The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1919-12-25
CONTROL
OF MEAT PRICES
FIXED IN DECREE
Dissolution of "Big Five" Strikes
Great Blow at High Cost
of Living.
TO SELL THEIR STOCK YARDS.
Packers Always to Be Under Federal
Court Supervision-Assert Sur
render Patriotic Move to Help
Economic Reconstruction.

Washington.-The dissolution of the
food trust through a decree compel
ling the five great packing corporations
TO dispose of their subsidiary organ
izations dealing in all foods except ami
nal products, as we'll as their trans
portation, stockyard and storage enter
prises, was officially disclosed by At
torney General Palmer.
The decree to which the packers
agreed puts an end to food monopoly.
hasmuch as it takes all control of
other than meat products (with poul-
try, butter, eggs and cheese left for
future consideration away from the
packers so that the people, as the at
torney general pointed out, could cut
down their meat bills by using more
vegetables and vice versa according
to the market prices and the markets
cannot be manipulated against them
The big Five" disassociate them
selves from about 13O subsidiaries
Two years are given to comply with
the decree, which affects 81 corpora
tions and 40 individuals.
The court decree agreed to will be
one Of the most sweeping ever issued
In the history of the United States 1t
forever places the Big Five" packers
under supervision of the government
and the court and leaves the court de
cree open for amendment as may be
found necessary.
Under the injunction decree the Big
rive are compelled, as stated by At
torney General Palmer, to do the fol-
lowing things:
l. To sell under supervision of the
United States District Court. prefera-
bly, to the live stock producers and
the public, all their holdings in public
stockyards
?. To sell, under the same supervi-
sion and in like manner. all their in
terest in stOckyard railroads and ter
minals.
.. To sell, under the same supervi-
sion and in like manner, all their in
tereSts in market newspapers.
i. To dispose of all their interests
in public cold storage warehouses. .ex-
cept as necessary for their own meat
products.
tllSUSSOGl1t9 Them
selves with the retail meat business
6. To forever disassociate them
selves with all unrelated lines" in
Guiding wholesale groceries. fresh
canned, dried or salt fish fresh. dried
or canned vegetables; fresh. crushed
dried evaporated or canned fruits
confectioneries, syrups, soda water
fountain supplies, etc; moIasses
honey, jams, jellies, preserves. spices.
sauces, relishes, etc. coffee. tea. cboc-
olate, cocoa, nuts, flour. sugar. rice
and cereals with an exception to be
noted), bread, waters, crackers. bis
cult, spaghetti, vermiccUi, macaroni
cigars, china, furniture. etc.
Z. To forever abandon the use of
their branch houses, route cars and
auto trucks, comprising their distribu-
tion system, for any other than their
own meat and dairy products.
.. To perpetualIy submit to tbe
Jurisdiction of the United States Dis
trlct Court under an Injunction forbid
ding all the defendants from directly
or indirectly maintaining any combi-
nation or conspiracy with each other
or any other person or persons or
monopolizing, or attempting to monop-
ollze' any food product in the United
states, or indulgiug in any unfair and
unlawful practices.
Henry Needer, general counsel for
Swift x Co, issued statement for
that concern saying the firm was re-
firing from the distribution Of
groceries and the stock yard business
at the suggestion Of The Department
Of Justice, but It must Doe understood
the agion was n patriotic one and
was not directly or infercutialIy am
admission Of violation of law.