Evening star., 1946-08-18
ITO Antitrust Probes
Range From Housing
To 1axis and Buttons
BY the Associoted Press

/! Attorney General Clark said today
that ITO major antitrust investiga-
tions now are being conducted by
the Justice Department.
They range from housing to radio
parts and from heavy industries to
buttons.
Mr.. Clark said " a number of the
investigations involve industries
manufacturing products which vi
tally affect the production of the
everyday necessities of life"
Such fields as foods, fuel, elec-
trical equipment, metals, optical
equipment, transportation, oil, gas,
tires, surgical supplies, washing
machines and clothing are involved,
he said.
u. S. Policy Aggressive.
The Attorney General declined to
comment further on current investi-
cations, But in discussing present
and future antitrust activities he
emphasized these points:
/. The Government will pursue
realistic and aggressive antitrust
policy.
2. 1t will emphasize civil dives
titure suits.
3. Business as a whole, regardless
of its size, has nothing to fear from
the Justice Department, so long as
it lives up to the rules of competi-
ton
4. The Department will devote
special attention to protecting new
industries started by veterans
against trade restraints.
! 5. AS a new policy, businessmen
are invited to talk over" with JUS
tice Department officials proposed
business programs before instituting
them. In this way probably law
violations may be eliminated.
New Cases Expected.
Mr.. Clark said the Justice De-
partment will be most active in
the coming months to prosecute
combinations in restraint of trade,
attempts to monopolize the market
and attempts by private groups to
| fix prices"
/ There probably will be many new
cases involving basic raw materials,
commodities and services affecting
the health and business welfare of
the community he added.
"As important commodities are
released from price-control, We shall
endeavor to see that industry
groups do not set up private OPA's
to control prices and dominate
markets"
Already the department is setting
fast pace in antitrust actions.
Since January l, Mr.. Clark said, %
new antitrust cases have been insti-
tuted and Is have been terminated.
The Antitrust Division also has 122
cases pending in the courts, he said.
Wide Variety of Items.
The cases started this year en-
brace such commodities as food and
milk, ball bearings, bottle containers,
nickel, tin cans, spectacles, taxicabs,
buttons, rivets and fasteners, Mr..
Clark said Commodities affected
by the cases terminated this year
| include vitamins, aircraft instru-
ments, sponges, surgical supplies,
dyestuffs, artificial limbs and to-
bacco.
The attorney general asserted that
"a vigorous antitrust program by
the Government Is essential. The
threat of abuse of industrial power
is greater today than at any time
/ in our history"
During the war, he said, the
business conditions which the anti
trust laws were designed to elimi-
nate necessarily grew to gigantic
proportions. Competition was
practically eliminated" Mr.. Clark
said, adding:
The articles of war had to be
produced in the shortest possible
time. Therefore, those industrial
enterprises which were best adapted
to mass production were favored.
Circumstances Are Changed.
But the procedures, relationships
and group actions encouraged dur
ing the war cannot be permitted in
| peacetime. The American economy
now Is confronted by the challenge
OF full employment and full pro-
duction.
Since our experience has shown
that employment and production
suffer when monopoly is permitted
to impose restrictions on output, the
need for enforcement of the anti
trust laws is increased.
/ BY removing illegal restrictions
on the market, we make it possible
for enterprise to operate under the
most favorable conditions. Small
business will have an opportunity
to enter new fields. Workers will
find additional employment oppor-
tunities. Capital will find new out
lets for investment. And there will
be more goods and services for the
consumer"
Sherman Act Defended.
Terming the Sherman Antitrust
Act "a bill of rights" for both indus
try and consumers, Mr.. Clark said :
Some businessmen apparently
feel that this act is designed to
regulate business. That is an in
correct assumption. The act places
no restriction on industry and i'm
poses no regulation on the business
man.
"Au that the antitrust laws en-
deavor to do is to uphold freedom
to compete and to remove illegal
obstacles to competition.
Size in itself is not an evil. Size
alone will not be subjected to attack
when organized power through size
can be shown to contribute to
greater efficiency of production and