The sun., 1919-02-03
HOG PRICE FTXERS'
PROSECUTION ASKED
Representative Gould Bases
Demand on Opinion Of At
torney-General Gregory.
CITES LETTER TO WILSON
Violation Of Sherman Anti
Trust Law Alleged by
New York Man.
Special Despdfch to TIE srN.

cPetset DcSputCh 10 IHb sCN.
WAsHrNoroNp>Feb. 2.--Basing his de-
mand on an opinion by Attorney Gen
eral Gregory, Representative Gould On.
- to-day asked the prosecution under
the Sherman antitrust law of all par
ties to the price fixing agreements af-
fecting hogs. These agreements have
been entered into month BY month be-
tween the packers, the producers OF hogs
and the United States Food Administra-
ton.
Mr.. Gould at the Same time made pub
lie correspondence with the Department
Of Justice growing out Of his request for
information as to what action X any the
Department had taken looking to an In
vestigation of the various price fixing
agreements between producers. traders
and the Food Administration.
Included in this correspondence was a
letter from Attorney General Gregory to
the President dated August 20. 1917. in
response to a request for an opinion AZ
to the effect OF the food control act upon
the administration of the Sherman law
The concluding paragraph OF this letter,
according to the view taken by MI
Gould In statement which accom-
panied the correspondence he thinks
clearly shows that the hog price fixing
agreements are in violation of the Sher-
man law.
"This violation of the Sherman anti
trust law in open defiance OF the opinion
of the Attorney-General," asserted Mr..
Gould in his statement. .'calls for an Inn
mediate investigation by Congress and
the prosecution under the Sherman anti
trust law Of the guilty parties.
why doesn't the Atorney-Generai
get busy"
Points to Violations.
Mr.. Gould Is the author OF a resolu-
ton calling on the Food Admlnistra-
ton for information as to the various
price fixing agreements. This resolu-
ton was introduced yesterday and as
a privileged resolution will be called
| from committee by Mr.. Gould and laid
/ before the House for action at the end
| of a week Mr.. Gould's statement fol-
| lows:
| THE concluding paragraph of the OPP
inion OF Attorney General Gregory IN a
letter 10 President Wilson dated August
| %, 1917, thirteen days after the pas
sage Of the food control act. reads:
| az am equally clear that the Presi'
dent has no power under the food con-
troll act to authorize price fixing or pool
ing agreements between producers OF
| traders themselves
This opinion was requested In let
| ter from Mr.. Hoover through President
| Wilson with view to ascertaining to
| what extent the provisions OF the Sher-
man antitrust law were affected by the
provisions OF the food control act.
| ~Under date Of December 4, 1918. the
United States Food Administration In n
letter signed by F. g. Snyder. chief OF
the meat division. wrote:
THAT after a series Of meetings feid
| "a xx-hi .~H
were participated in by representatives
! Of the committees OF the packers rep
resentatives Of the agricultural advisory
committee and special representatives
| OF the swine producers 1t was decided
| that the ppice OF hogs for January shall
| be continued on the same basis as lr
November and December
Rights of Consumer Ignored.
THE agreements above referred e
for November December and Januar,
are clearly. to use the words OF the At
torney- Generals opinion. price fixing OF
pooling agreements between producer
or traders themselves which under the
concluding paragraph OF the Attorney
Generals opinion above quoted do no
fall within the purview OF the food con
troll act and are therefore in clear VIC
lation OF the Sherman antitrust law.
These agreements wholly ignore tn,
| rights of the consumer for whose pro
lection the Sherman antitrust law wa.
enacted. The consumer not only wa,
not party to the agreements but wal
not represented as such at any con
ference at which these agreements wer,
| entered into.
"On the contrary these rights were ~
brazenly and hagrantly violated tina
Mr. Snyder announced at the meeting
| in Washington January 20 that partie,