Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-08-09
u, S, Trade Commission
Makes Public Its Report of
Conditions Found During Its
Probe of Packing Plants,
FIVE LARGE CONCERNS
HAVE COUNTRY IN GRIP
Government Should Acquire
and Operate Plants so As to
Curb this Huge Monopoly,
Investigators Recommend,
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IsN MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL LEASED WIRE,
Washington, Aug S.-Government
acquisition and control of all the prin-
cipal stockyards. cold storage plants
and warehouses and both refrigerator
and cattle cars has been recommend
ed to the president by the federal
trade commission to destroy a mo-
nopoly which it declares Swift e. Co.,
Armour & Co. Morris & Co, Wilson
Co. and the Cudahy Packing com
pany exercise not only over the meat
industry of the country but other nee
essary food supplies.
The commissions report was made
public today through the White
House. 1t has been in the hands of
the president since July 5 and had
not previously been issued because
the president first wished to be in
possession of full information"
l3asing its statement upon great
volume of evidence examined, the
commission said the power of the five
packing companies %has been and is
being unfairly and Illegally used" to-
Manipulate stock markets.
Restrict interstate and interna-
tional supplies of food.
Control the prices of dressed meats
and other foods
Defraud both the producers of food
and consumers.
Crush effective competition.
Secure special privileges from rail-
roads, stockyards companies and mu-
inequalities; and. profiteer
Practices Should BE Curbed.
out OF the mass of information in
our hands," the report continued, "one
fact stands out with all possible en-
phasis The small dominant group of
American meat packers are now in
ternational in their activities while
remaining American in their Identity
Blame which now attaches to them
for their practices abroad as well as
at home inevitably will attach to our
country If the practices continue.
This urgently argues for solu-
tion which viii not diminish the high
regard in which their people is held
in International commity."
The commission saws the five pack
ing companies either separately or
Jointly own or control more than half
OF the export meat production OF the
Argentine, Brazil and Uruguay and
have investments in other surplus
meat producing countries, including
Australia. as we'll as branches in Great
Britain, France. Italy. Germany. Can
ada, Denmark and Paraguay.
Under present shipping condi-
tlons," the report adds. ''the big
American packers control more than
half of the meat upon which the al
lies are dependent"
Tried TO Hamper Probe.
or the difficulties which the pack
ers threw. into the way of the COM
missions investigators, headed by
Francis j. Heney. the report says:
"The commission. through Mr..
Heney, had to meet deliberate falsi-
ficaton of returns properly required
under legal authority; we had to meet
school for witnesses where employees
were coached in anticipation Of their
being called to testify in -an investi-
cation ordered by you (the president)
and by the congress of the United
States"
The commissions staff. the report
declared, have met and overcome
every obstacle that Ingenuity and
money could devise to impede them
The presidents attention was called
to the work of Mr.. Heney. whose
conduct of the case, because of its sue
cess has met with condemnation,
misrepresentation and criticism"
The commission reports that the
packers not only control the meat
supply but a countless number of
by-product industries" and have in
yaded allied industries and even un-
related ones. This control has ex-
tended to cover fish and nearly every
kind of foodstuffs
How Trust Is Made Possible.
This control is made possible. saws
the commission. by the advantage OBJ
(CUptinued on Rage Twol