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Show LUMBER TRUST FOUND IN WEST Coast Operators Charged With Conspiracy to Hinder Competition WASHINGTON M.iv 3. i By The Associated Press) Formal complaint WM Issued by the federal trade com-j com-j mission today against the Douglas Fir ! Exploitation and Kxport Company land 107 stockholders and officers in j the respondent association who are lumber manufacturers in the states J of uregon, California and Washington, J j The complaint charges conspiracy to hinder and obstruct competition (;ind alleges that the respondent association asso-ciation Is not. engaged solely in export ex-port trade and that It therefore does not come within tho jurisdiction of the Webb-Pomercno act. The respondents respon-dents are given the usual 30 days In which to answer, after which the case will be tried on Its merits. Tho trade commission In announc-! announc-! nig the complaint said: I "It is alleged that the association controls the manufacture and sale of 86 per cent Of all of the Oregon pine, red fir, yellow fir, Columbian pine. Puget Sound pine and British Columbia Colum-bia pine, which is manufactured and sold in the United States. "It Is further alleged that in order to carry out the conspiracy the re- j spondents: "Coerced competing manufacturers to Join their association and to abide by their plan of equalization of dLs- J tribution of orders. "Aattempted to Injure competitors in foreign countries oy cutting prides; "Refused to sell to export mere bants I unless they agreed to purcha-so 85 per i cent of all their requirement.- from respondents; "Refused to sell to export mtsr- , Chant! who bought for export elsewhere: else-where: "Circulated threatening ami coercive coerc-ive statement t competitor-, to become be-come members of the association: "Conspired with a British export association as-sociation which they helped organize , in fixing prices of lumber to American Ameri-can and foreign purchasers; 'Prevented customers of competi- i tors from obtaining steamship facili- j ties for transportation of lumber; "Circulated misleading and unfair I reports concerning the business reputation rep-utation of competitors and prospei -tlve competitors." Issuance of the complaint follows an Investigation made by the com-J ! mission Into conditions in the Douglas j fir region of the Pacific coast, on ; which that report was made to oon gress about a year aso. |