Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-08-09
DISSOLUTION OF MEAT
PACKING MONOPOLY IS
ASKEDBY Commission
In Report to President It Is
Shown That Five Chicago
Firms Had Complete Control
of Shipping Business

WASHINGTON. Aug. S.-Government
acquisition and control OF all the princi-
pal stock yards, colo storage plants and
warehouses and both refrigerator and
cattle cars has been recommended TO
the president by the federal trade COM
mission. 10 destroy a monopoly which
IL declares Swift & Co. Armour & Co.
Morris & Co, Wilson & Co. Inc. and
the Cudahy Packing company exercise
not only over the meat industry Of the
country. but other necessary food sup
plies
The commissions report is based upon
exhaustive hearings conducted recently
IN many cities and was made public to-
day through the White House II has
been in the hands OF the president since
July > and IL was explained that IL had
not previously been issued. because the
president wished first 10 be in posses"
sion of full information"
Basing its statement upon a greac
volume of G. idence examined, much Of IL
taken from the confidential files Of the
packing companies. the commission said
the power OF the five packing companies
has been and is being unfairly and IL
legally used" to-
Manipulate live stock markets.
Restrict interstate and international
Control the prices OF dressed meats
and otncr foods.
Defraud both the producers OF 1000
and consumers
crush effective competition
secure special privileges from rail-
roads. stock yard companies and munich
pslities, and
Pronteer.
awbile we have found said the com
missions report to the president and
will disclose TO you an intricate fabric
OF ,rnonopoiies, controls, comDlnauolss
eonspiracfes and restraints. which would
seem to indicate a similarly complex
and minute system Of legislative or ad-
mfnistrative remedies, we believe thst
an adequate remedy may be more simply
arrived at
eve believe that if the fundamental
and underlying evils are rooted out OF
the Whole structure OF conspiracy con-
trol monopoly and restraint must tau-
Monopoly Is Shown
If these FIVE great concerns owned
No hacking plants and killed no cattle
and still retained control OF the instrG-
ments OF transportation Of marketing
and of storage. their position would De
no less strong than it is
The commission then recommended:
I'D That the government acquire,
through the railroad administration, all
rolling stock used for the transpOrt3-
ton OF meat animals and that such
ownership be declared a government
monopoly.
"C2l That the government acquire,
through the railroad administration, the
principal and necessary stock yards of
the country. to be treated as freight
depots and TO be operated under such
conditions as will insure open, CON-
petitive markets with uniform scale Of
charges for all services performed, and
the acquisition or establishment OF such
additional yards from time to time as
the future development of live STOCK
production in the United States may re-
guire- This 10 include customary ad-
juncts OF stock yards
"C3l That the government acquire,
through the railroad administration, all
privately owned refrigerator cars and
all other equipment for their proper
operation and such ownership be de-
cIared 4 government monopoly.
"(H That the federal government ac-
quire such Of the branch houses, cold
storage plants and warehouses as are
necessary 20 provide facilities for the
competitive marketing and storage Of
food products in the principal centers
Of distribution and consumption The
same 10 be operated BY the government
as public markets and storage plants
outlet for all manufacturers and han
dlers OF food products on equal terms.
experimenting the marketing and stor-
age facilities thus acquired. the federal
government establish, through the rail-
road administration. at the terminals
OF all principal points Of distribution
and consumption. central wholesale
markets. and storage plants with facili-
ties open TO all upon payment Of just
and fair charges"
out Of tne 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 inter
national in their activities. while re-
naming American in their integrity
Blame which now attaches 70 them for
their practices abroad as well as at
home inevitably will attach 20 our
country n the practices continues
The purely domestic problems in
their Increasing magnitude. their mo-
nOpoIizati0n OF markets and their ma
nipuIati0ns and controls. grave as those
problems arc, are not more serious than
those presented by the added aspect of
international activity. This urgently
argues To- solution which will increase
and not diminish the high regard in
which this people is held in interna-
tional comfy"
Activities Worldwide
TIE commission says in addition to
tneir Immense properties in the United
-tats-. the five packing companies. Ell
s.-r sADarateIy or jointly, own or con-
.eSI more than half Of the experiment
S-ocucticn OF the Argentine, Brazil and
uruguay, and have investments in other
surplus meat producing countries. in
GLIDING Australia. well as branches
in Great Britain, France. italy. Ger
many. Canada, Denmark and Paraguay.
Under present shipping conditions
the report adds, the big American pack
(Cont1nued on Page ,, colnmn SD