The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1920-03-19
final PACKING
DECREE FILED
Attorney General Palmer Writes
Last Chapter in Divorce
ment.
MUST DEAL ONLY IN MEATS
Removes Menace of Control of I'm.
related industries by "Big Five"
and Confines Activities to
Distributing Meat.

Washington, March 1.-The agreed
decree under which the big 5" pack
ers are forever enjoined from engag-
ing in any line of business other than
that Of handling meats and produce
was filed in the District Of Columbia
Supreme court. 1t was submitted by
Attorney General Palmer, who said
it removed the enace Of control of
unrelated industries by the Big 3 and
confined their activities in the future
to the business Of distributing meat
and its by-products."
Counsel for the packers in Il state
ment to the court said the decree had
been agreed to by the defendants mot
because Of guilt, for they have not VIC
lated any law, but that the American
people may be assured hat there is
not the remotest possibility Of Il food
monopoly by the packers"
Attorney General Palmer, in a state
ment commenting on the effect Of
the packers enforcement decree, said
"The decree which the department
of Justice has brought about by urgent
insistence is designed to restore free
dom of competition and increase the
opportunities for individual initiative
in business which must in time bear
good fruit for the public welfare.
"These great ag%gregatiOns Of cap
ital, which have come to be known as
the Big Five have been able to
dominate so many lines of trade that
their continued and unrcstrained
growth constituted a real menac not
only to American business, but to the
American consuming public as well.
Under the decree the chief packing
companies, their subsidiaries and prin-
cipal stockholders are compelled to
sell preferably to live stock producers
and the public
"All their holdings in public stock
yards:
"All their interest in stock-yard rail
roads and terminals:
"All their interest in market news
papers;
"All their interest in public cold-stOr-
age warehouses, except that which
is necessary for their own meat prod
ucts.
'Thay are barred forever from the
retail meat business.
"They are barred forever from deal
ing i'm unrelated lines which include:
Wholesale groceries, fresh, canned,
dried, sailed fish; fresh, dried or
canned vegetables; fresh, crushed,
dried. ev%aporated or canned fruits
confectioneries, sirups, soda water
fountain supplies, molasses, spices,
sauces, relishes, etc., coffee, tea, choco-
late, cocoa, nuts, flour, sugar, rice n
cereals with certain limited eXcep-
tons with respect to c%ereals), bread,
waters, crackers, biscuit, spaghetti,
vermicelli. macarOni, cigars, china,
furniture and so forth.
"They are required to abandon for
ever the use of their branch houses,
route cars and auto trucks comprising
their distributing system, for any
other than their own meats and dairy
products.
"They are required to submit per-
petually to the courts injunction for
bidding all the defendants from direct
ly or indirectly maintaining any com
bination or conspiracy with themselves
or other persons, to monopolize any
food product in the United States, Or
indulge in any unfair or unlawful prac-
tice.
Moreover, the decree provides that
jurisdiction is perpetually retained by
the court for the purpose Of taking
such further action or relief rs may
be necessary in the circumstances to
carry out or enforce the decree.
"In brief, the decree removes the
n Of control Of unrelated ndus-
tries by the Big Five and confines
their activities in future to the bust
ness Of distributing meat and It's by
products under an injunction which
r~estrains them from unfair and unlaw-