Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-08
CHANGE IN PACKER
DECREE IS OPPOSED
Meat Dealers Association
May Make Political Issue
of Legal Fight.
BY John z. SINCLAIR.

NEW YORK, August 8.--Are the
10000 retail meat market owners or
ganizing to fight any modification OF
the packers decree. which prohibits the
Big Four meat packers from ever en-
tering the retail distribution of meat?
The big packers want the decree
modified. They have asked the Gov
ernment's permission. Attorney Gem
eraI Mitchell before leaving on his va
cation in Scotland, announced that he
was opposed to modification and that
he would fight against any change OF
any kind.
Now the National Association of Re-
tail Meat Dealers. which is meeting
this week in Minneapolis, was advised
by United States Senator Schan that
If the packers are allowed to go into
meat retailing they will have an abso-
lutte monopoly on the entire meat IN
duStry within a few years.
The packers consent decree enables
the individual retailer to carry on and
improve his business" said the blind
Senator. If the packers are allowed to
enter the retail field they will soon con-
troll the entire industry and the retail
dealers who now own their own shops
Will be working for some one else"
Undoubtedly this sentiment is the
sentiment of the retail meat dealers.
They oppose the change, and the indi-
cations are now that they will make it
a political issue, if necessary, to main
tain their point.
1t looks as though the Big Four
packers for all other packers except
Swift, Armour. Cudahy and wilson can
enter the retail meat distribution field
will have to have their modification If
they ever do, from an appeal to the
courts. And this is exactly what they
are after now.
D q foLa If
the Canadian government. he will be
faced by one serious obstacle in the for
nation of his cabinet. During the cam
paign this Conservative leader promised
that he would choose his cabinet from
the elected representatives of the peo-
pie. 1t was a campaign promise, made
primarily to strengthen the party ma
chinery and morale.
But the strongest Conservative lead
ers did not run for Parliament. Many
of them we're Mr.. Benefits advisers
and had much to say about the cam
paign. But now that a strong cabinet
is desirable, Mr.. Bennett finds his ma
terial none too plentiful"
Two names of outstanding business
leaders have been mentioned for places
in the cabinet But if the campaign
promise of Mr.. Bennett is real prom
Use, these men cannot be considered.
One of them is Sir Herbert Holt. Mon
treaI financier, head of the Royal Bank.
He has been suggested for minister OF
finance. Undoubtedly, this Montrealer
wields as strong an influence in Ca
madam business as any other man IN
the Dominion. The other suggestion is To
make j. S. Mclean, president of the
Canadian Packers, head of the depart
n1ent of agriculture.
The Financial Post of Toronto says:
"Mr Bennett can find seats. if he will,
for two or three big business executives
not now in political life. He can ind
in the Senate, or later on appoint to
the Senate other brainy administrator
Such departments as agriculture trade
and commerce or labor must not be
intrusted to mere politicians. They
must be politicians, plus"
Easier said than done. Find a sue
cessful public leader who ignores poll
tics and he remains the leader but
short time!
Reginald McKenna, former chancellor
of the British exchequer, now head OF
England's largest bank, the Midland,
challenges the position that the central
banks Of the world have little or nothing
to do with the ruinous price declines OF
the last few years. He believes they
have a great deal to do with it.
S~'The world is staggering under the
Britain has pursued restrictive money
policy," says Mr.. McKenna. The regu-
Nr expansion of money supplies which
must be undertaken, If trade is to be
Sctive and the price level stable, has not
seen permitted: as a consequence, Brit
kh prices, and with them the world
fvel of prices, have tended steadily
downward"
Sir Josiah Stamp, British industrial
leader and a member of the Board of
the Bank of England, takes much the
came position.
World bankers meet and decide on
Holicies-the Young plan- for example
Much of the work is involved and tech
nical But it doesn't mean a thing un-
ess the world price level stops dropping
II world prices drop another 20 points
not only will Germany not be able to pay
her reparations. but it is very question
able whether Great Britain could con-
tinue to pay her obligations to the
United States. And yet, it's subject
chat very few people have given any
&aIdy at all"
In these words this British economist
spoke frankly to this writer. Every
Student of world finance knows thai
there has been a great deal of money
fluctuations in the last few years due Il
manipulation and not to natural causes
In these times such manipulationS
are inexcusable, spelling as they do the
T1lination and bankruptcy Of thousands
81 firms and individuals.
The National Industrial Conference
Board in a recent analysis shows that
fom 1920 to 1923 the number OF
kdlowatt hours of electricity generated
Increased more than 100 per cent the
per capita increase being almost sc
per cent. But the number of customers
increased about lis per cent.
In the gas industry the number OF
customers increased during the period
by "a per cent: the sales of gas in
thousands of cubic feet. SIS per cent
and the number of employees, 80 pei
cent.
During this period the number oil
establishments declined almost one
third. Electrical expansion has gone
ahead faster than gas expansion.
( But the new uses developed for ga!
IN the field of cooking and heating anc
IN the expansion of natural gas in th'
last few years has given the gas in
dustry new life.
Some public utility operators are lay
ing plans now to spend more none!
in the field Of gas than in that o.
Electricity, for in the former field thu
possibilities for growth and expansion
vastly exceed that in the field of cleo
tricity. they declare.
Copyright, 1890. by North American News
paper Alliance
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