Evening star., 1948-03-21

passage Of the act" In 1890.
Authority for this somewhat
torney General John r. Sonnet, Il
charge Of Justices Antitrust Di
vision, who says his enforcement
agency has been handicapped by in
sufficient manpower and a shortag
Of funds.
Vigorous Drive Planned
That condition, however, may sool
be rectifled. For the House Appro
priations Committee recently recon-
mended an additional 81, ,000, 900 fol
the Antitrust Division for the fisca
year starting July !. And under {
new program, Mr.. Sonnett's trust.
busters" are girding for = vigorous
invasion Of the food, clothing anc
housing fields.
In boosting the Antitrust Di.
visions funds, the House Appropri-
ations Committee stated: "Thi.
nation must free itself of monopolie.
and 1t Is up to the responsible de-
partment of government to see to II
that the interests of the majority
are protected"
The s5-year-old Mr.. Sonnet. who
successfully prosecuted the Govern
ment's contempt case against John
L. Lewis and his mine workers, pro-
poses an all-out attack on suspected
antitrust activities.
The attack on violators in the
food, clothing and housing indus
tries will be double-barreled. One
phase will deal with conspiracies
to maintain or increase prices, with
Jail sentences being recommended
for the conspirators. The second
phase will be aimed ut monopolies
in these fields.
Protect the Little Man
Some 122 antitrust cases are now
on file in Federal courts and $50
major Investigations are under way.
Justice officials make it clear they
are not opposed to big business be-
cause 1t Is big. 1t Is their duty to
protect the "little fellow" and pre-
serve free enterprise.
Mr.. Sonnett's division comedies
it faces quite tight in the food,
clothing and housing fields. Big
companies naturally are rich in
legal talent and the Governments
$1,000 and 5000 . year attorneys
will be up against lawyers whose
fees sometimes run into six figures.
In fact, Mr.. Sonnet says the de-
PENDANTS counsel fees in any major
antitrust case will usually exceed
his divisions entire yearly appro-
priation.
In preparing an antitrust case,
Government lawyers have to study
the history of the industry con-
cerned, sometimes q tremendous
physical job of going through
records.
Mr.. Sonnett called attention to
the aluminium case, which has been
active now for II years. He said
the actual trial took between two
and three years. And the end Is
not yet in sight.
Many complex and time -consum-
ing cases plague the Justice Depart
ment. Mr.. Sonnet says it is dim
cult to get the right caliber Of law
yers for the vacancies.
But despite the handicaps, Mr..
said that since the early
lso0s, the Antitrust Division has
done a perfectly tremendous job
with very little to do it with"
One Of the greatest problems
facing the division is = proper pro-
gram OF following up consent de-
,rees or judgments issued by the
courts to see that they are being
lived up to adequately. But here
again the crux Is manpower-a
'ufncient force to see to it that the
iecrees are really enforced.
Because OF the limited manpower,
he main job is to pick out the work |
ieemed most effective and pursue
hat course.
The list Of the departments anti
rust cases now Is indeed long. In
he past two years the division has
launched inquiries into radio parts,
stencils, eyeglasses, taxis, buttons,
oall bearings, fish, tin cans, fruits
md vegetables.
Many Major Cases
Further. it is investigating fire
chlorination equipment,
surgical dressings, sponges, washing
machine tools, cash regis
ters, petroleum products, screws and
screw drivers, high-tension cable,
notor-driven fire apparatus, rolled
steel, hogs, oil and entertainment.
Major cases have been filed on
he average of one every two weeks
since last July l. Those the depart
ment has most recently been en-
gagged upon involve tires, glass fiber,
hosiery machinery. finance, brake
Innings, friction materials, cast Iron |
pipe, clutch facings and real estate.
During World War II, certain
,ypes Of antitrust work had to be
abandoned, because big business had
% be allowed certain leeway in
to aid In the conflict.
Now that Is over.
The New York ONCE of the Anti
rust Division Is concentrating on
he clothing industry, particularly
'ayon. Grand jury investigations in
Washington, Boston and st. Louis
lave been looking into the milk situ-
ltion with indictments resulting
1ere recently. In Chicago, both
neat and milk have been under in
luiry. In Kansas City. electrical
contractors have been under