The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-27
Against Engaging in Any
Line of Business Except
Meat and Products
AGREED DECREE
HAS BEEN FILED
"Not the Remotest Posi-
bility of a Food Monop-
oily by the Packers"

agreed decree under which the Big
Five packers are forever enjoined from
engaging in any line of business other
than that of handling meat and prod.
uce, was filed to-day in the District OF
Columbia supreme court.
1t 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 its by-produets.
Counsel for the packers, in 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 that there Is not
the remotest possibility of food mo
nopoly by the packers" /"
After hearing statements by counsel
for the government and the packers,
Chief Justice Mccoy signed the injunc-
tion making effective the agreement.
Attorney Generals Viewpoint.
Attorney General Palmer, in state.
divorcement decree, said:
"The decree which the department of
Justice has brought about by urgent in
sistence is designed TO restore freedom
OF competition and increase the oppor-
tunities for individual initiative in bus
ness which must in time bear good fruit
for the pubic 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 consti'
tuted real menace not only to Amer
lean business, but TO the American con
Stunning public as well
Under the decree entered to-day the
chief packing companies, their subsidi-
aries and principal stockholders are
compelled to sell, preferably to live
stock producers and the public:
"All their holdings in public stock
yards; all their interest in stockyard
railroads and terminals; all their in
terest in market newspapers; all their
interest in public cold storage ware
houses. except that which is necessary.
for their own meat products.
"Thoy are barred forever from the
retail meat business.
"They are barred forever from deal
/ ing in unrelated lines which include; :;
Wholesale groceries, fish, canned, dried
| OF saIted fish. fresh, dried or canned
vegetables: fresh crushed. dried, evap-
| Grated of canned fruits; confectionery;
soda water, fountain supplies, molasses,
1 s.v tnitTas aud
| spices, sauces. relishes, etc; coffee, tea,
| chocolate, cocoa. nuts, flour, sugar. rice
and cereals with certain limited ex-
ceptions with respect to cereals bread,
waters. crackers. biscuits, spaghetti,
vermicelli, macaroni, cigars, china, fur
niture and so forth.
They are required to abandon for
ever the use of their branch houses,
route cars and auto trucks, comprising
/ their distribution system, for any other
than their own meats and dairy prod
ucts
They are required to submit perpet
ually to the courts injunction forbid
ding all the defendants from directly
OF indirectly maintaining any comhina
tion or conspiracy with themselves or
any other person or persons or monop-
olizing or attempting To monopolizc
any food product in the United States,
or including in any unfair or unlawful
practice.
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 bv the Big Five and confines
| their activities in future To the business
Of distributing meat and its byprod-
ucts under an injunction which re-
strains them from unfair and unlawful
practices.
"Thc decree is sweeping IN its scope
and am sure will be highly beneficial
to the public IN it, effect.
The decree. which involves rcorgan
/ ization Of a great industry with assets
OF more than 81 600 .O00,000, and which
affects 81 corporations and ~ ndivid-
uals, results from an agreement be
tween the larger meat packers and the
department OF justice announced last
Dec Is This agreement was reached
after the department at the objection
of President Wilson. had instituted an
ti.trust proceedings against the packers
IN Chicago
Agreement for the filing ~ the de-
cree. Mr.. Palmer said. in announcing II
last December. would have the effect Of
establishing the principle thai NC
group of men. no matter how powerful,
can ever attempt to control the food
table of the American people or any
one of the necessities or component
parts of H..
The attitude II tho packers was
summed NJ a. that time by W W.
Borders. general counsel for Morris &
lCo.. a. illustrating the spirit - true
Amrricani,m" II the packing industry
Henry Needer. counsel Tor swift & Co.
asserted his company had met the re
quest uf the government because { was
| felt that the same spirit which caused
the business men of the country O.
submit to personal sacrifices during the
war i inst a. essential during the pc
riod of reconstruction
rsise Teeth Faulre2