The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-12-19
FIVE BIG PACKERS
AGREE TO DECREE
OF GOVERNMENT
Palmer Announces Sur.
render to Department
Contention.
HAVE TOO YEARS
TO SETTLE DOWN
This Action May Render
Ii Unnecessary to File
Suits Against the Con
Germs Interested.

washington. Dec. fs.---Attornev-
General Palmer announced toda-
that the five big packers, their main
subsidiaries ami principal stock
holders and managers had surrender
ed to the governments contentious
against the n,onopoiisttc growth Of
the hacking industry and its control
Of unrelated industries,
By tho entry ct permanent in
junction decree, to which the pack
ers have consented. their activities
arc to be confined to meat and by
products. eggs, butter. poultry,
cheese and cendersed milk. Re-
frigeration ts to he limited to the cars
necessary for carrying their output
By the decree, which is to be Sc
cured by the encouragement within
the near future. the packers are to
be required 10 sell their holdings in
public stock wards. railroads and ter
n1inais to di2asacciate themselves
With the retail meat business, and
with all unrelated lines. This is
70 be done within two years.
This solution OF tho packers situa-
gattcn BIZ the federal trade commits
sion and the placing OF the inforrna-
ton tn the hands of the attorney
general. will render unnecessary the
Ming Of suits against the packers
which were IN the hands OF the Chi
caxo grand fury when its early fall
se-rion wss adjourned
NO CONTROL Or MARKET
Tn general" says the department
of Justice statement tonight this
decree prevents the defendants frou,
exercising any further control over
the marketing Of livestock II for
ever prevents them from any con-
troll over the retailing OF meat pro-
ducts II eliminates them from the
held NJ meat substitutes. With the
exception of eggs. butter. poultry and
cheese, which are left for future con-
a,derado and appropriate action.
and therefore the price of meat is
within the control OF the people
tn e nsclves
1T places the conduct of these
agEregations OF capital Immediately
under the eye of federal court with
reference to their business practics.
Eut. greater than all. It ESTABLISHES
the principle that no gaoup Of men,
no matter how powerful can ever
attempt to control the food table OF
the American people, or any one Of
the necessities or component parts OF
il
The department of Justice. havins
in mind the necessities and interests
OF the whole American people in this
critical reconstruction period, feels
that by insisting upon this surrende
on the part OF the packing business
it has accomplished more Tor the
American people than could have
been hoped fer as rerult OF long
drawn out legal battle
THE DECREE
Under the decree, the defendants
compelled:
Ito sell under supervision OF
the United States district court pre-
ferabiy to the livestock producers
and the public. all OF tbair holdings in
public srockyards
---To sell, under the same super
vision and in like manner, all their
interests In stochyard railroads and
ternlinels
sv-Tc sell all their interests In
market newspapers
ITO dispose Of ali their intersts
In public coid storage warehouses.
except az necessary tG their own
most products
$50 forever disassociAtc thena-
selves with the retail meat business
selves with all unrelated lines" In
GLIDING wholesale groccriAs: fish,
ca pncd, dried or salt fish: fresh dried.
eva porated or canned fruits: ecnfcc-
tionertes, syrup, soda water fountain
supplies, etc; molasses. honey. jams,
jeiliea and preserves, srices, relfshes,
etc: cpffee<e tea. chocolate. cocoa,
nuts, fiouy. sugar. rice and cereals
with an exception to be noted)
bread, waters. crackers, biscuit.
spaghetu. vermicelli. macarnoi,
cigars, china, furniture, etc.
ITO abandon forever the use of
their branch houses. route cars. and
trucks, comprising their distribution
syakem, for airy other than their own
meat and dairy products.
PREVENTS OOMBlN ATOMS
o-~Tc submit perpetualIy 10 the
jurisdiction OF the United States dis
trict under an Injunction fcrbidding
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