New-York tribune., 1919-07-04
Attorney for Committee
Investigating III using
Conditions Charges Anti
Trust L VS. Violated
Grand Jury Inquiry Asked
Association Director Tes.
titles Members Cannot
Sell to the Outsiders

The Mayors committee on rent
profiteering and the Aldermanic We'll
fare Board, which jointly are investi-
eating the housing situation, an
nounced last night that District Attor-
ney Swami will be asked to lay before
the grand Jury charges that the Assoc
citation of Dealers in Masons' Building
Materials is violating the Donnelly ar
THRUST law
The District Attorney will be fur
nished copy of the testimony gwen
at yesterdays session of the ,nvesti-
eating committees.
The Arst hint that officials of the
dealers organization might be charged
with violating the law was given by
Samuel Untermyer, attorney for the
investigation, at the close of the testi-
mony OF Wright D. Goss, head of the
Empire Brick and Supply Company and
a director Of the association. Mr..
Goss had been subpmnaed as he left
his Office to spend the holidays with
his family in the country. He came to
the session on a few minutes notice.
Mr.. Goss testified that members of
the association were forbidden by it's
bylaws to sell to outsiders Building
based on the cost Of production, he
said.
Says Law Is Violated
Before he departed Mr.. Untermyer
said:
II might answer you before you 60
by 5aying that there is a Federal trust
law and there IS state trust law
Those laws do not allow this associa-
ton to do the hings Is doing"
well, we have all these various laws
in contemplation" Mr.. Goss replied.
Mr.. Goss testified that the associa-
ten to do the things it is doing"
members.
do yor sell brick to any dealer
whether he be member of the organ
ization or not, if he has the money 2"
Mr.. Untermyer asked.
If he has the money" Mr. Goss re-
E,eated.
You are sure about that? Any
dealer can get BRICK"
I'VE would not sell our goods to
anybody who was not dealer"
you mean you would not sell them
to anybody who was not m nnber of
the Dealers Association
Yes" MIR. Goss answered.
The witness also testified that If a
man couldn't get into the dealers as
members. 1t would be a violation of
the bylaws for member to sell to a
non-member, Mr. Goss added.
Sidney J. Treat, secretary of the
Masons' Materials ABSORPTION. testi-
fed as did Mr.. Goss, on brief notice.
He said that in the two years which
he has served as secretary two firms
have been admitted to membership
and two were refused.
He said that complaints had been
received against mem beers made by
L1&
doing business with outside firms.
These complaints were justified. the
witness said, because the by laws of
the organization forbid dealings with
non-member firms.
When asked if he sent out price
sheets from time to time, Mr.. Treat
said that he mailed out cost sheets ev-
cry three or four months, showing the
members the latest expenses IN con-
nectlon with the production of the
building materials.
Robert H. Matthews, Of the Eden
Brick and Supply Company, said that
re had been refused Membership to
the organization, although he had been
proposed by the required number of
inembers-three. He said that mem
Ders received price list and that
fines as high as $3.50 are fixed.
Price-Fi1ing Charged
Mr.. Matthews, who was a member
up to seven years ago, when he failed
IN business, charged that an ironclad
uniform Price is maintained by the as
sociation. Brick is sold at SIS a thou
sand. Without discrimination against
f:rn OH the part of members, ne could
naeersell this figure by s1.5o thou
sand. ne testified. He told of his efforts
to purchase brick from members and
sa he was finally forced to raanufac.-
ure brick himself.