The New York herald., 1920-12-24

the Sherwin- Williams Company of Cleve-
land. the Hammer Brothers White Lead
Company of st. Louis. the Eagle-Pitcher
Company of Chicago and the du Pont de
Nemours Company of Wilmington.
Before taking up the white lead enter
prise Mr.. Tuttle told the committee that
the Eastern Soil Pipe Association, of
which he also is secretary, had agreed
to disband within a week. This organi-
zation is composed of the largest cast
iron pipe manufacturers, and through
the testimony of Mr. Tuttle it was dis
closed that master plumbers and the
unions were dominated by the combina-
tion and could not use cheaper construc-
tion designed to cut the cost of building.
Mr.. Tuttle, the obdurate and evasive wit
ness of Wednesday. had changed over
night into willing and complacent wit
ness anxious to assist the committee.
Your association. l understand, is
ready to disband, in good faith?" Mr..
Untermyer asked.
II should say so ; yes. SIR Tuttle
answered.
within what time?"
ANY time you suggest"
Say a week."
Yes"
And that means the association will
really dissolve and the members pro-
ceed in good faith to compete and not
exchange lists and enter an open and
fair field of competition?"
Yes"
you understand that we do not offer
you gentlemen immunity for past acts
and that you have to assume full re-
sponsibility for what you have done"
The witness said he understood that.
Mr.. Untermyer informed the commit
tee that in view of the promises made
he suggested the investigation of this
particular associations affairs should
not be carried further and that the evil
dence obtained. together with more that
is to be turned over. be placed in the
hands of the Grand Jury with the un-
derstanding that the latter body be ut
liberty to take any action deemed adj
visable
Trusts Promises to BE Tested.
1t was explained later by members
of the committee that the sincerity of
the promises now being made by the
combinations, in their haste to disband.
would be thoroughly tested in the ac-
tual market before further action be
taken. BY their surrender, the combina-
tons do not escape the danger of prose-
cution they merely put themselves at
the mercy of the State and supply pow
erful weapons to prosecuting officers If
1t should be found later the old price
fixing agreements are in operation and
the dissolution not genuine.
The American Institute of Lead Man.
ufacturers was organized in 1918, The
National Lead Company is the biggest
concern in the combination and the to-
tai business of the members is close to
500. 900, 900.
The association maintained report
ing plant through which the several
concerns submitted their price lists.
This system is to be suspended under
the agreement entered into Yesterday.
Almost complete control of the indus
try rested with the members. Asked
whether it was true that the concerns
have n complete monopoly, Mr.. Tuttle
admitted that they do "the ovcrwhelm-
ing business in their field" The asso-
citation sought to make its reporting
bureau and system of exchanging bids
as nearly trouble proof as possible.
Mr. Tuttle said the plan was not ''law
proof" but rather fool proof" to
make the system free from clerical
errors. There was no intent to evade
the law, the witness said.
Proof Found I'm Price Lists.
Mr.. Untermyer offered bundles of let
ters and price cards. which he informed
the committee had been EXCHANGED be-
tween the members of the associa don.
carrying out the association rules. Price
cards were prepared by members and
forwarded to the institute and the wit
ness said he prepared the production
and distribution data. Typewritten
sheets OF minutes were found tucked
into the back of a book out of regular
order, but the witness could not eN-
plain how that mad happened.
Prices in all instances were changed
simultaneously as the cards and cor
respondence showed, Tuttle said. but
he denied that the association through
this method of operating was trying to
beat the devil around the BUSH" Tho
records of the association referred to
methods of "stabilizing the price Of
white lead in all sections of the
country"
Mr.. Tuttles account with n Wall
street brokerage firm was offered and
showed that transactions ran up to sew
eral hundred thousand dollars. The
witness insisted that the account was
his own personal affair. having no con-
nection directly or indirectly with the
business Of the association, and upon
that statement Mr. Untermyer declared
he did not wish to go into personal
affairs and the inquiry was dropped
rTba baa ring adjourned To next