The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-10-01

Involve Dissolution of u. s. Steel Cor
poration, Harvester Co., United Shoe
Machinery Co. and Lehigh Valley
Railroad
WASHINGTON, Oct. Five big
antitrust eases involving the dissolution
of the United States Steel Corporation,
the international Harvester company,
the United Shoe Machinery company
and the Lehigh Valley railroad and the
Reading companies and affiliated coal
companies, the so-called anthracite coal
trust cases, together with proceedings
from four states to test the constitu-
tionality of the draft law, are before
the United States supreme court, which
reconycned today following the annual
summer recess.
Among the first eases disposed of, it
is expected, will be those growing out
of the enforcement Of the draft law.
If those were permitted to come up in
their regular order, they would not be
reached for eighteen months, but Attor-
ney General Gregory plans to ask that
they be advanced for early decision.
While government Officials, and espe-
cially those connected with the war de-
partmeut, feel there is no question about
the validity of the law, a decision by
the highest court would do much to dis
courage contrary sentiment manifested
in various sections of the country.
Appeals from the decision of Judge
Spcer in Georgia, who upheld the con-
stitutionality Of the law and eases from
Minnesota, Ohio and New York, which
include those Of Emma Goldman and Al
eNander Rerkman, convicted Of attempt
ing to oppose the carrying into effect Of
the law by urging men within the draft
ages not to register. have been filed.
All are expected to be decided at the
same time.
Dates have not been fixed for the
hearing Of Arguments in the antitrust
suits. These cases were argued last
term. Rumors that ewing to the war.
action ON them would he delayed until
after peace was declared were met bv
/ Chief Justice White ordering them re-
! argued at this session. The eases stand
/ near the top of the docket and unless
delays occur, court officials expect the
! Harvester and the anthracite trust eases
to come up for consideration this month
and the others shortly afterwards. This
viii hc the second time the steel and the
Shoe machinery cases have been argued
and the third time for the Harvester and
1.-THE anthracite suits.
The Harvester ease was appealed r.
the Supreme Court from the Minnesota
federal court. which in 1914, ordered
the dissolution of the company and its
subsidiary organizations. combining
S22l 100000 assets, as being in violation
Iot the sherman law. The government
maintains that the mere combining OF
competitive traders, voluntary or other
wise into prcpondcrant or dominant
position in an industry constitutes il
itself a violation Of the antitrust laws
iThe defendants claim that a dissolutio,
decree is not justified on the grounds OF
mere size and power, contending further
more that the so-called Harvester trus
Iis "good - combination.
The enormous size and power alleged
ito bc exercised in suppressing compe
tition are the principal reasons upon
which the dissolution of the Unite,
STATES Steel corporation is asked bv tn,
government. Suit was brought in tn,
New Jersey federal district court ii
ll9ll but was dismissed four years late
: by Judges Burlington, Mcpherson. Wool
ley and Hunt, who held that, although
lthe corporation was formed for the pur
pose of Illegally monopolizmg and re
training trade, it has not been able aIon
to fix and maintain prices and IS no
i an actual monopoly. The government
, at once appealed the ease and it wa
argued in March. 1917.
The proceeding in the shoe machiner,
ease was instituted in the Masachusett
: federal district court in 1911, but wa
dismissed after voluminous testimon
had been taken, the court sustaining TN
defendants on all grounds. This cas-
also was argued before the Suprem
Court in March, 1917, and later was al
dered re-argued this term. The Unite
States Shoe Machinery company was Oh
gained in 1899, with capital stoc