Grand Forks herald., 1919-12-20
EVENTS OF a WEEK.

The Tension which was created by
the coal strike, and which had spread
to all parts Of the country, has been
materially relieved by the suspension
of the strike and the return OF miners
to work. The mines have not yet re-
sumed full production but most OF
them are running about up to ca
pacity. 1t viii be some time before
the coal thus mined can be widely
distributed. but the resumption OF
work has been followed by the with
drawal Of all fuel regulations, and
local stocks held awaiting govern
ment orders may now be distributed
at the convenience Of those interest
ed. Conditions approaching normal
are reported In most industries which
were affected by the strike.
A good deal of interest has attend
ed the resignation OF DR.. Garfield AZ
fuel administrator, and the reason
which he has advanced for the resig-
nation adds to the interest. DR.. Gar
field objects to the terms Of settle
ment arranged, which provide for q
IL per cent increase of pay to the
miners, and the appointment OF a
commission Of three. representing re-
spectively the miners, the employers,
and the general public, to investigate
tho whole subject and decide on. a
permanent settlement Garfield
thinks that this is certain to result in
an increase Of coal prices to the pub
lie, and this increase was what he
had opposed uncompromisingly. His
own plan was that the II per cent in
crease should constitute final set
hcnnent, and that this increase should
ali come out Of the mine profits. It
has been announced that two Of the
three commissioners to Investigate
the subject are to be John p. White,
former president of the United Mine
Workers, and Rembrandt Peale. an
Independent coal operator.
An arrangement has been reached
between the five great packing COM
panies and the department Of justice
whereby the packers are to retire
from a wide field OF enterprises in
which they have been engaged out
side of the packing business proper,
and to cenfine themselves to the prep
aFation of meats and Of q few by
products which are designed in the
n1reemopf rono ,>Io inf hoe hean 80 = =.
that through their control of stock
yards and other lines of business con-
nected with the marketing Of live
stock the packers were able to eKer.
cise an improper control over the
prices of their raw material, and that
through their handling Of fruits,
groceries. ETC.. and the distribution Of
these by means Of their elaborate car
service, they had an unfair advantage
over other dealers in these products,
and were gradually reaching a po-
sition which would enable them to
dominate the whole food business Of
the country. The packers assert that
their agreement to retire from these
outside enterprises is due to a desire
to remove the irritation which their
activities in these directions occa-
Stoned, while the attorney general de-
clares that the yielding Of the packers
is a signal victory for the government.
The country at large ia likely to
view the new arrangement without
any expectations of a food millennium
because of its former experience in
the unscrambling Of mergers. The
government won three suits regarded
a. OF great importance, aimed at the
destruction of monopoly. or at least,
1T the perpetuation of competition.
Through court action it caused the
dissolution of the Northern Securities
company, the Standard Oil company
and the American Tobacco company,
as these institutions existed before
the suits, bringing about their sep-
arauon into q multitude of units Yet
the same people who controlled those
properties continued to control them
except in the case OF voluntary sale
Whatever property is involved in the
present cese IL owned by some body
and we take it. that neither the prop.
erty itseh nor its ownership is to be
destroyed.
The federal supreme court Dc.
serpyed ths hopes and allayed thu
feArs thAt the countFy would exper.
feace a ''wsF' Chriatmas by dee,ar1ne
constitutional the wartime prohibitio,
enforcement act on which conflictin,
decisions had been given by severa
subordinate courts. The effect Of tn.
Decision is 10 retain in force the pres
ent prehtbition Regulations unu
pace has formally concluded ant
proclamation to that effect shal
haye been. made. Inassnueh A mi
n not likely to he accomplished be
fore constitutional prohibition rpe
INTO elect on January Is, there i
likely to be no interval avring vhic]
iHtczicants may lawfully b sold i,
TIE UnitsA States. One eAsct sf tn
decasaoA = 10 lssvs "a ths bands 0
dtstitler. snsHs1se quantities Of dis
ttiled ltauesS whish they cannot sci
within the usitsd States sad ~htcl
Try csnaat find Transportation t
aSEy 70 ssssien buyers wtthia tn
llsited time 1t their disposal. It ha
30 susEeatsd - one solutisn Of th
pSoossm thak the liquors be shippe
I ~ C11a, there TO remain until fixa
~ 1om -of them can bs maAe.