WORLD MONOPOLY

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1944, Page 5

WORLD MONOPOLY

By Manufacturers of Matches EXPOSURE IN AMERICA. (Rec. 9.20) NEW YORK, May 1. The U.S.A. Department of Justice has filed a suit in the Federal Court against the cartel of American, Canadian, British, and Swedish match manufacturers. They include the firm of Bryant and May Limited. 1 The cartel members are accused of causing a match shortage and of seriously interfering with the production of chlorate of potash which is used in ammunition and flares. The suit seeks the issue of a permanent injunction against the continuance of the cartel. The match firm cartel was organised in 1901. It divided the world markets between its members. The U.S. Government contended that the activating figure of the cartel was Ivar Krueger, the controller of the Swedish Match Company. The company continued his policies in the cartel after Krueger committed suicide in March, 1932. The Government added that, as the result of the agreement between the German and American potash manufacturers, there was practically no chlorate of ootash manufactured m the United States between the two world wars. However, six or seven potash plants have been build m America during this war.