The daily banner., 1919-08-08
U. S. SEEKS TO
IND|CT PACKERS
Criminal and Civil Action is
Ordered.
TO GE STARTED IN CHICtGO
Food in Storage This Year is 20 Per
Cent Greater Than Year Ago,
Despite High Prices.

Washington. Aug. S.-D,Nelopmenrs
in lii" governments efiorts TO reduce
Ii .H living cos;S included:
Aarai:nrement ihdt the action
aea;n.t the five Il :: meat packing
firms would be brought under the
c......nal and civil sections of the
Sherman antitrust law and under
liz. section Of the food control act
making unlawful III" boarding CT
food
Reports from federal district at
torneys over the country that they
were succeeding with investigations
OF nrOfiIeering and boarding ana
would make arrests whenever facts
Warranted
\ conference at the White House
between President Wilson and the
committee appointed by cabinet Off
Gals 10 recommend means OF reduc-
| inG living c0s:S.
Introduction of il joint resolution
| in congress proposing reduction OF
| one billion dollars in federal taxes
nevt year by reducing government eX-
pendt;ureS.
Introduction of another resolution,
| in the senate, asking the judiciary
committee to determine whether II
would be advisable TO prohibit tenn
porarily the exporting of food, ctoth-
ing and other necessities.
Granting of authority to the post
Office department to increase the par
eel posi- weight limit from II TO 12o
pounds so as to facilitate the dis
ltribu,ion of surplus army foodstuffs
to the people.
A report of the federal trade COM
mission that stocks of food in stor-
age this year were 20 per cent great
er than year ago, despite the fact
prices of practically all foods have
shown an increase.
The governments case against the
packers will be placed before the
grand jury which meets at Chicago
three weeks hence.
Charles f. Clyne, Federal district
attorney at Chicago, said that be-
sides asking indictments under the
!rriminal2 actions of the Sherman law,
civil suits would be brought under
that statute and that in addition the
packers would be prosecuted under
the food control act.
Mr.. Clyne has been in Washington
for several days cenferring With At
tcrney General Palmer and George
In. Williams who prosecuted the oil
trust eases The three officials have
beer sitting the evidence gathered
against the packers by the federal
trade commission.
-Four hundred different branches OF
the industry as conducted by the
packers, Mr.. Clyne said, are being
dealt with by the department of jus
tice
In response to Attorney General
Palmers orders for nationwide
prosecution of food hoarders and
profiteers many district attorneys re-
ported to the department Of justice
that they were proceeding immediate
ly with investigations of conditions
In their territory. Legal action Will
follow the discovery of any evidence
of law violations.
One feature of the governments
line of action has been indicated as
certain. 1t seems assured the gov
ernment will charge the packers with
being an Illegal trust on the ground
that they control the buying of cattle
Whether there will be the double
charge that they control both buying
of cattle and selling Of finished meat
products has not been so clearly de-
fined. but the government has evi.
dence in hand which it is contended
will prove that the packers control
The prices paid to producers,