The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-11-17
| ARMOUR CONTINUES.
SECRET|VE ABOUT
BIC MERGER PLAN
Government Officials Reserve
Decision on Proposed Meat
Combine-Farm 0rgani-
cations Show Interest

Washington, November 16.-Gov-
eminent officials reserved decision
today with regard to the proposal
for consolidation of Armour and
company and Morris and company,
two of the big five" Chicago meat
packing concerns. which was placed
before them yesterday by J. Ogden
Armour. 1t was indicated that final
opinion would not be forthcoming for
some days.
Meantime the various details of the
consolidation plan and its probable
effect we're being studied at the de-
partment OF agriculture. Chester MGR
rill. assistant to Secretary Wallace,
who is in charge of the administra-
ton Of the new packers and stock
yards control act. held conferences
with department experts on market
ing and other related lines.
Mr.. Armour had expected an early
decision by the government. lie re-
NAMED In Washington today and
had a brief conference with Presl-
dent Harding. lie declined to talk
about his conference with the exeeu-
tive, nor was any statement regard
I lug IL AAOhl Aht " ffteA
House. SO far as was learned, Sec
rotary Wallace had not taken up the
Armour plan with MIR. Harding.
Farm Bodies Watching Plan
Attorney General paugherty was
confined &c his apartment with q
slight indIsposltfon, but at the de
| partment of justice, 1t was indicated
| that the question was not receiving
/ immediate consideration since no
plan in detail had been submitted.
| Officers OF farm organizations in
| Washington were watching develop
ments in connection with the pro-
posed consolidation.
BENJAMIN G. Marsh, OF the Farm
ers' National council. said that he
was writing Secretary Wallace and
Attorney General Daugherty asking
! full information concerning the
/, Armour plan, and suggested thai
/ there be more .of packer ccntro
through more legislation and less o.
packer control of the government"
Gray Silver, fer the American Farm
Bureau federation. said that the fed
eration had not asked for a hrarini
lbeAsfe TIM department of agriculture
bur added that this did not mean nee
essarily that hearing might not b.
requested as an immediate decision
by the department was not antici
pated.
Armour silent
At the offices of the Nationa
Grange IL was stated that no Off
cial information respecting the pro
posed consolidation had been obtained
and that any expression by tn,
Grange would be made at the annua
meeting now in progress at Wichita
Kan.
While MIR. Armour still declined L
discuss the projected acquisition o.
Morris & Co. by the concern OF which
he Is the head. Information from
other sources was that such con,
solidation would place Armour & Co
in the front rank of the big packing
concerns. This company. with iti
capital of $4,000 600 and capital as,
sets OF $4,000. 900 has various pack
ling plants in this country. as well a,
in South America and Australia. Nor
ris & Co has half dozen packinl
establishments in the United States
and distributing stations in the more
important cities in Europe and in
Cuba. It's capital lis 100000, 600
| One immediate result of a merger
would be a general consolidation OF
the facilities OF the two companies
and more particularly OF distributing
agencies and rolling stock This. II
was stated. would be in the interest
of economic operation. This phase oil
the consolidation plan was under
stood to have been dwelt upon in the
| formal proposal laid before the de-
partment OF agriculture