Evening star., 1926-04-03
S2,Ol)D,ODO,0DOF FOOD
MERGER GIVEN 50
DAYS TO DISSOLVE
Federal Court Orders Ward
Corporation to Surrender
Charter to Maryland.
DIRECTS CAPITAL STOCK
CUT IN GENERAL BAKING
Complete Separation of Three Con-
Germs Also Provided Under
Consent Decree.
Nv the Associated Press

Ry the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE. Md. April 3.-The
Ward Food Products Corporation, in.
corporated under Maryland laws with
an assessed ca apitaliZution Of $4,000
600 0o0 is ordered tn dissolve within
80 days and surrender its charter 10
the state. under 4 consent decree is
sued by Judge Morris \. Soper, in
Federal District Court today.
The decree provides also that the
capital stock of the General Baking
Corporation shall he decreased and
orders complete separation of the
Ward Baking Corporation, the Gen
eral Baking Corporation and the Con
tinental Baking Corporation.
Result of Government Suit.
The decree is the outGrowth of a
petition in equity filed by the Govern.
ment against seven corporations and
eight individuals last February. AL
Lying a huge combination in the
baking industry" Answers fled on
March "a and April nv the accused
corporations and individuals uniform.
ly denied the Government s allega
tions, declaring a monopoly as de
scrihed to be rendered impractica BILE
by the nature OF the industry.
The cases never came to trial. and
today's decree, entered with the con.
sent and knowledge of the accused
litigation. 1t follows conferences be.
tween Department of Justice official Is
and counsel for the corporal tions of
the alleged bread trust
Decree One of Most Sweeping.
The decree was regarded in Federal
Court and by Department of Justice
Representatives as one Of the most
sweeping ever entered in an antitrust
suit
Specifically. in addition to complete
dissolution of the Ward Food Prod
ucts Corporation. the decree provides
for the following:
Reduction of class 4 non.voting
stock of the General Baking Corpora
tion from 5000, ,00a shares to 2 1000. 600
shares. the corporation being enjoined
pending such action. from issuing
any of the 5000 900 shares to be can.
celad
Certification by counsel to the court
that William r. Ward has completely
llquidated his holdings - 900. 900
shares-in the capital voting stock of
the General Baking Corporation
Increase Of the number of directors
of the General Baking Corporation
from three to seven.
William r. Ward Enioined.
Enjoining the Ward Baking Cor
poration. General Baking Corpora
ton and Continental from acquiring.
holding or exercising control of each
others capital stock or the capital
stock of any other corpora tions en-
gagged in interstate commerce. where
the effect will he to substantially limit
competition: and from entering into
contracts or agreements for purchase
Of supplies. materials or equipment of
for common prices or common mar
keting policies.
Enloining William 3. Ward. George
G.. Barber and Paul II. Helms. char
aCterized by the Government as the
"triumvirate controlling and directing
the baking industry" from acquiring
or holding voting stock in more than
one of the corporate defendants.
The petition as regards individual
defendants other than Ward. Barber
and Helms is dismissed. they being re.
garded as merely nominal factors in
the industry"
These are Howard r. Ward. Will
liam Deininger. j. W. RumbouEh. r.
r.. Peterson and George s. smith
ANOIDEn ITIC ATION