Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-21
Smashing tho Meat Monopoly

THE big Five" long known in industrial
history. as the meat trust have surren-
dered and have surrendered upon the terms
laid down by the Attorney-Genera of the
United States. In order to avoid criminal
prosecution, already initiated by Federal
grand jury in Chicago, they have thrown up
their hands, accepted the conditions imposed
by the government and have returned to the
business of butchering, for their profits
This is signal victory for the government
and a f1attering result for Mr.. Palmer per-
sonally to have achieved 1t seems to meet
most if not all the complaints made against
the packers by the Federal Trade Commits
sion, by the committees Of Congress which
have investigated this industry. and the small
dealers who have protested that they were
being driven little by little to the wall by the
powerful competitors.
In BRIEF the decree which the packers
have agreed to subscribe to, prevents the
Big Five" from exercising any further con-
troll over the marketing of live stock or the
operation of stockyards, from any control
over the retail distribution of meats, and it
eliminates them from the field OF meat sub
stltutes, with the exception of butter eggs
poultry and cheese. All unrelated businesses
must be completely divorced and the packers
cannot engage in the manufacture or distri-
button of any Of the staple provisions except
those Immediately connected with the
slaughter of live stock
Furthermore, the Attorney General
says, "it 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 principle that no group
or men, no matter how powerful can ever
attempt to control the table food OF the
american people, or any one OF the necessi-
ties or component parts of it
Whether this voluntary decree is accent
able 10 all the pursuers of the packers re-
mains to be seen. The authors of the Ken
drick-henyon bill have praised the DEPART
ment OF Justice for its work, but they have
commended that it should be supplemented
by action OF Congress- which will re-enforce
court DEGREES and which will make it more
PLAINLY IL crime for any meat packer to en-
gage III unrelated businesses or to attempt
the monopoly OF the meat business itself
Even SO, there seems little likelihood that
Congress, in view Of the capitulaton Of the
DIG packers. will proceed further with its
plan Tor licensing the meat-producing bust
ness or the country. This system, as pro-
posed, would include all the small packers
as we'll as the large ones, and would place
under immediate bureaucratic supervision
hundreds OF small slaughterhouses which
are not and have never been regarded as
violators OF the law
Just why the packers should retain their
interest in the egg, butter, cheese and poultry
business. under tho court decree is not ey-
planned by the Department of Justice All
that the Acknowledgement has to say on this
subject for the time is that consideration
OF that phase OF the packing industry will
come later. when appropriate action will be
taken by the government