to control the news print
industry in order to secure uncon-
scionable and unreasonable profits to
themselves;
per by restricting free competition;
Influenced and ordered competitors
and potential competitors to limit the
production of paper;
Circulated and spread widely false
statements of the shortage of print pa
per in order to thus fraudulently JUS
tify exorbitant and unjust prices for
their product;
Pretended that the cost of producing
news print paper was far in excess
of their actual expenditures in order
to justify their unreasonable exac-
tions;
Allotted Themselves Privileges.
Arbitrarily and illegally divided the
United States into territorial divis-
ions, apportioning among themselves
the privilege of exploiting the users
OWEN TTAUV ETNTEC