Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-02-09

washington, Feb. S.-(AP)-The
,.deral government moved today to
rreyent formation Of gigantic
combination for monopolistic con-
troll Of the baking business. and
IA force dissolution of such of its
component parts as are alleged to
have been already assembled.
Proceedings were started by the
dspartment of justice in the federal
court at Baltimore against seven
treat baking corporations and eight
individuals, including the recently
chartered Ward Food Products Cor
noration and William B. Ward. The
court was asked to view the defend
ants as having violated both the
Sherman antitrust law and the Clay
ton act and to permanently enjoin
them from continuing further in the
alleged merger.
Other defendants named in the ac-
ton were the Ward Baking Corpora
ton, the Ward Baking Company, the
General Baking Corporation, the
General Baking Company, the Con-
tlnental Baking Corporation. the
United Bakeries Corporation. and
Howard B. Ward, William DENIM
ger, Paul Helms, J. W. Rombaugh,
B. E. Peterson, George G. Barber
and George B. Smith.
The department Of justice in a
statement declared the action had
resulted from a series Of investiga-
tons which began with the first ru-
mors OF important mergers in the
baking and related fields and con-
tInued against the baking concerns
as soon as Ward Food Products Cor
poration received its charter In
Maryland last week. Announcement
Of plans for two billion dollar or
ganization" was claimed by the de-
partment to have confirmed its f1nd-
ings that foundation stones for a
togetrer.
Formation of the alleged monop-
oily was charged by the department
to have been conceived a number of
years ago by William B. Ward and
his assistants and that their plans
had been directed to that end par
ticularly since 1921.
The plan, 1t was charged, was to
bring substantially all of the whole
sale bakeries in the United States
under q single control and by that
method eliminate all competition be-
tween them in the sale of bakery
products. The department also saw
far-reaching program by which
the concerns involved in the suit
were to acquire control of machinery
and equipment and Eventually to
buy milling companies, yeast compa-
MES and other producers of such
necessary ingredients"
The governments plea, as a re-
suit OF its iinding, therefore. was
tnat the defendants be adjudged
with having violated the Sherman
law and the Clayton act: that they
oe en1oined from doing any act in
iurtherance of the alleged combina-
uon' conspiracy and attempt to
- SPNAA6Ob tildl IlC warn OOu
Froducts. Ward, General and Cont
mental Baking Corporations be en-
Wineo from acquiring any part of
.ne stocks, bonds or other evidences
Vi Indebtedness or the physical prop
ssrty OF each other. and that the four
We perpetually enjoined from having
any director, officer, agent or en-
Haoyee IN common with each other.
me plea also asked that they be en-
!oined from entering into any agree
Ments or understandings respecting
me purchase of materials or the sale
OF their output.
AS final effort to keep the cor
p pvratlons from merging, the court
was asked to require the four COR
t ysoiations to dispossess themselves of
we stocks. bonds or other evidence
y. Indebtedness Of any competing
Sompany heretofore acouired.