Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-02-27
U. S. REFUSES TO MODIFY
PACKERS CONSENT ORDER
Now Prohibited From Engay.
ing i'll Unrelated Lines
Of Business. 81
ovERNMENT Is NEUTRAL
Wholesale Grorers' AsS,ciot,o, WIN
right Against Industry by rnkInr
hsr Direct To the Courts for
Action.
Ky j. Frederick ESSary,
"s"'hS'on Correspondent OF To
Times DISPATCH

aShinSton Correspondent OF Tha
Times Dispatch.
WASHINGTON. Feb 2G-The De.
partment OF Justice. after teinr
bomharded with protests from ar.
fected interests. has concluded NOT
t" recommend a modification of the
consent decree in the DistrIc, or CO
lumbia Supreme Court. which pro-
hib'ts the packers from engaging in
unrelated lines OF business.
Official announcement to this eff.
icct comes from the Attorney-Gcn-
crai. who now feels tina, the gov.
cramcnt should not take sides in
the proposed rcopeniBg OF this case.
ont that 1t should remain neutral I'm
me controversy between those who
ar" seeking tn modify the decree and
these who are lighting against such
action.
Entered without Contest.
This decree was entered tow.ra
The end OF the Wilson administra-
non without contest, and in bring,
ing the packers to an agreement
mat they would retire from the gro.
Gerry. stockyard and other lines OF
business other than the slaurhtering
dressed meats. the government won
what IL regarded as it's most i'm
ioi taht victory in years.
soon attcr the new administration
came III movement WAS initiated
through certain fruit growing inter-
es'S OF California to reopen this case
~ order to allow tho packers more
freedom. This move was bitterly on
posed. particularly by the National
Wholesale Groccrs' Association and
IN" Southern Wholesale Groccrs' AS
ISOLATION, which bodies ASKED pcr.
mission 10 intervene in opposition.
The court has since granted this Dcr,
mission.
Packers Expect Support.
me friends OF the packers. il not
tho packers themselves. confidently
expected the now Aforementioned
to support the motion for Il modifica-
ton OF tho consent decree. intimat-
ing more than once that they had
received assurances TO that effect
from high quarters in the Depart
ircht OF Justice. ana as n result the
decision OF the department has Keen
awaited with impotence on the ona
hahd. ana with much anxiety ON
the other.
Meanwhile the Senate took n hand
IN the matter. passing without op-
position the La Toilette resolution
calling upon the Attorney General
FOR iull information regarding tho
ease and ordering the Committee on
Agriculture To make an investigation
OF the whsle business.
In respGhse TO the La Follette
rcsolutionS the Attorney General for
~urded to the Senate II statement or
the case. together with a transcript
of the testimony taken at Il hearing
before special committee appointed
by him. consisting of officials of the
Departments OF Justice, Commerce
and Agriculture.
Senate Not TO Probe.
The decision OF the Attorney Gen
eral not to recommend either n modi-
iication OF the decree or to oppose 4
modification. leaves the Senate with
out anything to investigate in that
quarter, but the committee may. OF
course. pass upon the question
whether or not ii is good policy for
the packers to engage In the gro
Gerry or other unrelated lines OF
business.
Provisions bearing upon this ques-
ton were eliminated from lesislu-
ton affecting tie packers some
months ago because of the fact that
the court decree seemed then to- be
sufficient safeguard against their re-
entering forbidden fields. Because
II,
however the Senate committee is in
clined to revive the Legislation, ac-
cprdng to Senator Norris, chairman
OF that body.
With the refusal OF the govern
m"nt. ut whose instance the original
decree was entered Ey the court, TO
recommend n reopening OF the case.
IL is doubted here whether the Dis
trict Supreme Court will grant the
petition Of the packers.
Decision Big Victory.
The Attorney-General's decision Is
regarded generally us victory for
the groccrs and the interests allied
with them in this fight. IL is we'll
understood that the California Co
Operative Gamers Company, which
Is reading the movement for the pro-
posed modification. had some encour-
asement in government quarters
when the mater first came up.
They were further encouraged
when the Department of Justice re-
sisted The phtition or the Srocers for
permission to intervene in the case.
This seemed to Indicate that the gov
ernment was willing To join in tho
plea for rcopcnng the case.
II was after the court overruled
the government and permitted the
Sr0cerS TO become parties to the case
thai the Acknowledgement arranged
fer hearings before the interdepart-
mental committee.
Throughout the whole of tho
fresh controversy over the kinds OF
business the packers should engage
in. the big i've" have remained In
the back ground. They were invited
to present their Views Ia the Attor-
measurements committee, but they
failed u show up.
There have been some reports cur
rent in Washington that Armour &
Co. aud Wilson IL Co. were willing
to have the decree against them
modified, although not actively in
tcrtStcd in the matter. Other pack
crS, II is said. prefer 10 go along as