Oregon-Washington Plywood Co. v. Federal Trade Commission and 12 Other Titles

This matter is before us upon petitions to review and set aside cease and desist orders issued in proceedings by the Federal Trade Commission on complaints charging petitioners with engaging jointly in acts hindering and restraining competition in interstate commerce in certain lumber products, in violation of § 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C.A. § 45 (a). Before the Commission there were two groups, against whom separate complaints were lodged, one referred to as the “Plywood” group, the other as the “Door” group, the members of which operate in the state of Oregon or Washington or both. So far as material here the Commission’s complaints were the same in each case, and the answers interposed by the two groups were substantially identical.

The complaint as against the members of the Plywood group was initiated March 1, 1948, and was amended May 19, 1949. That as against the Door group was issued February 26, 1948, and was amended August 8, 1949. Details of the complaints need not be gone into. They alleged in paragraph Seven thereof that the parties named had jointly engaged in the unlawful activities charged “since prior to January 1936,” in the Plywood case,…