Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-12-26
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.


eral Palmer announced that the five
big packers. their main subsidiaries.
principal stockholders and managers
had surrendered to the governments
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 to
be confined to meat and by-products,
eggs, butter, poultry. cheese and con-
densed milk. Refrigeration Is to be
limited to the cars 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-
qulred to sell their holdings In public
stock yards. stock-yard railroads and
terminals. to disassociate themselves
with the remil meat business, and with
all unrelated lines.r This Is to be
done within two years.
This solution Of the packers situ-
alton. 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.
in general" says the department Of
justice statement. this decree pre-
vents the defendants from exercising
any further control over the marketing
of live stock. 1t forever prevents them
from any control over the retailing of
meat products. 1t 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.
1T places the conduct of these great
aggregntions Of capital Immediately
under the eye Of federal court with
reference to their business practices
But. greater than all. 1t establishes the
principle that no group of men, no mat
ter how powerful. can ever attempt tC
control the food table Of the American
people. or any one of the necessities
or component parts Of It.
"The department of justice, having
I'm mind the necessities and interests
OF the whole American people in thii
critical reconstruction period, feel
that by insisting upon this surrender
on the part Of the packing business 1
has accomplished more for the Amer
lean people than could have beer
hoped for ms result OF a long-drawn
out legal battle
Under the decree. the defendants, o
whom there ure SO, are compelled:
I. To sell under supervision Of tn
United stntes district court, preferably
TO the live stock producers and tn
public. all Of their holdings In publi
stock yards.
2. To sell. under the same supervi
sion. and IN like manner. all their In
terests In stock-yard railroads and ter
minals.
3. To sell all their interests In mar
ket newspapers.
4. To dispose Of all their interests b
public cold storage warehouses, excep
as necessary for their own meat prod
ucts.
8. To forever disassociate then
selves with the retail meat business.
g. To forever disnssociate then
selves with NIL unrelated lines." In
Guiding wholesale groceries,: fresf
canned. dried or salt fish; fresh, drie<
evapornted or canned fruits; confe,
tioneries. sirups. soda water fountai
supplies. etc. molasses, honey, jam
jeIlIes and preserves; spices, sauces
relishes. etc; coffee. tea. chocolate
cocoa, nuts. flour. sugar, rice an
cereals with an exception to b
noted). bread. waters. crackers, bi
cult. spaghetti. vermicelli, macaron
cigars. china. furniture. etc.
7. To abandon forever the use /,
their branch houses. route cars an
autotrucks. comprising their distrib'
tion system. for any other than the
own meat and dairy products,
8. To submit perpetually to the ~
fsdictlon Of the United States distri
court under an Injunction forbiddir
all the defendants from directly or 1
directly maintaining any combinatit
or conspiracy with each other or al
other person or persons or monopoll
ing. or attempting to monopolize, al
food product in the United States
tndulging In any unlawful practices.