The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-07-27
|S Says Pittsburg Plus
 Affects All Industry
Secretary McCollum Predicts Much Greater In
 vestment In Steel Production

CHICAGO, July 26.-W. E. McCol- lum. secretary of the Western Associa- tion of Rolled Steel Consumers, the orig inal applicants for a complaint against the "Pittsburg plus" practice, has is- sued the following statement:
 The ''Pittsburg plus" case, decided by l the federal trade commission, has been pending before the commission for five years.
 Definite organized opposition to this practice began in January, 1919, with the formation of the Western Associa- ton of Rolled Steel Consumers, by 40 fabricators of steel, mainly from the leading midwestern industrial eenters. The organization rapidly grew until 1t numbered nearly 800 members in 23 states.
 The late John S. Miller was retained as counsel and formal application for a complaint was filed in September, 1919, against the United Statec Steel Corpor- alion and its subsidiaries, the Inland Steel company, the Steel and Tube con,- pany of America, and the Interstate Steel company. All of these manufac- tured steel in the Chicago district.
 This application was argued before the commission in December, 1919, for solid week: There were two va- cancies on the commission at the time and three members then heard the argu- ments, these being Commissioners Houston Thompson, W. B. sColver and Victor Murdock.
 The vacancies on the commission were filled shortly thereafter by the addi- tion of Nelson B. Gaskill and John C.. Pollard, and on July 24, 1920, a de. cision was handed down denying the application, the vote being three to two, Commissioners Murdock, Colver and Gaskill voting to dismiss and Com missiOners Thompson and Pollard vot- ing to issue the complaint.
 Change Of Counsel
 About that time Mir. Millef's health failed--he died shortly thereafter-and H. G. Pickering of Superior, Wis, was retained by the Western Association of Rolled Steel Consumers as counsel. Mir. Pickering asked the commission for a rehearing in September, 1920 This was granted, and in December, 1920, there was another weeks argument. April %, 1921, the commission handed down decisiOn-again by vote of three to twO-reversing it's former stand, and issuing complaint against the United States Steel Corporation and its several subsidiaries. Voting for this complaint were Commissioners Thompson, Nugent and Pollard, and against it were Com missioners Murdock and Gaskill.
 Immediately upon the issuance of the complaint, Karl E. Steinhauer of the commissions legal staff, was appointed to take charge of the case and an ex- haustive field investigation was made under his direction, aided by Mir. Pick. ering, representing the Western Associa- ton of Rolled Steel Consumers, and H. B. White, traffic analyst for the com. mission. The actual taking of testi. mony began in Milwaukee, January 30 1922, before John W. Bennett, an ex. aminer for the commission. Hearings were held in Milwaukee, Chicago, Du- luth, inneapolis, Chattano6ga, Bir mingham, PittSburg, Detroit, Washing. ton and New York, covering period Oi about two years, during which approx. imately 50,0O0 pages of testimony were offered.
 Final Testimony Heard Final taking of testimony closed in