Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-17
j. S. TRUST LAW IS
CLARIFIED BY ACTS
RECENTLY PASSED
Federal Trade Commits
sion and Clayton Meas
ure Have Aided.
NOT ALWAYS EASY TO
RECOGNIZE VIOLATIONS
Sherman Statute in Force Is
Years Before Interpreted by
Supreme Court.
RULINGS ARE SUMMARIZED
Outline Shows Many Practices
That We're Abatcd without
Prosecution.
NOT ALWAYS EASY TO
RECOGNIZE VIOLATIONS
RULINGS ARE SUMMARIZED
Outline Shows Many Practices
That We're Abatcd without
Prosecution.
Bi j. FREDERICf< ESSARY,
stan Correspondent or Thr Times
Dfsnntch.


WASHINGTON. Jan. iG.-Sincc the
creation OF the Federal Trade Com
mission ana the enactment Of the
Clayton antitrus; law. the Federal
government has been proceeding
slowly but unhaltlnrly in the Gircc-
ton OF Il higher standard Of business
practices which Will guide the buyer
ana the seller OF commodities along
Lawful paths In their transactions.
In the past IL was not always easy
Tor the man Of bus!u"ss 10 know
when h.. Was within the lGw ar
violator OF tho law. The sherman
act "as q broad and genera! measure.
seemingly all-incius!vc. and yet 80
.adeterin!natc In Its m.ap!ng that Il
remained on the siatut" hooks for
more than twenty-five years bcfor.
II was definitely Interpreted by the
SGprcin. Court
Subsequent cnactmrn,a. however.
nave cleared the atmosphere To "A
marked extent and III. rulings ut the
Federal Trade Commission under
those cnactmcn;s civ. IN. business
man a wcil-dcnncd idea OF what con-
st!tutcs unfair or CORRUPT practices
~ trade: what he may do. in other
words. without fear OF prosecution.
and what tc may not DO without
running grave risks.
The commission has jus, sum
married. It's rulings upon thcsc ques-
,!ons, showing what practices II has
condemned as unlawiul. practices
which have hocn stopped in some in
dustrics without prosecution. but only
afior court decrocs, IL others. Tha
followlng is an outline Of this sum
mary
Outline Of summary.
MisbrandinG o! fabrics aud other
y5mmod.tics Respecting the materials
90 ingredients of which they are
no'nposcd, their aaaiiy. origin. or
,ourcc.
.Nduiteration o. commodities. mis-
r"prcs"ntirig them rs pure or selling
undcr such names and circumstances
,hat TN" purchaser would 10. mislcd
into believing rhcm 10 be pure.
bribery OF buyers or other en-
p.oycs Of customers and prospective
customers TO sccur. new customers
%" induce continuation Of patronage
and the bonuses by manufacturers to
statesmen OF jobb.rs and retailers 10
procure their special services in sell
ing their goods: and making unduly
large contributions of money to as
sociations OF customers
Procuring the business OF trade sc-
c-"ts OF competitors by espionage. by
bribni; their employees or 10y similar
means. and procuring breach OF com
products by Misrepresentation or bv
other means.
Inducing employees Of competitors
to violate their contracts or cnticing
away employees of competitors in such
numbers or under such circumstances
as 10 hamper or embarrass them in
business.
Making false or disparaSinS state
mcntS respecting competitors' pro
ducts. their business, financial credit
etc: the use OF false or misleading
advertisements. anu the making OF
false claims To patents or misrcpre
sen,ing the scope OF patents.
Making vague and indefinite threats
of patent infringement suits against
the trade generally. the threats he
ing couched in such general language
as not to convey Il clear iuea of IN.
rights alleged to be infrinGcd. bu,
nevertheless causing uneasincss ana
fear in the trade.
Suit Intimidhting Trade.
widespread threats to the trade nj
suits for patent INFRINGEMENT arjs
ing from the sale OF alleged infrinr
ing products OF competitors. such
threats not being made in good faith
hut for the purpose of intimidatinr
the trade.
Intimidating for the purpose OF ac-
compiishing enforced dealing nv
falsely charging disloyalty to the
government. or ,ampering with and
misadjusting the machines sold by
competitors for the purpose Of dis
crcditing them.
Trade boycotts or combinations of
traders to prevent certain Wholesale
or retail dealers or certain classes OF
such dealers from procuring goods.
Passing off Of products or business
OF one manufactured for those of an
other by imitation of the product.
dress of goods or ny stimulation OF
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