The producers news., 1918-05-24

control iof that portion of the food
trust that is in charge of the pack
ers will be found in the report of
the special commission appointed by
tho President, at the request of the
Food Administrator Hoover, tc in
vestigate and make recommends
tions as to the best way to deal with
the livestock marketing and mn at
packing industry. It is unofficially
reported that a majoriay of the
commission favors the granting to
the United States Bureau of Mar
kets, und the Department of Ag-
riculture, full control of all stoc.l-
yards in the United States, while
control of the meat packing and
distributing business would fall
under the direction of the Fool
Administration.
To the Federal Trade commission
would go still another responsibility
in getting the packing industry un-
der control. 1t would have to abol
ish the present bookkeeping system
of the packers and establish a uni
form accounting system which
would admit of no false entries or
other taking, and would provide pen
alties for violation of this law.
RESULT OF
| INVESTIGATIONS
The recent investigations which
laid bare the secrets of the packers
have prepared public sentiment for
steps in ownership and control of
the food industry that would not
have h.en looked on seriously a few
months ago. The search for facts.
although halted by court injunctions,
disclosed enough to show that the
packing trust is supreme in the
meat industry, controlling it from
the tinsa the cattle leave the farm
until the meat is handed over to the
purchaser tied up in brown paper.
1t was shown that the packers
not only control packing HOUSES, but
stockyards and terminal railroads as
well as the retail trade in large Sec
tions of the country through dunn
my concerns. 1t was shown that
they have the leather industry and
soap industry in their grasp and the
fact that recently, through unfair
competition, they have absorbed the
poultry, buttsr and egg business.
INVESTING
IN HOTELS
It was even shown in the investi-
CATION that the packers were ac-
quiring interests in the large hotels
of the country so that their varied
products might have absolute mo-
nopoly in these large centrs of
consumption.
These facts, and the frantic eff
forts of the packers to stop by in
junction further prying into their
business, has shown the public the
folly of allowing a few men to con-
troll this great basic industry and
to be the final arbiters as to what
shall be paid to the producers for
their cattle, hogs, sheep and poui-
try, and the prices that shall be
charged to the consumers for their
daily meat purchases.
PUBLIC DOCKS
AND WHARVES
An ambitious program for pub
iicly owned docks, wharves and
harbor improvements of all kinds is
announced by Chairman Hurley of
the Shipping Boand. This. plan fits
in with the announcement of the
Railroad Administration that the
canals of tha East will be develop
ed and used to their utmost capacity
In the handling of freight from the
interior to the seaboard. While
these are to be adopted as war
measures it is certain that their su-
perorlty over present methods will
be so gneat that they will become
a permanent policy.
There is, in fact, no considerable ,
discussion as to what will be done
with these institutions in the future,
rs there was when the railroads ,
were first taken over by the gov ,
At that time many timid
persons thought that the United :
states had taken step that woul5 !,
De regarded as precedent and an !.
opening wedge for public ownership. ,
The completeness with which the :
lew announcement is made in regard :
o public docks and wha,ves shows !,