Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-19

Without any preliminary warning the
Department of Justice last week an
nounced the filing of an antitrust
prosecution against a score of Pacific
Coast oil companies including such
industrial giants as the Standard Oil
Co. Of California and the Shell Co. A
price fixing conspiracy is charged. A
more vigorous antitrust policy than
had prevailed under Mr.. Coolidge was
foreshadowed soon after Mr.. Hoover
took office. There has been no fanfare
of trumpets about 1t, BIZ Attorney
General Mitchell and his aides have
been working along these lines, and
their labors are beginning to bear fruit.
Two months ago series of important
suits against Fox Films, Warner Bros.
and other large moving picture COM
panieS was started, charging monopoly.
Another important suit was against the
Great Western Sugar Co. The present
proceeding against the oil companies
is the eighth antitrust case instituted
since last March. More suits of like
character are said to be in near pros
pect, though there is no hint as to
the particular targets of attack.
| 1t is Of interest to note in this con-
nection that during the five and one
total of rs antitrust suits were insti-
tuted by the Department of Justice and
during Mr.. Harding's brief span in
Office so such suits were brought. This
record does not bespeak any inactivity
in the antitrust field.
~
Future historians will not fail to note
the fact that the momentous Senate
battle on the confirmation of Chief
! Justice Hughes was started by a f1uke.
Except for the stubborn objection of
Cole Blease of South Carolina, who in
sisted on days delay, in order that
he might offer medical certificates to
buttress his fantastic claim that Mr..
Taft's illness was greatly exaggerated,
and his resignation procured under
duress, the Senate would have confirm
ed Mr.. Hughes Immediately after his
nomination was reported from COM
mittee. Norris and Blaine we're the only
Senators to record themselves against
confirmation and Norris alone desired
to speak before the Senate acted. He
read his statement with an air almost
of apology for publicly voicing a word
of criticism. When Norris had finished
and the vote was to be taken, it was
Norris who pleaded with Blease to
withdraw his objection and permit i'm
mediate confirmation. But Blease per-
sisted, the Senate recessed, and next
day the smoldering hostility burst into
flames and spread with incredible
rapidity.
The swearing in of Chief Justice
Hughes, which will take place next
Monday will be a ceremony of extreme
simplicity. Mr.. Hughes will file in with
the other justices, when the court con-
venes at noon, and take his stand by
the chair in the center of the bench"
He will take the oath in phraseology
the same as taken by every Federal
court judge, administered by Oliver
Wendell Holmes, senior associate JUS
tice. Then the judges will sit down and
the regular business of the day will pro-
coed. The Supreme Court chamber seats
about $50 persons. No tickets of adn1is-
sion for the Hughes ceremony will be
| issued. Some of the seats will be roped
off for members of the immediate fami-
| lies Of the justices, and as to the re-
mainder, first come, first served.
Massachusetts, Republicans received
two announcements last. week, close OH
the heels of their unexpected Waterloo
| in the special congressional election III
the Springfield district, neither of which
tended to add to their peace of mind.
One was a statement from former Sen
| ator william M. Butler that his hat was
irrevocably in the ring for the Republic
can senatorial nomination. His battle
cry is defense Of Massachusetts, business
and industry from the assaults upon 1t
| by the West and South. His statement
recognizes that prohibition is to be Il
major issue also, and he promises to
meet that issue squarely in a fur. ner