Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-03-02
|ND|CT IA ENGAGED
IN CEMENT MAKING
II Corporations and 40 In
dividuals Are Ac-
cused
ANTITRUST CHARGED
Action Expected to Relieve Construc-
tion Industry Situation, Alleges
PRICES We're Fixed.

New York. March > indictments
were handed down yesterday by the
special Federal grand jury investi-
eating an alleged bgiiing material
combine against II corporations and
40 individuals, comprising an a.
legged Cement trust.
Tic Indictments contained two
counts, charging violation OF the
Sherman Antitrust law, one allcg-
ING combination and restraint of
trad. and the other monopolics and
attempts to monopoIizc.
Among the corporations named are
the Alpha Portland Cement Company.
the Atlas Portland Cement Company,
chc Lehish Portland Cement Com
nany, the Atlas Cement Securities
Company. the Giant Portland Cement
COMPANY and the Universal Portland
CemcrI Company.
Tie Indictments were returned as
/ result Of evidence presented to the
grand jury by Assistant United
States Acknowledgement William
! Rand anG Ben A. Matthews.
After the indictments were handed
down. Nlr. Rand said, III can be rca-
sonahlT expected that a successful
prosecution Of the combination will
materially contribute 10 bringing
about q wholesome condition IN the
construction industry"
| 1t : the Governments contention,
Mir. Rand said. that the combination
has - ctfectually maintained UNI
formity of price, divided territories,
Limited output ard reguiatcd the class
and character Of customers who
nli-h- buy cement and the purposes
20 which cement might pc applied, "a
N effect 10 exclude cement from the
ordinary channels Of TRADE and COM
| merce.
an fact" he sad, "as the term is
lsed ltncef ordinary compe:itiv" con-
| Iiiions, cement is no longer an item
If barter and sale sold freely in
he market, bal instead is controlled
by the mlir: facturerS llp TO the tian-
raent il IS actually employed in con-
| ;t,uction york
The indictments alleged that The
,-,n,,nnt combination" mas formed as
| suciat:ons and bureaus throughout
he country ostcnsib;y for the pur-
l.posa cf Guot:rg prices as - cvmpitt-
ed transactions and for the purp"S"
II Recommending" uniform trade
| practices. The evidence indicates,
tie indictments said, that The osren-
| sii,!e purposes OF these asSosl*EonS
are merely sham and that the So
called quotations Of past tranSactiIlS lS
ar, used "a means Of fixing cn"i-
mon price.
! Continuing the indictments 81
"Somc Of the more r"PrchenS'bie Of
these trade practices are what ''
kn,wn as delivery prices arbitrary
:rade base specific job contract
and warehouse deliveries -
The Government further a!leHei
that the combination mad bcs7
brought about, through the activii'";
of .hc FIVE OF SIX dominant cemea-
aon, rGnieS in the !cQurtry and thar
tl..;r Influence ;n-'thc trade has bee1
80 rceat as to make Il an easy t!:t;
TO either persuade or corecc The other
ccmcnt companies to foiiow their
irl,
The Indictment papers furhcr
-harcrd thas inspectors are en,'
pioyed b. the cement ma ufacturh's
10 see that no builder contracts -"
more than ne actually needs. #, 5y
chance, a builder should have nor.
thar MS requirements ard shoald at
temp. to uSc The Surplus on an"
other work very effc-tual methods
are employed to prev II rim fro.
doing "o.'
The building ndur'"y is a!w:yi
Kept ,.@n'ert hungr- the !nt!"t-
nen.s cortinuc. az ;cc raising is
never ombarr .s=cd y = surplus ST.
plv j cemere on ;hr 'aa'sct, for %
cement can ever be found, except in
{ tn. manufactures bins Or probably
a small supply in the hand Of deal
er."