The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-02-04
Congressman Gould Says
They Have Violated the
Antitrust Law
OPINION OF ATTORNEY
GENERAL is CITED
Thinks Congress Should Investigate At
once-Mr. Gregory Said the Presi-
dent Had No Power to Authorize
Price Fixing.

WASHINGTON, Feb 4.--Basing his
demand on an opinion by Attorney Gen
aral Gregory, Representative Gould On.
.Y.) has asked the prosecution under
the Sherman antitrust law of all par
ties to the price fixing agreements af-
fecting logs. These agreements have
been entered into month by month be
tween the packers, theprodueers of hogs
and the United States Food administra-
ton
Mr. Gould at the same time made
public correspondence with the depart
ment of justice growing out of his, re-
quest for information as to what ae-
| tion if any the departments had taken
looking to an investigation of the vari-
GUS price fixing agreements between
tproducers, traders and the food admin
istration.
| Included in this correspondence was
Ia letter from Attorney General Gregory
to the President dated August %, 1917
in response to a request for an opinion
| as to the effect Of the food control act
upon the administration of the Sher-
Imam law. The concluding paragraph
Of this letter, according to the view
| taken by Mr. Gould in statement
which accompanied the correspondence
he thinks clearly shows that the hos
Iprice fixing agreements are in violation
of sthc Sherman law
| ''This violation of the Sherman anti
trust law in open defiance of the opin
ion of the attorney general asserted
Mr.. Gould in his statement. calls fol
an immediate investigation by congress:
land the prosecution under the Sherman
tanti-trust law of the guilty parties
| Mr.. Gould is the author of resoiu
tion calling on the food administration
price fixing agreements. This resolu
ton was introduced yesterday and a
a privileged resolution will be callel
from committee Nv Mr.. Could and lai,
before the house for action at the en-,
Of the week. Mr. Gould's statemen
4 follows:
/ "The concluding paragraph Of tn
opinion Of Attorney General Gregory i
letter TO President Wilson date
August %, 1917. thirteen days afte
the passage of the food control act
reads:
I am equally clear that the Pres
ident has no power under the food cor
trail act to authorize price fixing o
pooling agreements between producer
or traders Themselves
| (GTbsc oYip;ou Voc ranons+n1 N, 10,
ter from Mr.. Hoover through Presiden
Wilson with view to ascertainine {
what extent the provisions of the Sher
man antitrust law were affected by tn
provisions of the food control act.
4 "Tnder date of December 4, laE
the United States food Administrative
in a letter signed by S. Snyder, chic
of the meat division wrote:
Z" That after series of meeting
held in Chicago. December 8 and
which were participated in Ivy repre-
sentatives of the committees of tn
lpackers, representatives of the agrieu
tural advisory committee and speci;
representatives of the swine producer
lit was decided that the price of hos
for January shall be continued on til
: same basis as in November and Dccen
= Der I.
"The agreements above referred |
: for November, December and Januar
g are clearly, to use the words of the a
}. torney generals opinion, price fxir
, or pooling agreements between pr
= ducers or traders themselves. whic
under the concluding paragraph of Il
attorney general S opinion above quote
!. do not fall within the puryicw of II