The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-06
Government Claims System atic Effort Has Been Made to
 Restrict Production and Keep Up Prices Companies Were
 Forced to Close Their Plants MRREPARABLE DAMAGE" THREATENED TO BUSINESS
Competition Suppressed by
 Unions, Charge--True Bills
 Secured Under Provisions of the Sherman Anti Trust Law = Summons Owners
By Associated Press

CLEVELAND, Ohio, Jan. b. Alleging that they had negotiated an unlawful contract with the ap- parent purpose of eurtailing the output of hand-blown window glass and of boosting prices indictments charging violation of the Sherman antitrust law were returned by a federal grand jury here today against 16 members of the wage committees of the National Associa- tion of Window Glass Manufac- { turers and National Association of Window Glass Workers.
 After the indictments were re- turned, Federal Judge John M. Killits issued temporary order re- straining the manufacturers and organized glass workers from car ssying out the terms of a wage agreement.
 Although 67 firms are listed as probable members of the manufac- turers association. only 62 are 1, name1 in the r1. training arder. Ninety-five per cent of the work e.s belong to the union, it is said. Judge Killits set January IF as the date for hearing the injunction.
 Union Head Says Plan Just
 We cannot conceive, upon the facts as we know them. there can ever possibly by conviction on the indictments that have been returned, .'John M. Siemer, Cleveland, national president of the Glass Workers union, declared tonight Should there be a conviction it would simply be a form of judicial determination that our two period systems of issuing wage scale is a breach of the sherman antitrust law.
 we consulted competent legal counsel before adopting our policy and resting upon this advice and a clear consciousness of the propriety of the our efforts we proceeded with out fear in an effort to conduct our affairsain manner to obtain the very best results possible for our f members and their employers and we willingly invite the test of the courts X reconsideration of our conduct V Two members of the unions wage committee, Thomas Reynolds. Cleve- land, secretary and Edgar B. Robin son. Sandusky, were not indicted be- cause they had been summoned to give testimony.
 Reynolds, however, is named in the restraining order issued by Judge killits
 CLAIM .IRREPARABLE' INJURY
 WASHINGTON. Jan. 5.-The in dictment of 16 men, composing the wage committees of the National As sociation of Window Glass Manufac- turers and National Window Glass .a,, T annlicafinn for an injunction restraining these commit tees and the companies they repre- sented from putting into effect a wage contract agreement was neces- sary, according to government offi- cials. to prevent "irreparable injury to the industry and the public
 According to informatio laid by the department of justice before Judge Killits, in support of the pe- tition, the two committees would have met at Cleveland tomorrow to make effective an agreement which would have bound certain specified companies to close their plants for extended periods, in order to curtail production and thus maintain prices.
 Control Industry
 The 100 concerns named in the re- .straining order, according to the pe- slfition. control the hand blown glass industry of the United States. Their alleged agreement to hold down pro- duction was declared by the gov ernment to have already resulted in "s,,hstantial curtailment' of window E glass production, suppression of com Detition among the producers and material restraint of trade in that commodity.
 Each year for a number of years, the petition declared, it has been the practice of the defendants to ap- point or elect wage committees to agree upon a wage contract for the hand-blown window glass industry for the ensuing year. The contract so agreed upon is enforced against all of said defendant corporations, regardless of whether they belong to the National Association of Window Glass Manufacturers"
 Factories Closed
 At meeting in Cleveland. Sep tember 16, 1922, the government all | legged, the wage committees desig- hated certain factories which would tember 25, 1922, to January 27, 1928 and others from January 29 to June II, 1923, the conferees deciding fur ther, however. that none of the de- fendaht corporations would be per mittedFto operate the same factory during both periods"
 "Petitioner believes that 1t is inn practicable, if not impossible, for any bnanufacturer of hand-blown window iglass to operate unless he is granted nd signs the said wage scale con -act' 2 The petition set forth the factories (Continued on Page Two)