The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-04-22
The Meat Packers Are Not
White4Winged Angels
KiEns Hogs Is Not Exactly A Spotless Job, But
Government Should Think Carefully Before
Destroying What Seems to Be ONE
American Institution Able to
Attend to Its Job.


and operate the big packing concerns the handlers of meat
eggs, poultry, and other products.
Government ownership of natural monopoies railroads
teleraphs telephones street cars lighting plants should
But at this particular minute Government action in re-
gard to the packing industry which means the FOOD DIS
TRBUTING industry, should proceed with caution.
There in the United States few great concerns
Armour Swift Wilson, Norris Cudahy able at least to
take care of their jobs
Coal men, railroad men "fen down. disastrously
The mines could not supply and railroads could not
carry the coal.
ers have failed to feed the army the country
Whether they have charged too much made much
for themselves question that Government may well in
vegate and settle But there appears to be doubt to
their efficiency, their ability to handle their problems
Of each the army has demanded so many million pounds
Of beef pork lard be delivered certain exact days
And the goods have been delivered as ordered in quantities
absolutely gigantic task made possible only by high
ganization in good working order
The packers job is complicated undertaking one
that could be done ohand by commission any nexper
enced board
To take the hog beef sheep from the farmer cut
the animal all the yproducs pickle smoke salt pre-
serve in all ways and distribute as needed complicated
task.
It might prove disastrous Government should under
take to do this work for itself through dissatisfied
Wandered agencies at this moment.
behalf of the packers may be said truly that their
methods have greatly improved Publicity and Government
action have undoubtedly done good them and the public
1t may be said also that while meat is expensive, the
price that the public pays is dvided-more than 80 per
cent the producing stock raiser and the
taller selling the meat
One of the great packers alleges and has not been
eonadced that he sells to the retailers the
for less than ne pays the farmer for that OK
His profit is made out of the hide, the hoos the horns
entralls, and other parts not eaten.
1t is also true that the packer who does complicated
work in storing, handling killing butcherng preserving
and distributing the is paid what in ordinary bust
ness is considered small percentage his turnover
For instance the ordinary commission merchant who
buys potatoes from the farmer believes that he makes
Whp Of
his gross receipts commission merchant merely unoads
the potatoes from the freight making extra charge
for hauling them not putting in his capital but de
for the goods.
No packer makes as much as per cent profit on the
turnover IN his business He has plant that costs him
many millions He invests his capital paying the stock
raiser when the animals received and waiting for his
pay until after the process of butcherng and distributing
has been finished.
Another thing may be said for the packer stock
raiser and legislator should not forget act hastily
disregard of it.
The packer with his market systematized his dstribut
ing agencies perfected his great enabling him to
buy and carry maintains extraordinary STEADNESS OF
PRICE FOR THE STOCK RAISER
The farmer who plants potatoes tell you within
Gu per cent what ne will get for the potatoes next fall They
may be worth ten dollars a barrel.
half
He knows within 10 per cent what he will get for his
unborn calves lambs and pigs The day they born he
count the cash that they will bring him If they live it
Is as good as in his pocket
1t must be remembered Also when Government control
ownership of packing houses considered that there
something more in the packing business than cutting the
throat of hog or knocking steer on the head
The animals must be chosen they be graded the
stock asers must be encouraged by good prices for good
meat and lower prices for inferior meat produce the best
The people in the last analysis have the right decide
everything, if they act Justly.
They have the right to say what profit shall make
and while they cannot compel him to do business they
fix the price at which he must sell if he does SELL
the packer is making than he should the public
through Congress have right to say
But for the present. while the nation is at war requir
ing feeding of soldiers the ocean, the production
CONTINUED in G4ast COlumn.)