Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-19
PUBLIC INTERESTED n
in WATCHING THE
EFFECT ON PRICES
Business of ''Big Five" il
Future Will Be
Restricted.


Washington, Dec. 1s.-ReorganfSs-
tion of gigantic industry, involving
capital of more than. one billion dol-
lars and affecting eghty-seven corr
porauons, will result from the conn
promise reached by the government
and the five big packing companies
Under the agreement announced
last night and which will be made
binding by an injunction decree, the
business of Swift and Company, Ar
mour and Company, Morris and Com
pany, Wilson and Company and the
Cudahy Company will be restricted to
meats and provisions. Two years are
given to comply with the decree.
The packers agreed to forever dis
sociate themselves with all lines un-
related to the meat packing industry,
further control over the marketing Of
livestock, or the retailing Of meat
products and will quit the meat sub
stitutes, except eggs, butters cheese
and poultry.
Furthermore the packers agreed to
submit to the jurisdiction of the fed
eral courts and under the decree they
Wall Oc 1IOH Uu8xAIAAI1AA&
any combination with each other or
attempting to monopolize any food
products in the United States. tf
Prices to Be Watched.
Chicago, Dec. t9.-Probable trend
of prices for food products formerly
handled by the great meat packers
during the two-year period in which
the Swift, Armour, Morris, Wilson
and Cudahy companies must disso-
ciate themselves from all other than
the meat and provisions business to-
day was the subject for general
speculation.
Following the announcement of the
compromise agreement resulting
from institution Of antitrust actions
against the 81 corporations and ~
individuals making up the big Five
packers, varying opinions as to the
probable effect on the cost Of living
were expressed. "a
''The price of meat is within the
control of the people themselves"
said A. Mitchell Palmer, United
States attorney general, in announce
ing the agreement between the pack
ers and the department Of Justice.
Time Will Tell.
''Time alone will tell whether our
activities in the lines to be- dropped
were h the interest of tho pIt6iicss,
said Edward Morris, of Morris ana
Company.
Maude R. Turlay, organizer Of the
women's division fighting high prices
in Illinois, was cautious In making
her statement, which was regarded
opinion of the public.
If the packers with their orsani-
cation have given us food at prices
below those of small concerns, prices
will not now go down." she said. III
they have used their strength to adj
vance prices. we can look for imme-
diate relief
While the packers were permitted
two years to dispose of their side line
holdings under the agreement some
of them already had begun such seq
regation. The leather; canned fruit
and vegetable businesses of Swift and
Company already were operating as
separate companies. Wilson and
company had disposed of its grocery
business. Armour and Company, q
statement said, did not manufacture
of the Armour Grain Company.
The List is Long.
Summed up the interests of the
big Five" that must be disposed OF,
being located throughout the coun-
try, are: @1
Public stock yards, stock yard rail-
roads and terminals, market newspa-
pers, public cold storage warehouses,
retail meat businesses, wholesale
groceries, fresh, canned, dried and
salt fish; fresh. canned and dried
vegetables; fresh, crushed, dried.
evaporated, canned and dried vege-
tables; fresh, crushed, dried. sevapor-
ated and canned fruits; confection-
cries, syrups, soda water fountain
supplies, molasses, honey, jams. jel-
lies, preserves, ices. sauces. relishes,
coffee, tea, chocolate, cocoa, nuts,
-four sugar rice and cereals with
one exception to be, noted). bread.
waters, crackers, biscuits, spaghetti.
vermicelli, Macaroni, cigars, china
and furniture.
Preparation and manufacture OF
the following foods and products may
be continued: Meat, butter. eggs.
soups, gelatine, oleomargarine. soap.
cheese, poultry, fertilizer. hides,
sporting goods. {5,