Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-10-01
SUPREME COURT Of U.S.. WILT PASS
UPON VALIDITY Of DRAFT LAW

WASHINGTON. Oct. Five big
antitrust cases involving the dissolu.
ton Of the United States Steel cor.
poration. the International Harvester
company. the United Shoe Machinery
company and the Lehigh Valley Rail.
road and the Reading companies and
affiliated coal companies. the so-called
anthracite coal trust cases, together
with proceedings from four states to
test the constitutionality of the draft
law, are before the United States Su.
preme Court, whic reconvened to lay
following the annual summer recess.
The opening today was purely per.
!unctory, adjournment being taLsu al.
most Immediately in order to perl.,it
Chief Justice White and his associates
TO pay their customary call on Presi-
dent Wilson. The hearing of argu.
ments on the pending cases will be.
gin tomorrow but court officials do
not anticipate any decisions being
handed down for several weeks.
Among the first cases disposed OF,
II is expected, will be those growing
out of the enforcement of the draft
law. II these were permitted to come
mp in their regular order, they would
not be reached for eighteen months,
but Attorney General Gregory plans
to ask that they be advanced by early
decision. While government officials,
and especially those connected with
the war department. feel there Is no
Il question about the validity of the law,
a decision by the highest court would
do much to discourage contrary scn;i.
ment manifested in various sections of
the country.
Appeals from the decision OF Judge
Speer in Georgia. who upheld the CON
stiutionalily OF the law and cases
rom Minnesota, Ohio and New York
which include those OF Emma Colt
man and Alexander Berkman, con.
victed of attempting to oppose the
carrying into effect of the law by urs.
ing men within the draft ages not TO
| register, have been filed. All are cX-
pected to be decided at the sane tine.
Dates have not been fixed for tn"
hearing OF arguments in the antitrust
suits. These cases were argued last
term. Rinnors that owing to the war.
action on them would be delayed uI.
Ill after peace was declared were met
by Chief Justice White ordering thea
re-argued at this session. The cases
stand near the top of the docket AM
unless delays occur. court officials eX
pect the Harvester and anthracite
trust cases to come up for considera-
ton this month and the others short.
ly afterwards. This will be the second
time the steel and the shoe machiE.
cry cases have been argued and the
third time for the Harvester and the
anthracite suits.
The Harvester case was appealed to
the supreme court from the Minnesota
federal court. which in 1914, ordered
the dissolution of the company and
its subsidiary organizations. cOmbin-
ing 1924, 100000 assets, as being in
violation of the Sherman law. The
government maintains that the mere
combining of competitive traders. vol
untary or otherwise into "prcponder.
ant or dominant position" in an in
dustry constitutes in itself violation
or the antitrust laws. The defend
ants claim that a dissolution decree
Is not justified on the grounds Of mere
size and power, contending further
more that the so.called Harvester trust
is n good" combination.
The enormous size and power al
legged to be exercised in suppressing
competition are the principal reasons
upon which the dissolution of the
United States Steel corporation is
asked by the government. Suit was
brought in the New Jersey federal