El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-19
CEMENT TRUST
WORKING HERE?
Cement Men Say No: U. S.
Attorney General Takes
Action.

Although Washington charges that
there is a cement combination" in
the United States, officials Of the
Southwestern Portland Cement COM
pany assert that II such a thing ex-
lists. the tentacles Of the octopus do
not reach this far.
Washington dispatches assert that
attorney general a. Milton Palmer
is preparing a suit in equity TO dis
solve the cement combination OF the
United States"
Officials Of the Southwestern Port
land Cement company say there is no
such thing as a cement combination
so far as they are concerned and
deny that there has been any advance
in prices here, as reported At the
general sales office OF the company,
Il is stated that cement is now SELL
ing by the carload at $3.50 and that
this is not unusual; that the price
for the past three or four years has
been between S2.7O and $3.50. depend
ing largely upon the price OF sacks
E. L. Neff, a local retailer OF ce-
ment, said cement had recently been
increased 10 cents a barrel to him.
but the company had reduced the
charge for sacks from IS cents 20
Is cents. so that there was virtually
no change.
L. :. TO Sue in New Jersey.
Mr.. Palmer's action against the So
called cement trust" is TO be brought
in New Jersey. il is announced,
against 70 individual companies.
In praying the defendants be en-
Joined perpetually from further en-
gaging In combination and conspir-
acy," the government charges that
by means OF an unincorporated assoc
citation. supported by all on the pro
rata basis Of business transacted the
companies undertook to restrict pro-
duction, TO decrease the aggregate
amount OF cement under contract Tor
future delivery, to maintain uniform
prices and to advance prices BY about
200 percent.
The action OF attorney general Pal
mer follows action in Kansas. where
the attorney general is pushing a
fight 10 prevent prOfiteering in road
materials and to reduce the present
cost OF cement Richard j. Hopkins
attorney general OF Kansas. several
weeks ago filed an custer suit against
cement manufacturers doing business
in Kansas, charging a combination in
restraint of trade to fix prices and
control output and distribution
Admit Violation OF Law.
Cement manufacturers frankly ad-
mitted TO the Kansas attorney gem
sral, after he had uncovered their
system OF Uniform oealinE through
pro rata supported organization, that
they were technically in violation OF
the law. according TO the Kansas City
Star. Their defence was that the fed
eral government had approved their
price list, their freight rates and plan
Of doing business. None Of the manu-
facturers could or would explain just
what form the approval took. except
10 hint that il came from the ted- |
sraI trade commission and the inter-
state commerce commission
The entrance Of attorney general
Palmer into the fight against the ce- /
ment combine will be q great help IN
,ur efforts 10 prevent profiteering IN
Dad building" S y. Hawkes., assist
mt attorney general Of Kansas, is
quoted as saying. 1t wipes out the
lain Of federal approval. the only
lefence the cement manufacturers
lave made to their plan for standard
zing their business Whatever in
ormation the government unearths
will also be available in our proceed
ugs against the manufacturers in the
tate supreme court Undoubtedly,
ONE OF the defendants in the suits are
he same"
Assistant district attorney ". H.
fryer has received no instruction
iere TO make any probe into cement
lrices or conditions