27 NOVEMBER 1909, Page 1

An extremely important decision was given by the United States

Circuit Court for the Eastern District of Missouri on Saturday last. By the unanimous judgment of the four Judges the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey is pronounced to be a combination in restraint of trade violating the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. As the Times New York correspondent points out in Monday's issue, the decision, if confirmed—for an appeal to the Supreme Court is sure to follow—will necessitate the dissolution of the company, which controls £65,600,000 capital, and the return to their original detached positions of more than seventy corporations.