The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-19
. Rr A,,n.iat,a Prs.

BY AsSoetafed Ffest
 Washington, December IS.
 The government's antitrust ac- ton against the meat packers,
 begun at President Wilson's
 direction last summer as part
 of the fight on the high cost of
 living, has been compromised
 the packers will confne them
 selves hereafter to the mea
 and provision business.
 An injunction decree to which the packers have acceded will be enterea
 in the federal courts to make the agreement binding. Under it's terms.
 the big five--Syvift, Armour, Norris.
 Wilson and Cudahy--have agreed, To seii under the same supervision and in like manner eli their interests in stocN yards. railroads and terminals. To sell under the same supervision and in like manner all their interest in market newspapers.
 Disopse of al their interest in public
  sary foi their owu meat products. To forever oissociate themselves with the retail mea. business.
 To forever dissecate themselves with all
 unrelated lnes. including wholesale groceries, fresh, canned, dried and salt fish, fresh, dried or canned vegetables, fresh, crushed. dried, evaporated or canned fruits, confectionaries, sNruHs. soda water fountain supplies etc, nlo- | Ia all md rra } ices, sauces relishes etc, coffee, tea, chocolate cocoa, nuts. flour, sugar rire and cereals with an exception to De noted), bread, Wtfers, crackers. biscuits. spaghetti vefnieelh macaroni cigars, china, furniture, etc,
 To forever absrdou the use of branch houses, route cars, and auto trucks, com prisinig their distribution system, for any other than their own meat and aairs l products.
 To perpetuas'y submit to the jurisdiction of the United States district courts under an injunction forbidding ali the defan'i- tnts from directly or indirectly ra niA,tS i ing any combination, or conspiracy wltn each other or anS other person or persous or rnonopolizins or attempting to monopo- 1 iize, any food products, in the United i states, or inurl9ing in any unfair and unlawful practice
 AS TO THE FUTURE 1 The decree further provides the jurisulc- tion is perpetually retained by the courts I for the purpose of taking such other ac- l ton. or adding at the foot of the decree l such other relief if any, that may become necessary or appropriate for the carrying out and enforcement of the decree for the
 purpose of entertaining at any time here after in the application which the parties may make witd respect to this decree. Two years are given to comply with me
 l. ,ioh C
 10 individuals
 .Tn general,,' said Attorney General l palmer's official announcement ton,snI | this decree prevents the defendants rom
 exerciring any further control over tns marketing of 1.-Two stock It forever pre- vents them from any control over the re 1 tailing of meat products. It eliminates them from the field of meat substitutes with the exception of eggs, butter, poultry land cheese, which are left for future con sideration and appropriate action, ann' | therefore, the price of meat IS within the control of the people themselves. It places l inc conduct of these great aggregatons Of l capital immediately under the eye of l federal court with reference to their huss- | ness practices x "Rut greater than all, if establishes the Iprinciple that no group of men, no mateer | how powerful, can ever attempt to con trol the food table of the American people, l or any one or tic NcSeSaiN'SS VI SS''t' nent parts of 1t
 | "rhe departnnent of justice having n | mind inc necessities and interests or the | whole American people in this critical re- constrrlction period, feels that by insisting | upon this surrender on the part or tne 1 backing interests 1t has accompisne. | r,ore for the American people than could lhave been hoped for as the result ol ,. IIong-drawn out legal battle
 | Tnnnediately upon MT. Palmer becoming Attornev General in March, 1913, he per sonalIy took up the charges against the hackers. and special assistants were asked to study the Investigation Of the fedefal trade commission. all hearings before con- gressional committees, and to conduct in- dependent investigations.
 After eight months of exhaustive work land she placing of one branch or the mat ter before a Chicago grand jury. the re- suits were ready to be placed before United States grand jury sitting Tn New York for the months of November and Der cember Before the opening, however, cf the hearings before that grand jury Mir. l Palmer was notified that the defendants twould submit to all proper requirements
 of tho government under the law.
 Mir. I7almers sta<ement then recttes the
 alleged evils of packer ownership of stock yards market newspaper and allied indus tries, US developed from the federal trade 1 commission inquiry into the packing business, and continues:
 ~They now haee, either jointly or sep
 arateiy, controlling interest In 2 of the 50 market stock yards in the United I States.
 The parent companies have avAslcd themselves of the control so acquired by I them in the stock yards and to dominate
 andscontrol the policies thereof. They
 have granted exclusive privileges. sucs,
 as the right to purchase dead animals, the
 right to furnish supplies and facilities and