The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-12-20
The POssibIe Onicome.

Cnlc1SO, Dec, ly,-PrOb1Dlc trend of
prices for food products formerly handl-
cd by the great meat packers during the
two year period in which Swift, Armour,
Morrison, Wilson and Cudahy compa-
nicS must disassoCiate themselves from
all other than the meat ana provision
business today was subject for general
speculation.
Following announcement Of tho com.
promise agreement resulting from lnsti.
tuition Of antitrust actions against the
81 corporations. and 40 individuals,
making up the big Five" packers,
varying opinions as to the probable ef.
feet ON the cost Of living were ex.
pressed.
"The price of meat is within the con
troll Of the people themselves" said A.
Mitchell Palmer. United States attor-
ney general in announcing the agree
ment between the packers and the de-
partment Of justice.
Time alone will tell whether our
activities in The lines to be dropped
We're in the interest of the public" said
Edward Morris, of Morris and Com.
pany. Maude h. Turley organizer Of
the women's division, fighting high
prices in Illinois, was cautious in max
ing her statement.
If the packers with their organiza-
ton have given US food at prices below
those of small concerns. prices viii
not now go down she said
"lf they have used their strength
mediate relief
\ step with public opinion, an ef-
fort to aid in allaying unrest and un-
intention, to remove cause Of friction
with the government. rather than an
admission OF any guilt, was the way
statements Of representatives Of the
packers referred to the promise.
This settlement was made with the
express and distinct understanding that
it does not involve the violation of any
law of the United States by the packers
and the decree OF court will SO provide"
said Mr.. Morris statement, I'VE would
never have made any settlement what.
ever that involved, implied or adiudi-
Gated any guilt on our part, because
we nave UOL NiDllLcu any law.
Similar statements by J. ogden Ar
mour, for Armour ana Company, and
Louis l.. Swift, for Swift and Company,
insisted that the packers position was
economically sound and unassailable
from a legal standpoint and that the
step was taken "at the suggestion Of
the department of justice. and in spite
ing it,"
Action in Chicago against the great
packers is at an end, according to Dis
trict Attorney Hoyne. The Chicago
district is no longer concerned in the
packer prosecution he said. The
books are closed here.
Dissolution is certainly n great vic
jury hearing of testimony, regarding
the packers begun at President Wilson'S
direction as part Of the fight on the
high cost Of living, recently was halt
ed by adjournment after 4 months in
vestgation.
while the packers were permitted
two years 10 dispose of their side line
of them already had begun such segrc.
cation. The leather, canned fruit and
vegetable businesses Of Swift and Com
pany, already were operating as sep
arate companies. Wilson and Company
had disposed of its grocery business.
Armour and Company, statement said,
did not manufacture cereals, but dis.
tributed the products of the Armour
Grain Company.
Summed up the interests OF the big
Five" that must be disposed Of are:
Public stockyards, stockyard rail.
roads, terminals and market newspa.
pers, public cold storage warehouses. re.
tail meat businesses, wholesale grocer
les, fresh. canned. dried and salt fish,
fresh. canned and dried vegetables: