When the disease of cutting the beard spread among students of
the [Litvishe] Yeshivos, the well-known Gaon, Rabbi Eliezer Gordon
[Rov and Rosh Yeshiva of Telz], of blessed memory, adopted the
most stringent measures [to stop it].
When he saw that they persisted in their defiance, he mobilized
[Rov of Pinsk-Karlin], the venerable Rabbi Eliyahu Chaim Meisel
[Rov of Lodz, Poland], and the mighty Gaonim Rabbi Chaim HaLevi
[Soloveitchik, Rov of Brisk], and Rabbi Chaim Ozer [Grodzenski,
Rov of Vilna]
He demanded that they place a prohibition on Rabbonim
against granting them [students who cut their beards] Rabbinic
ordination [Semicha], on Shochtim against teaching them the skill
of ritual slaughtering [Shechita], and on Jewish communities against
employing them in any religious position.
Kovetz Yagdil Torah 7:5