Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1920-02-27
Palmer Explains Decree.

Washington, Feb. 27. - Attorney
General Palmer in a statement COM
menting on the effect of the divorce
ment decree said:
1.-The deere which the department of
justice brought about by urgent insist
ence is designed to restore freedom Of
competition and increase the opportun
tiles for individual initiative in bust
ness, which must in time bear good
fruit for the public welfare.
Those great aggregations of capital
which have come to be known as the
big five have been able to dominate
so many lines of trade that their con-
tinued and unrestrained growth con-
stituted a real menace not only to
American business, but to the Amer
lean consuming public as we'll
Stockholders Must Sell
Under the deere entered today sSu
chief packing companies, their subsi-
diaries and principal stockholders are
compelled to sell preferable to live
stock producers and public:
"All their holdings in public stock
yards;
"All their interest in stockyard rail-
, roads and the terminals;
"All their interest in market newspa-
pers;
IAN their interest in public cold
storage warehouses, except that which
is necessary for their own meat pro-
ducts.
"They are barred forever from the
retail meat business.
"They are barred forever from oeai
ing in unrelated lines which include,
wholesale groceries, fresh, canned
salted fish; fresh, dried or canned vege
tables; fresh, crushed, dried, eyapor'
ated or canned fruits; confections
syruDs, soda water fountain supplies
molasses, honey, jams, jellies and pre-
serves, spices, sauces, relishes, etc,
coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, nuts
flour, sugar, rice and cereals (witf
certain limited exception with respect
to cereas), bread, waters, crackers
biscuits, spaghetti. vermicelli, maca'
roni, cigars, china, furniture and Sc
forth.
Must Close Branches
"They are required to abandon for.
ever the use Of their branch houses
route cars and auto trucks comprising
their distribution system, for any 9th
er than their own meats and dairy pro
ducts.
"They are required to submit per
petually to the courts injunction for
bidding all the defendants from direct
" or indirectly maintaining any >om
bination or conspiracy with themselve
or any other person or persons or mo
nopolizing or attempting to monopo
lie any food product in the United
States, or indulge in any unfair or un
lawful practice.
Moreover, the decree provides tina
Jurisdiction is perpetually retained b,
the court for the purpose Of takin!
such further action or relief as ma,
be necessary in the circumstances Il
cary out or enforce the decree.
"In brief the decree removes tn
menace Of control of unrelated indus
tries by the Big Five and conrne
their activities in futuret 0 the busi
ness Of distributing meat and its by
products under an injunction whlcI
restrains them from unfair and unlaw
full practices.
"The decree is sweeping in its scop
and am sure win be highly beneficial
to the public in its effect
Billion Dollars Affected.
"The decree, which involves reor
ganlzation Of a great industry with a'
sets Of more than one billion dollar
and which affects five corporation
. and fdrty-nine individuals. result
{ from an agreement between the large
; meat packers and the department O
Z Justice announced last December u
/, This agreement was reached after tn
, department at the direction Of Pres
, dent Wilson had Instituted anti-tru'
J proceedings against the packers !
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