Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-02-27
Decree in Injunction Suit
Filed in Federal Court
at Washington.
FOREVER BARRED
FROM OTHER TRADE
Decree Specifies Packers Must Con-
fine Business Operations TO Sale OF
Meats and Their BY Products-At-
torney General Palmer Outlines
Effeets Of Agreement Forced Upon
Packers Last December.


By Associated Press.
Washington. Feb. 27.-The de-
cree under which the "b!g five" pack
ers' are forever enjoined from en-
gaging in any lines Of business 9TH
er than that Of handling meat and
produce was filed today In the Dis
trict Of Columbia supreme court. 1t
was submitted by Attorney General
Palmer, who said 1T removes the
menace Of control Of unrelated In
dustries by the "Big Five" and con-
fines their business to distributing
meat and its by products.
Restores Competition.
Attorney General Palmer In a
statement commenting on the effect
of the enforcement decree said:
"The decree which the department
of justice has brought by urgent in
sistence Is disigned to restore free
dom of competition and increase op-
portunities 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 big Five" have been able to
dominate so many lines of trade that
their continued and unrestrained
growth constituted real menace not
only to American business but the
consuming public - well.
Must Restrict Operations.
Under the decree entered today
the chief packing companies and
subsidiaries are compelled t. sell
preferably to the live stock producers
and the public.All. their holding in
public stock yards railroads and
terminals: market. newspapers and
interests in public cold storage ware
houses except those necessary for
their own meat packing. IS
They are barred forever from the
retail meat business. They are res
quired to submit tho court injunc-
tion forbidding all the defendants
maintaining any conspiracy with
themselves or any person or persons,
or monopolizing or attempting to-
monopolize any food product.
Moreover the decree provides that
Jurisdiction is perpetually maintain
ed by the court to take such action as
may be necessary to enforce the
drcrees.
IN brief the decree relieved the
menace Of control Of unrelated in.
dustries and confined the activities o:
the big Five" to distributing meat
and it's by products under an i1ljunc-
tion which restrained them from
unfair and unlawful practiyes.
"The decree Is sweeping in its
scope and I am sure will be highly
beneficial In its effect.
'The decree, which involves reor-
ganization Of a great industry with
assets of more than $1,000, ,0o0, 900
and which affects eighty corporations
and forty mine individuals, results
from an agreement between the meat
producers and the department Of
justice, announced Dec. Is. This
agreement was reached after the
department had instituted anti
trust proceedings in Chicago against
the packers at the direction Of Pres
ident Wilson.
Deny Monopoly Charge.
Counsel for the packers in q
statement to the court said the de-
cree had been agreed to by the de-
PENDANTS mot because Of guilt for
they have not violated any law. but
that the American people may be as
sured that there is not the remotest
possibility of food monopoly by
the packers.
After hearing statements Of the
government and by the packers,
Chief Justice Mccoy signed the
agreement.
Packers Accept PatriotiealIy.
Agreement for filing of the decree,
Mr.. Palmer said, In announcing II
last December, would have the ef-
feet Of establishing the principle.
that no group Of men no matter
how powerful can ever attempt to
control the food market Of tho Am
ertcan people"
The attitude Of the packers was
summed up ut this time by w. AZ.
Borders. general counsel for Nor
ris & Company, illustrating s'the
spirit Of true Americanisn Of the
packing industry. 81.
Henry veeder. counsel for Swift
q Co.. asserted that his company
had met the requests Of the govern.
ment because It was; felt .'the same
spirit, which caused the business men
70 consent TO sacrifices during the
war was just a. essential tcr peace
time reconstruction.
Mr.. Borders, for Morris . Co.
made the following abatement Tor III
the defendants: 4,
These defendants have oonsented
to this decree not because of Guilt,
for they have not violated any law.
but that the American people may -
assured there II no possibility Of i
food monopoly BY the packer; that
the constant agitation leveled q this
vital industry may cease: that 1
better understanding and feeling be-
tween this industry and the pNDlic
may bs established; that c6uAjr
tions IN this period Of reconstruction
ssAav - akahili9ad and thn afiR0Ansase,