New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-09-02
The Meat Ladder
From The Congressional Record
"a Debate Il, tho House OF Representatives.

"a Debate In tho House Of Representattves)
Mr.. MADDEN--In recent Investign-
tion Of the packing industry Of the
United States the Federal Trade Com
mission made serious charges against
five of the great packing institutions,
Armour e. Co., Swift & Co., Morris
Co., Wilson & Co., and others They
charged them with III kinds Of crimes and
misdemeanors. They made every kind OF in
vestigation that it possible for them to
make under the extensive powers granted
to this commission by the law. They ex-
plotted the commission and it's members for
political reasons more than they exploited
the iniquities of the institutions whose
crimes, or purported crimes, they pretended
to investigate.
They made every kind Of charge, and
when they failed to prove the charge they
withdrew or ignored them. . They
not only have not proved the charges, but
in making their reports they have ignored
their charges If the charges they made
were true they should have been prosecuted.
Have they done so? Not at ALL What is it
that they have done? They have recon-
mended to the President Of the United
packing industries of the United States
shall be taken over by the government. They
want the refrigerating plants taken over;
they want the retail meat markets in the
various sections of the United States taken
over and run by the government They
claim that the railroad companies are in
combination in restraint of trade with the
packers. They have not proved it. They
ignore the charge in their recommended
tions. The recommendations have taken no
account whatever of the charges made. They
have exploited themselves for the political
advancement of the individual members Of
the commission. They have degenerated
into Bolsheviki organization.
Mr.. PLATT-Will the gentlemen yield7
Mr.. MADDEN--The commission ought to
be abolished or its personnel should be
changed. l yield to the gentleman.
Mr. PLATT-I want to ask the gentleman
whether one of the chief duties was not the
furnishing of candidates for the United
States Senate?
Mr.. MADDEN-They had that as one Of
the objects of the investigation. They took
man named Heney, I think, from Cali
tornia, who tried the case he was emploved
70 investigate IN the newspapers, who made
ne" charges every morning through the
columns of the press. He received.
understand, $18,86O from the government
treasury as compensation for seven months
ana SIX days services, and he finally an
nounced himself as candidate for Govern
or OF California while the case was nend-
ing.
Mr.. MOORE, of Pennsylvania-Does not
lhe gentleman remember that member
named Dawes became a candidate. with the
PRESIDENTS Endorsement, for Senator in the
State of Wisconsin?
MI. MADDEN-He was not q member If
'"e commission when the report I am
'pcaNlng ABOUT was sent here, but he was
member OF the commission when tho in
vestigation was on.
Mr.. MOORE, of Pennevlvana-wa1
apart from the Presidents ;ndorsamon+ ~
HIM as Democratic candidate for CO.
TOR, was not one of the things said to bic
'0,V DIS puolic man that he had been
".4n0ei u 'he Federal Trade Commission
NIX MADDEN-The President stated that
'e $1,000 against the McLemore resolution
~ nov see now ne could have stood
against the McLemore resolution when 49,
lac1 was that he was not q mcmber 80
either house. VI
mr. MOORE, of Pennsyvania-Does mt
the gentleman recall that great fight has
been waging in the State of GEORGIA and
mat the Senatorial timber Recommended ~
VIC rleSloeht and now making camna;on
against the sitting member is one Harris
formerly director of the Census, and sinh.
sequently a member of the Fedaro, r,
Comm ssion? AUG
Mr' MADDEN-I recall that but do not
want to have my talk derenera+. ;n+e
pol'''cal talk lApplause. I want to h.
understood as presenting this case on The
theory that the Federal Trade Comn,;.s;oS
is organized for the purpose of reeu]ot;na
businesses OF the United States in iud;c;a1
way. l want to say once for al,
mat the Federal Trade Commission in 49,
investigation of the subject matter to ,vb;ch
nave alluded has ignored comp]ete1v +ho
TACT that the packing industries 80 49,
united States have been under the control
VI 'he government Of the United Sto+os
since 1917; that the railroads of tho 11.:t~,
States against whom they charoo 49,
packers with being in coalition. are a1so
under the control of the government ~ 49,
United States. ~ '"e