Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-10-01
5 ANTITRUST
CASES WILL BE
DECIDED SOON
SUPREME COURT CONVEYING TODAY
WILL ALSO PASS UPON COMSTi-
TuTl0MALlTY OF DRAFT LAW.
APPEALED FROM q STATES.

IoN, ~ W. Oft. l.-TlNt
,ig antitrust eases involving the dissolu-
tion Of the United States Steel Corpora
ton, the International Harvester Company,
the United States Shoe Machinery Com
pany and the L.ehigh Valley Railroad and
the Reading Companies and affiliated coal
companies. the so-called anthracite coal
irnst eases. together with proceedings
from four states 10 test the constitution
ality Of the draft law. are before the
United States Supreme Court. which re-
convened today following the annual sum
mer recess.
The opening today was purely perfume
tory. adjournment being taken almost i'm
mediatcly IL order IA permit Chief Justice
Nhiic and hi~ a~~ociateS To pay their GUS
nmarN call on President Wilson. The
,carlng az arguments on the pendin: cases
viii begin tomorrow but court officials do
ioi anticipate amy decisions being handed
Town for several weeks.
Among the first eases disposed Of. Il j.
Expected viii b. those growing out Of the
enforcement of the draft law. II these
were permitted to come up III their regular
order. they would not be- reached for
eighteen months. hut Attorney General
Gregory plans 10 ask that they be adj
vanced for early decision. While gov
eminent officials. and especially those con-
necicd with the war department. feel there
j. no question about the validity of the
Jaw, Il decision by the highest court would
do much io discourage contrary sentiment
manifested in various sections of the conn-
try.
Appeals from the decision Of Judge
Sper ~ Genreia. who upheld the consti-
.tionality 81 the law and eases from MIN
nesota, Ohio and New York. which include
those ot Emma Goldman and Alexander
Bsrkman. convicted of attempting 10 OPP
pose the carrying into effect Of the law by
-rzing men within the draft ages not to
register, have been filed. All are expected
70 be- decided AZ the same time.
Dates nave not been fixed for the har-
ng of arguments in the antitrust suits.
These eases were argued last term. Ru-
norS that owing 10 the war. action OF them
would b. delayed until after peace was de-
dared were met by Chief Justice White or
icring them re-argned 1T this session. The
eases stand near the top Of the docket and
unless delays ocenr, court officials expect
the Harvester and anthracite trust eases
u come up for consideration this month
and the others shortly afterwards. This
will he the second time the steel and the
shoe machinery eases have been argued
and the tlurd time for the Harvester and
the anthracite snits.
The Harvester ease was appealed Ia the
Supreme Conrt from the Minnesota fed
eral court. which in 1914, ordered the dis
solution of the company and It's subsidiary
organizations. combining 1924. 900 900 as
set. a. being IN violation Of the Sherman
law. The government maintains that the
mere combining Ut competitive traders.
volrrtary ar other wise into a ''preponder-
ant or dominating position" IN an industry
constitutes IN itself 4 violation NJ the anti
trust laws. The defendants claim that q
dissolution decree y NOT justified on the
grounds 81 mere size and power. contend
IN. furthermore that the So-callcd llar-
vc~trr trust ~ n good Y, mhination.
The enormous size aud power alleged Ia
be- exercised in ~upprr~~ing competition
are the principal reasons upon which the
dissolution ni the United States Steel Con
p"raiinn l. asked ~ the government. Suit
Wa brought III tie New Jersey federal di~.
trict court IN 1911 hut was dismissed f"ui
vrar~ later ~ judges Darlington. Nc
Pher~on, Woeley and Hunt. who held that
ulfhnn,lt ~. ..N.raft.p ua- FORMED tni
The PURPOSE Ut Illegally mon"p"lizing ans
rr~iraiEng trade. i h"s not been able alone
% fix End maintain prizes and Il j. not ~
actual monopoly. The government ~ once