Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1919-12-31
PLAN TO CURB
PACKERS TOLD
Attorney General Palmer An
nounces big Five" Surren-
der to Government.
LIMIT IS PUT ON ACTIVITIES
Must Sell All Holdings in Stock Yards,
Railroads and Terminals, NewsPa-
pers and Cold Storage Ware
houses and Branches.

Washington. Dec 20.-Attorney Cen
eral Palmer announced that the five
big packers. their main subsidiaries.
principal stockholders and managers
had surrendered To the government
contentious against the monOpolistic
growth OF the packing industry and its
control of unrelated Industries.
BY the entry of permanent In
junction decree, to which the packers
have consented, their activities are 10
be confined to meat and by-products.
eggs. butter. poultry, cheese and con-
densed milk. Refrigeration Is TO be
limited 10 the ears necessary for car
rying their output.
BY the decree, which is TO be secured
by the attorney general within the
near future. the packers are TO be re-
quired to sell their holdings In public
stock yards. stock-yard railroads and
terminals, TO disassOciate themselves
with the retail meat business, and with
all unrelated lines" This is to be
done within two years.
This solution of the packers stu
atlor, which had its inception with an
Investigation by the federal trade com
mission and with the placing of the
information In the hands of the attor-
ney general. will render unnecessary
the filing of suits against the packers.
ain general" says the department OF
Justice statement, "this decree pre-
vents the defendants from exercising
any further control over the marketing
Of live stock. II forever prevents them
from any control over the retailing of
meat products. II eliminates them
from the field of meat substitutes with
the exception of eggs, butter, poultry
and cheese, which are left for future
consideration and appropriate action;
and therefore, the price of meat Is
within the control of the people them
selves.
ut places the conduct of these great
aggregations of capital Immediately
under the eye of federal court with
reference to their business practices.
But, greater than all, 1t establishes the
matter how powerful, can ever attempt
TO control the food table of the Amer
ican peoples, or any one of the neees-
stiles or compc tent parts Of II.
"The depar rment of justice, having
In mind the necessities and interests
of the whole American people In this
critical reconstruction period, feels
that by insisting upon this surrender
on the part of the packing business 1t
has accomplished more for the Amer
lean people than could have been
hoped for as a result Of a long-drawn
out legal battle"
Under the decree, the defendants. of
whom there are So, are compelled:
l. TO sell under supervision of the
United States district court, preferably
to the live stock producers and the
public. all Of their holdings in public
stock yards.
.. To sell, under the same supervi-
sion, and In like manner. all their in
terests In stock-yard railroads and ter
mlnals.
3. To sell all their interests in mar
ket newspapers.
4. To dispose of all their interests in
public eold-storage warehouses, except
as necessary for their own meat prod
ucts.
). To forever disassociate them
selves with the retail meat business.
0. TO forever disassociate them
selves with all unrelated lines" in
Guiding Wholesale groceries; fresh.
canned. dried or salt fish fresh. dried,
exaggerated or canned fruit: confec-
tiOne ries, slrups, soda water fuunraln
supplies, etc. mOlasses, honey, jams
jellies and preserves; spices. sauces.
rellshes, etc; coffee, tea, chocolate.
cocoa. nuts. flour, sugar. rice and
cereals with an exception to be
noted. bread. waters, crackers, bis
cult spaghetti. vermicelli, macaronl.
cigars, china. furniture. etc
Z. To abandon forever the use of
their branch houses route cars and
nutotrucks. comprising their distribu-
ton system, for any other than their
own meat and dairy products.
S. To submit perpetually to the jur-
isdiction Of the United States district
court under an injunction forbidding
all the defendants from directly or in
! directly maintaining any combination
or conspiracy with each other or any
other person or persons or monopoliz-
Ing. or attempting to monopolize, any
food product In the United States or
| INDUCING In any unlawful practices.