Swifts

Five brothers head and control Swift & Co., Chicago packers. These five are Louis Franklin, oldest and president of the company; Charles Henry, Edward Foster and Harold Higgins, all vice presidents; and George Hastings, who holds no official position but keeps up his interests.

For some years, in corollary to the trust-busting proclivities of President Roosevelt, the pseudo-monopolistic business of Swift & Co., of the Armour Co., and of the other large packers, lay under cloud in the public mind. True, they had corralled livestock, slaughtering and marketing control into few hands, had almost ruled the meat business of this country. Then came the War, during which the quintessence of centralized control over every commodity was the sine qua non of victory, and the U. S. Army Quartermaster Corps found its rationing problems simplified. General Knisgern, Zone Supply Officer, stationed at Chicago, was especially pleased, placed his contracts intelligently, cautiously. He wanted a steady supply of food for the armies, wanted high quality (had his own corps of inspectors to make doubly sure), wanted it packed according to military needs and specifications.

Millions of pounds of tinned bacon ("sowbelly") went overseas, a welcome substitute for the "monkey meat" ("canned willie," corn beef), welcome substitute for the "frigo" (frozen beef), welcome substitute for the sloppy, though nourishing slumgullion ' of the ration. This bacon was not so neatly packed, so elegantly handled as was the civilian product yet it was clean, wholesome, nourishing. Fragrant, crisp, dripping grease, on thick white bread and with a canteen cup full of hot coffee-"Bring on your War!"

In February after the armistice, prudent General Knisgern started canceling his war contracts; told Swift & Co., one of his main supply agents, to cease preparing Army bacon. But they had about five million pounds of pig bellies in smoke, could not easily dispose of them to the civilian trade. The selling price would have been considerably below the Government contract rate, at which Swift & Co. had keyed their packing operations. The General realized Swift's fairness and willing co-operation throughout the War stress, yet had to refer money adjustment to a Court of Claims; told the company to sell the bacon at the best rates possible. This they did, at $1,077,386.30 below what the Government would have paid them if the bacon had been bought for War purposes.

Swift & Co. filed routine suit against the Government in the Court of Claims. There Government agents astounded them by charging fraudulent conduct. Yet the Court decided in favor of the packers. Government appeal went to the U. S. Supreme Court, and over that Court's decision the five brothers of Swift & Co. were happy last week, for the final decision awarded them not only the more than million dollars differential on War bacon sales in the U. S., but also $212,216 more for a potential loss on bacon sold in France.