Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-19
LIMITS |<BIG FIVE" PACKERS
TO MEATS AND PROVISIONS
ganization of Industry InUolDing More
Than Billion, Affects 81 Corporations

Than Billion, Aztec
Reorganization of gigantic indus
try. involving capital of more than
81. 900, 100000 and affecting eighty
seven corporations, will result from
the compromise reached by the gov
eminent and the five big packing
companies.
Under the agreement announced last
night and which will be made bind
ing by an injunction decree the bust
ness of Swift Il Co, Armour 4 Co,
Morris d Co, Wilson & Co and the
TO meats and provisions. Two years
are given to comply with the de-
cree.
What They Agree to Do.
The packers agreed to forever dis
sociate themselves with all lines
unrelated to the meat-packing indus
try. which means they will exercise
no further control over the market
ing of live stock or the retailing or
meat products, and will quit the field
of meat substitutes. except eggs, put
ter, cheese and poultry.
Furthermore the packers agreed 10
submit to the juriSdic elton of the fed
eral courts and under the decree they
will be prohibited from maintaining
any combination with each other or
attempting to monopoliZe any 1000
products in the United States
The decree Attorney General raj
mer said IN a statement thereon. 'es-
tabiisheS the principle that no group
of men. no matter how powerful, can
ever attempt to control the Ioou
table of the American people
The compromise followed the gov
srnment'S antitrust action aSainSi
the packers. started last summer at
the direction of President Wilson as
part OF the campaign aSalhst tne
high cost of living The fIghl az nc
the packers, however. had oeeh y -ohG
drawn-out affair, extending over a
period of wears, involving thousanc9
of dollars in Investigations ana cauS-
ing bitter feeling in politics ana Eusi-
ness.
What Decree OrGers'
Under the decree the de1endahts'
either as corporations or lhdi'io""iS'
agree to proceed as follows:
To sell under supervision OF INC
United States district court. proDapIy ,
to the live stock PRODUCERS anu tns
public. all their holdings IN pupiic
StockyardS
To sell. under the same supervision
and in like manner. all therr interests ,
in stockyard railroads and terhlhais !
To sell under the same SUPERVISION
and in like manner all their ih'eieS'
in market newspapers.
Dispose of all their interest IN pup /
lie coid-storage warehouses. except as
necessary for their own meat prod
ucts. ..,,-o,
To forever dissociate themselves |
with the retail meat business
To forever associate themselves |
with all unrelated lines, INC udlnS
wholesale groceries, fresh, canned,
dried and salt fish; fresh, dTled or
dried. evaporated or canned fruits.
confectioneries, sirups, soda water
fountain supplies. etc: modaSSes'
honey. jams, jellies and preserves
ices, sauces. relishes. etc: Gomez, Ted
chocolate, cocoa, nuts. -four. sugar,
rice and cereals with an exception
To he noted). bread, waters. crackers, |
biscuits, spaghetti, vermiceill, Hlaca-
roni. cigars. china, furniture. etc
To forever abandon the use on lne
branch houses, route cars ana auto
trucks comprising their distri button |
system for any other than their own
meat and dairy products.
Must Submit to Jurisdiction.
To perpetually submit to the juris- /;
diction of the United States district |
courts under an inlunction LOT vi or in
directly maintaining any combination |
or conspiracy with each other or any
other person or, persons. or monopollz-
ing or attempting to monopSiiSSe to any
food products in the united States'
or INDUCING in any un1air anu uhia"
full practice :., .b,+
Jurisdiction is perpetualiy retsiueu os
The courts for the purpose or taxing
such other action. or ADDING at ehe
foot of the decree such other reIieI, |
If any. that may become necessary OF
for the CARVING out anu ,ha |
epforcement of the decree or Tor the
nrrpose of entertaining at any tlhe
hereafter in the application whlcn tne
ma rites may make with respect 10 this
decree.
Regulation Bills to stand.
Bills proposing government resu
ton of the packing industry now pe,o ,in
the Senate agriculture committee VIII
not he abandoned as a result OF the de-
cree. senators Kenyon. Iowa, ana Ken
drick. wyoming, authors Oh the ihea9
ures. announced last night: :.
..'The Attorney Generals Victory Is
MERELY a stem. though long one, toward |
the goal we have been seeking 10 at
tain said Mr.. Kendrick. 1.-The fruits
of his victory may be mace perii.n..
only by legislation along the hnes Oh tns
measures now pending" He describes
~ decree az the most telling blow
YET delivered against the high cost OF
living. ,o,r, |
ment should maintain over the pachSrs
the control provided by the pending oliis, |
inasmuch as "it is evident they were
building the greatest monopoly the couh-
try has ever known
Cau No Longer Control Livestock
In general" said Attorney Genera
PaImer's official announcement. this !
decree prevents the defendants from ex- !
ercisine any further control over the
marketing of live stock. II forever pre- |
vents them from any control over the |
retailing of meat products 1t eliminates !;
them from the field of meat substitutes |
with the exception of eggs. butter, poui-
try and cheese, which are left for future |
consideration and appropriate actioh'
and. therefore, the price OF meat Is
within the control of the people them
selves II places the conduct OF THESE
great aggregations OF capital lnme-
diately under the eye of 4 federal court
with reference to their business prac-
tees
.But greater than all, it establishes !
the principle that no group or men, no
matter how powerful, can ever attempt
to control the food table OF the AMER
can people. of any one OF the necessities
or component parts OF II.
1.-THE Department of Justice. having IN
mind the necessities and interests OF the
whole American people in this crlticai
reconstruction period. feels that by IN
sisting upon this surrender on the part
of the packing interests it has accom-
plished more for the American people
than could have been hoped for as the
result Of a long -dra wn-out legal battle"
Do Not Admit WrOngdoins.
Statements given out by representa-
tives of the packers at the time the
compromise was announced said the ac-
tion of the packers was not to be con-
strued as an admission OF wrongdoing.
but that the packers had agreed TO the
changes tn avoid any appearance OF an