The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1920-01-02
PUBLIC CONTROL
OF MEAT PRICES
FIXED IN DECREE
Dissolution of 'Big Five" Strikes
Great Blow at High Cost
of Living.
TO SELL THEIR STOCK YARDS.
Packers Always to Be Under Federal
Court Supervision-Assert Sur
render Patriotic Move to Help
Economic Reconstruction.

Washington.-The dissolution of the
food trust, through a decree compel
ling the five great packing corporations
to dispose of their subsidiary organ
fzations dealing in all foods except anil
NAL products, as we'll as their trans
portation, stocllyard and storage enter
prises, was officially disclosed by At
torney General Palmer.
The decree to which the packers
ngreed puts an end to food monopoly,
iI.asmuch as it takes all control of
other than meat products (with poul-
try, butter, eggs and cheese left for
future consideration away from the
packers so that the people, as the at
torney general pointed out, could cut
down their meat bills by using more
vegetables and vice versa according
to the market prices and the markets
cannot be manipulated against them
The "Big Five" disassociate them
selves from about 13O subsidiaries.
Two years are given to comply with
the decree, which affects 81 corpora
ClOIS anu 10 lIulSluu'tlS.
The court decree agreed to will be
one of the most sweeping ever issued
in the history of the United States. 1t
forever places the big Five" packers
under supervision of the government
and the court and leaves the court de-
cree open for amendment as may be
found necessary.
Under the injunction decree the "Big
Five" are compelled, as stated by At
torney General Palmer, to do the fol-
lowing things.
1. To sell under supervision of the
bly, to the live stock producers and
the public, all their holdings in public
stockyards.
2. To sell, under the same supervi-
sion and in like manner, all their in
terest in stockyard railroads and ter
minals.
3. To sell, under the same supervi-
sion and in like manner, all their in
terests in market newspapers.
4. To dispose of all their interests
in public cold storage warehouses, ex-
cept as necessary for their own meat
products.
5. To forever disassociate them
selves with the retail meat business.
6. To forever disassociate them
selves with all unrelated lines" in
Guiding wholesale groceries, fresh
canned, dried or salt fish; fresh, dried
or canned vegetables; fresh, crushed
dried evaporated or canned fruits
confectioneries, syrups, soda water
fountain supplies, ETC.; molaSSes
honey, jams, jellies, preserves, spices
sauces, relishes, etc. coffee, tea, choc
olate, cocoa, nuts, flour, sugar, rice
and cereals with an exception to be
noteO, bread, waters, crackers, bis
cult, spaghetti, vermicell, macaroni
cigars, china, furniture, etc.
Z. To forever abandon the use OF
their branch houses, route cars and
auto trucks, comprising their distribu
ton system. for any other than their
own meat and dairy products.
s. To perpetually submit to the
jurisdiction of the United States Dis
trict Court under an injunction forbid
ding all the defendants from directly
or indirectly maintaining any combi
nation or conspiracy with each other
or any other person or persons, ol
mOnOpoliZing. or attempting to mOnop
OliZe, any food product in the United
States, or indulging in any unfair anG
unlawful practices.
Henry Needer, general counsel fol
Swift & Co., issued a statement fol-
that concern saying the firm was re
firing from the distribution oi
groceries and the stock yard business
at the suggestion of the Department
of Justice, but it must be understood
the action was a patriotic one an(
was not directly or -inferentially al
admission of violation of law.