The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-09
Plunderbund of Sharks
Who Rob Country's
Dinner Table.
COLD STORAGE MEN
FORCE PRICES UP
Mcclellan, in Championing Bill
for Government Regulation.
Flays the Interests Which
Corner Life's Necessities
and Commit Despicable
Crime Against Public.

Washington. December S.-'voracl-
! Gus vultures OF the market places. aud
''piunderbund Of food sharks" we're
! character!zations applied to cold stor
! age spectators who corner perishable
| toodStufis to boost prices. by Repre-
/ sentative Mckellar, OF Tennessee. when
/ Ne spoke to-day. championiug his bill
I for Federal regulation OF the cold stor-
age business.
| Saying that his proposed legislation
was not designed TO injure the cold
! storage business as such Mr. Nickel
lar declared:
The drastic features of tho bill are
only aimed at the corrupt and dishon-
est, at the gamblers. at the voracious
vultures who stand around in the
market places and reap where they
have not sown and fatten on other peo
rie's food. ] do not believe any mem
Der OF this great House will stand up
Tor any such plundcrbund of food
sharks"
The Mckellar bill. which will pre-
| scribe both prison terms and heavy
! fines for violation of its provisions
would make it illegal to ship adultcr-
ated and misbranded food products in
Interstate commerce, and would limit
the periods in which food products may
be held in storage without becoming
adulterated.
Corner Food Deliberately.
Reviewing the data produced by tho
senate committee which investigated
the high cost of living, Mr. Mcclellan
submitted further statistics intended
TO show that packers and warehouse
men corner markets on foodstufrs de-
liberatcly to increase profits. He as-
! serted that these men would insist thar
! tho Federal government should leave
/
II cannot conceive" Mr.. Mcclellan de-
clared. any greater crime against the
public than the cornering of the market
on foodstuifs Almost every housewife
in this country is complaining at the
high cost of eggs, and we find these
gamblers not only corncring the price
OF eggs and reaping unfair and unjust
prcfts from it. but actually laughing
at the public. Ny bill would put these
gamblers out of business and would
give the consumer chance"
1t Is nonStrous," he declared that
n government like ours. believing in
fair play and that the consumer should
not he victimi2ed by gamblers and
spectators like Mr.. Wctz. the egg
king and the packing companies
should fail To put this belief into law
The government has had many bouts
with these packers, but the packers
have come out clear and free. No
doubt. they think they are stronger
than the government"
Under the McKcllar bill cold storage
ior beef is limited To seven months;
veal two months; pork and products.
four months; sheep or goats and pro-
ducts, four months: lab kids and
products. three months; poultry and
products. three months; fish and pro-
ducts, TWO months; eggs and products,
three months. or seven months when
stamped; butter and products. three
months. No article removed from cold
storage may be returned to cold stor-
age.
EVIL II Deeply Rooted.
~ do not think" admitted Nickel
lar. that any one measure will COR
rect the evil system which now con-
fronts us. or prove panacca for con-
ditions every one admits are bad.
States have cold storage limitation
fectivc Canada has legislation sub
sidiZtuG cold storage warehouses.
Prime Minister Border, of Canada, says
that Canada is suffering from the high
cost of living, and intinated that cold
storage might be responsible for il
that the cold storage people have been
able SO far 10 write many OF the state
laws regulating the cold storage qucs-
ton"
MIR. McKcilar said that he did not
wish 10 interfere With any legitimate
or proper use OF cold storage Charles
Teller, who put it in use forty years
ago he commented, died a few days
ago III poverty, but tho business has
grown until the value OF ioodstums
uow going annually in cold storage
amounts to approximately $4,000
oO00uO.
"The real trouble on the question
Of health is that prcedy spectators
hayc obtained control OF the cold stor-
ago business" continued Mr. Nickel
lar. Large concerns dealing in eggs
divide up the territory in the spring
of the year, their agents buying uD
Ill kinds and conditions OF eggs and
lump them into cold storage in New
ork Chicago. Philadelphia and other
arSe centres Of population. Later
hey are put ON the market principal
" as fresh eggs. ana tie people get
some wholesome and some unwholo-
greater extent OF poultry. meats game
md fish.
None of the laws for nutritious and
cold storage is observed bv
he cold storage men. II is essential
hat Il national law should bo passed"
Mr. Mcclellan gave a list OF he prln-
'ipal food prodncts going into cold
storage Meats led with value of
Il 800, 900. 900. and poultry, 81. 600, 900.
The value OF egrs was $4,000, ,000
object Of His Bii.
The object Of my bill Is 10 aid both
he producer and tho consumer 10
INIT the middleman 10 reasonable
'front.' aud 10 PUT the speculator and
;amblor out OF business concluded
'fcKellar
II think OF all the enrontery / ever
eard Of is the statement by Louis II,
CONTINUED on Twelfth Pegc0