Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-03-04
j, DECREE CUTS
POWER Of BIC 5
Packers Agree to Writ Keeping
Them Out of Trade.
PALMER WRITES LAST WORD
Meat Firms Divorced From Otner
Lines-Must Deal Only in Their
Products-Removes Menace
to Unrelated Industries.


to Unrelated Industries.
Washington, Feb. 28.-The agreed
decree under which the big o PACK
ers are forever enjoined from engag-
ing in any line Of business other IMAM
that of handling meats and produce
was filed in the District OF Columbia
Supreme court. It was submitted 0y
Attorney General Palmer, who SAID
If removed the menace Of control OF
unrelated industries by the Big D ana
confined their activities in the future
to the business of distributing meat
and it's by-products.
Counsel for the packers in a state
ment to the court said the decree had
been agreed to by the defendants not
because of guilt, for they have not vlo-
lated any law, but that the American
people may be assured that there is
not the remotest possibility OF a 1000
monopoly by the packers"
It was submitted by Attorney Gen
eral Palmer, who said it removes the
menace of control of unrelated indus
tries by the big five and confines their
activities in future to the business of
distributing meat and it's by-products."
To Restore Competition.
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 aggregations of cap
ital, which have come to be known as
the Dig Five have been able to
dominate so many lines Of trade that
their continued and unrestrained
growth constituted a real menace 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;
GAIL 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.
'"They are barred forever from the
retail meat business.
Barred From Dealing in Many Lines
'"They are barred forever from deal
ing in unrelated lines which include:
Wholesale groceries, fresh, canned
dried, sailed fish; fresh, dried or
canned vegetables; fresh, crushed
dried, evaporated or canned fruits !;
confectioneres, sirups, soda water
fountain supplies, molasses, honey.
jams, jellies and preserves, Spices
sauces, relishes, etc., coffee, tea choco-
late, cocoa, nuts, flour, sugar, rice and
cereals with certain limited excep-
lions with respect to cereals), 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.
Must Not Monopoize Any Food.
"They are required to submit per-
petually to the courts Injunction for
bidding all the defendants from direct
~ 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 as may
be necessary in the circumstances to
carry out or enforce the decree.
"In brief, the decree removes the
menace of control of unrelated indus
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 injul ZION which
restraints them from unfail and unlaw-
full practices"