The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-02-24
TWO BIRMINGHAM
 FIRMS NAMED IN
 GOVERNMENT SUIT
U. s. Files injunction Proceed ings Against Southern Pine Association, 61 Corpora
 tions and 69 Individuals
By Associated Press


 St. Louis. February z3.-Charging violation of the sherman antitrust law,
 tie government today filed in federal dis
 trict court here injunction proceedings against the Southern Pine association, 5l corporations and 6s individuals Granting of a permanent injunction for the purposes specified would amount to dissolution of the association, it was explained.
 The suit alleges the association has operated to curtail production to enhance prices and that as a result profits on salesl of yellow pirie sad vanced from S64l a thousand feet-in 1918 to $30. 35 in 1920 The suit was filed by District Attorney Carroll in compliance with instructions from Attorney General Palmer, and Is
 based on a report of the federal trade commission which investigated activities
 of the association. Judge Farris set March 15 for a hear ling.
 The petition asserts that because a rapily increasing price for yellow pine lumber. the price fixing committee of the war industries board established maximum prices for such lumber, which were in legal effect on and after June l15, 191S.''
 The defendants. the petition continues,  these maximum prices should be re- garded as in fact minimum prices and frequently exceeded thesel prices. SOLD BY MEMBERS The petition assert that in recent years 70 per cent of the entire yellow pine supply of the country has been produced in Missouri Arkansas, Oklahoma. Texas. Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and has been sold in other states by per- sons and corporations who were mem bers of the defendant association. The association, it is charged. is af- filiated and supervises statistical ex- changes in Kansas City, Mo. Alexandria. La. Hattiesburg, Miss, Little Rock, Ark, and Birmingham The government charged that in 1904 the Southern Lumber Manufacturers' association the assets and records of
 which organization were taken over by the Southern Pine association in 1914 ad-
 vised it's members to curtail production 33 1-3 per cent The following year the
 petition continued, speech by R. A.
 Long. then president of the association, was circulated in which it was stated an additional profit of about s6SO0,eoo had been realized by curtailing production. The petition related the many of the
 Southern Lumber Manufacturf $ asso- cation was changed to the Yellow Pine
 Manufacturers association, and mentions
 that the organization was adjudged guilty of violating the Missouri anti trust law in 1913. Federal Judge Paris. in whose court the suit was filed. was a. member of the state supreme court. which adjudged the association guilty at that time.
 The government declare the association
 brought about inflated prices by charg
 ing tat least 5 a thousand feet for
 'sstumpage'' or lumber still in the ground.
 DEFENDANTS IN SUIT Corporations named as co-defendants
 include: W
 Franklin Lumber company. Jackson
 Great Southern Lumber company. Bo- galusa. I,a-
 Brooks scanlon company Kentwood. La
 Eastman Gardiner Lumber company and the wausau Lumber company of Laurel, Miss Edward Hines. Yellow Pine trustees. I.umberton. Miss. !. !. Newman Lumber company and the Central Lumber company of Brook haven Miss. sordar River Lumber company of Gulf port. Miss.
 Kaul Lumber company and the Latn- ron Lumber company of Rirmingham
 Stearns Lumber and Export company 
 Pensacola. Fla. Standard Lumber company, Oak, Fla. Baglad Land and Lumber company, Ragdad, Fla.
 w. D. Harbeson Lumber company, De- funjak Springs. Fla. Nhtalhany Lumber company. Ham.
 mond, La.
 ". T. Smith Lumber company. Chap
 man, Ala
 Savannah River Lumber company sa- vAnnah, Ga.
 Lockmoore and company. Anacoco Lumber company and the Powell Lum- ber comparv of Lake Charles. La German & Boyd Lumber company. At lanta, La. n. Weaver Bros Lumber company and the Peavy- Byrnes Lumber company. Shreve- port, La.
 Fremont Lumber company. Rochelle. La s
 Industrial Lumber compaay Elizabeth. La.
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