The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-01-07
To
QUESTION PALMER
Attorney General Asked to Elk
plain His Agreement Made
With Big Five
Packers.
FURTHER LEGISLATION
Fedora, Trade Commission is Going
Ahead with Its Own Plans to
Force Dissolution OF
Trust.
[Dy Raymond Clapper, United Press
Staff Correspond ent.

Staff Correspondent
/, WASHINGTON, Jan. Attorney
/ General Palmer was called before
| the senate agriculture committee to-
day to be questioned as to the agree
ment he recently made with the big
FIVE" packers.
Palmer agreed to abandon plans
| for federal prosecution Of the packers
under antitrust laws on the promise
! of the five concerns to quit all deal
ings in commodities other than meat
| and meat products.
| The inquiry today was expected to
take on added interest In view Of
Palmer's prominence as possibility
!, for the democratic presidential noml-
nation.
Senators planned TO learn whether
Palmer is opposed to further legisla-
ton to regulate the packers in view
of the recent pledge that they Will
withdraw from all unrelated lines.
Chairman Gronna and other members
of the committee plan 10 go ahead
with permanent legislation regardless
of the Palmer agreement, but the
tcommittee is far apart on the form
I the proposed regulations should take.
Some senators on the committee, IN
cluding Gronna and Norris, are SAID
to be skeptical of results that can
be accomplished under Palmers plan,
but Kenyon, Iowa, and kendrlck,
wyoming, authors of packer regula-
tion measure, have gone on record as
tapproYing Palmer's agreement.
The committee now has pending a
suggested bill drawn up by Kenyon
and Kendrick which would create
federal live stock commission TO sup
ervise the meat industry. 1t would
be similar in nature to the Interstate
commerce commission in the regula-
tion Of arilroads.
Palmer is Fastening preparations,
lit was announced today, for CARVING
out the governments plan for d1sso-
luton of the big five" meat packers
control of unrelated products
Meanwhile the federal trade COM
mission is going ahead independently
with its own plans to force dissolu-
ton of the alleged food trust con-
trolled by the packers.
The commission has cited the
packers in thirty-one cases Of alleged
violation of the Clayton antitrust
act. Hearings will commence about
February l, 1t was announced To-Day
Meanwhile Palmer is preparing the
suit the government must file in the
Chicago federal court as the first step
in his plan for the unscrambling of
the packers in the manufacture OF
canned vegetables, breakfast foods
and in hundreds of subsidiary con-
Germs.
Palmer intends to file his suit
within a few days. Under the pre-
arranged plan, this Will be mere
matter of form since the packers
have agreed to make formal reply
and then submit to the allegations
in the suit. From then on, the I'M
scrambling process VIII be III the
hands of the court. 1t is predicted
this will require about two years.
Immunity Not Promised.
WASHINGTON. Jan. THE big
five" packers are still subject to
criminal prosecution or civil suits
despite their agreement with the gov
ernment TO get rid OF their side lines,
Attorney General Palmer told the
senate agriculture committee today.
Palmer who drew the agreement
with the packers, denied emphah-
cally that he had promised them inn
q could go into court tomorrow,
either civilly or crimInally," said
Palmer. "if were convinced that |
was the wise thing to be for the pub
lie good. Nothing in the arrange
ment with the packers precudes |
for their past illegal |
acts"
Palmer also declared he had not |
promised the packers immunity from !
further legislation.
But in view of your agreement |
with the packers will you prosecute |
them?" asked Senator Norris.
Il have never said so before" re- !
piled Palmer, "but l do not intend |
to prosecute them. Under the cir.
/ should doubt the pro-
priety of it,"
Palmer said that in his opinion no |
new legislation is needed now.
az should like to see this plan tried
put" he said, referring to his agree