Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-12-18
]. S. SETTLES SUIT
AGAINST PACKERS
"Big Five" Agrees to Drop Many
Side Lines in Partial
Dissolution
DECREE WILL BE ENTERED
BY the Associated Press

Washington, Dec. 1S.-Settlement of
the anti trust cases begun by the De
partment of Justice against the five big
Chicago packers is understood to have
been reached out of court. Attorney
General Palmer is expected to announce
the details late today.
Negotiations between the packers and
the government have been going on for
some time. One of the plans was the
withdrawal of the packers from side
lines such as the wholesale grocery
business. which reports of the federal
trade commission have charged them
with seeking to dominate.
The packers represented that they
had already begun to withdraw from
the grocery business and are willing TO
carry. the plan still further. Plaus also
have been considered for the separation
Of the corporations into separate cntl-
ties.
During the day Attorney General
Palmer held a long conference with
Senators Kenyon and kendrick, au-
thors of measures for government regu-
lation of the meat packing industry,
which are before the Senate agriculture
committee.
After the conference Senator Kenyon
said separation of the packers from
other businesses would not cause HIM
or Senator Kenrick to abandon their
efforts to have their bills enacted. Sen
ator Kenyon planned 10 issue state
ment late today setting forth his views
and commencing the work of the Dc
partment of Justice in obtaining the
agreement with the packers.
Chicago, Dec. 1S.-(By \. PA
dozen or more important side line in-
iustries of the Chicago meat packers
involving investments of many millions
Of dollars will be disposed of under
the stipulated decree soon to be entered
in the United States Court at Wash
ingron on motion of Attorney General
Palmer.
While representatives Of the packers
today declined to discuss the details
Of the decree under which the packers
in the future will be required to cOnine
the business activities to the produc-
ton of meat, poultry, butter, eggs and
cheese, it was learned from an authOri-
tative source that the outline of the
plan had been agreed upon.
Among the lines of business from
which it is said the packers will be
ordered to withdraw under the stlpu-
lated court decree are the following
soap, cleansing powders, groceries, fer
tilizers, cold storage, fish, refrigerator
car lines, glue, sporting goods and the
control of stock yards.
Representatives of the packers eX-
press the view that under the proposed
nlan they might continue to manufac-
fure soap and fertilizer, as they arc
natural products of the meat packing
industry. Some doubt was expressed as
10 whether cleansing powder is an
animal product. One purpose of the
prevent the packers from engaging in
the wholesale grocery business.
Swift & Go. already have segregated
IT'S South American and Australian
meat business, its fruit and vegetable
eanning industry and it's manufacture
ef leather. Wilson & Go. recently dis
posed of its wholesale grocery lines to
New York firm.
Dissolution of the wholesale grocery
interests of the "Big Five" packers
would not seriously affect any of
them, Louis f. Swift, head Of
Swift & Co., said today.
Later Mr.. Swift, in a formal state
nent. said:
Referring to the decree in question,
Swift & Co. have already made dis
solution of their leather business as
well as the ownership of Libby, Mcneil
& Libby Ga fruit and meat canning
Subsidiary and also their packing
house business in South America and
Australia, and have been anticipating
something of this kind for some time.
"Our earnings will not be unfavor-
ably affected as the lines prohibited
have not been especially profitable. 1t
will give us more available cash capital
for the'real meat business and its allied
products.