Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-08-08

washington, Aug. &-6OVernment
acquisition and control OF all the prin-
cipal stock yards. cold storage plants,
and both refrigerator and cattle cars
has been recommended to the presi-
dent by the trade commission to de-
stroy monopoly which 1t declares
Swift & Co.. Armour q Co.. Morris &
Co., Wilson q Co., Inc. and the Cud-
ahy Packing Company exercise not
only over< the meat Industry Of the
country but other necessary food sup
piles.
The commissions report 10 based
upon exhaustive hearings conducted
recently in many cities, and was made
has been An the hands Of the president
since July s, and 1t was explained 1t
had not vreviousay been issued be
cause the president drxt wished 70 be
in possession Of full information"
Power illegally Used.
Basing Its statement upon q great
volume Of evidence examined, much
of 1t taken from confidential files Of
the packing companies. the commis- i
sion said the power Of the five pasat-
Ing companies has been and is be-
ing unfairly and illeSally used" to:
Manipulate the live stock markets.
Control the prices OF dressed meats
and othcr foodA
Dsfraud the food producers and
consumers.
Crush effective competition. /.
Secure special privileges from rail :
ways stock yards companies and mu- :
ntctpeliktas and @prontssr."
y tla6kess ceatrei Marketing eystess.
ssyvAAIs Ne have f01ss- sid the se-
lpos1 to .tbe president, and Will ffscloee
DO YOU An intricate fabric OF .monop-
oli6S, controls, combine ttona, conaora-.
cies ana ereStrAints' which would seem
to Indicate 8 hmilarly complex and
minute System Of legislative or admin
sistratiVe remedies, we believe that an
/ adequate remedy m&y be more simply
arrived At
"We believe that II the fundamental
and underlying evils arc rooted out,
the whole structure Of conspiracy. con-
troll, monopoly. restraint must fall.
IT these live great concerns owned
no packing plants and killed no cattle
and still retained control OF the In
struments Of transportation. Of mar
keting and storage their position
would be no less strong than it is."
Committee Rscourme ndations.
The committee then recommended;
"u.)-That the government acquire
thru the railroad administration all
rolling stock used for the transporta-
tion. Of meat animals and that such
ownership be declared q government
monopoly
"i2) That the government acquire.
thru the railroad administration, the
principal and necessary stock yards Of
the country, to be treated as freight
+depots and to he operated under such
conditions as will, insure open COM
petitive markets with uniform scale of
charges for all service performed. and
the acquisition or establishment. of such
additional yards from time to time as
the future development. of live stock
require, This to include customary
adjunct stock yards.
"(3) That the government acquire
thru the railway administration all pri-
vately owned refrigerator cars and
that such ownership be declared a gov
eminent monopoly.
Plan includes Storage Houses.
20 That the federal government
acquire such of the branch houses, cold
storage plants and warehouses as are
necessary to provide facilities for the
competitive marketing and storage OF
food products in the principal centeri
Of distribution and consumption. The
same to be operated by the government
as public markets and storage places
under such conditions as will afford an
outlet for all manufacturers and han
dlers Of food products on equal terms
Supplementing the market and storage
facilities thus acquired. the federal gov
ernment shall establish at terminals OF
all principal points of distribution and
consumption central wholesale markets
and storage plants with facilities open
to all on payment Of just and fair
charges.r
Operations international.
"Out Of the mass of information In
our hands," the report continued. zone
fact stands out with all emphasis. The
small dominant group OF American
meat packers now are international in
their activities while remaining Amer
lean in their identity. Blame attach
ing to their operations abroad inevit,-
bly, will attach to our country.
'"The purely domestic problems in
their increasing magnitude thru mo-
|nopolization OF markets. grave as those
problems are, are not more Thorough
than those presented by the aspect OF
international activity. This urgently
argues for a solution which will in
crease and not diminish the high 'regard
in (which this people is held in inter-
national comfy.
Control in Other Countries.
"The committee. in addition to theil
immense properties in the United
States. finds the fiye packing companies
either separately or jointly controa- -ana