Evening star., 1919-01-22
URGES CONTROL OF
animal SHIPMENTS
Central Agency Favored by
J. Ogden Armour Before
House Committee.
PLEADS FOR LIBERALIN

Establishment of central agency
to control shipments of meat animals
to market was advocated today
by j. Ogden Armour before the
House Interstate commerce commit
tee as a means of stabilizing prices
and preventing gluts in the market
He. said, however. that supply was
not the only factor in fixing the mar
ket price for live stock, which de-
pended also on the f1uctuating de-
mand for meat.
Replying to Representative stephens
of Nebraska, Mr.. Armour said the
consumer could protect himself in a
measure against high prices by re-
framing from purchasing, but that
the producer of live stock. like the
packer had to take whatever the mar
ket was paying at the time he sold.
Wants Reasonable Prices.
1--WE are very much interested in
maintaining a reasonable price, much
more so than in having price too
high to discourage the eating of meat
or too low to prevent the raising of
cattle" Mr.. Armour said.
rs there any way that fat cattle
can be sold at a price. based on pro-
duction eosts?" Mr.. Stephens asked.
Favors Central Agency.
1--WE would welcome very heartily
any arrangement that would accom-
plish that" the witness said. You
might do away with the glut on the
market by establishing a central agency
to regulate shipments. The food ad-
ministration has established zone
system at Chicago, working through
the railroads, which had operated fair
ly we'll.
"If there was a little more liberal
thought in the treatment of the pack
ers it would be one hundred times bet
ter for the general public. The pack
ers have been afraid even to talk to-
gether because of charges of colluSion.
There ought to be some way for the
packers, producers and consumers to
get together for the advantage of
each"
Il also think there ought to be some
thought of arrangement to protect all, !"
said Mr.. Stephens.
Taxes Not Included.
Bringing out that the S15.000,000
earnings shown in Armour's annual
statement did not include $6.S00,000 set
aside for income and excess profits
taxes, Mr.. Stephens asked:
"Then you are passing that on to
the consumer
That may be so," Mr.. Armour re-
Piled.
Representative Hamilton Of Michi-
gan attempted to develop the possible
effect on the packers of the food re-
lief appropriation of $ioe,ooo,eoo re-
uuested by President Wilson.
."rhey say that the fund Will enable
the packers to sell in southeastern
Europe a great surplus OF salt pork
which has been accumulated IN Eng
land and which the people there Will
not eat now that the war crisis is
past" Mr. Hamilton asked.
Mr.. Armour replied that the packers
perhaps had larger stocks of salt pork
than ordinarily. but he thought there
was going TO be a demand for 1t.
Tilt Over Hides Tariff.
Questioned as to the effect on
nrjces here of the removal of the duty
on hides caused a tilt between Mr..
Hamilton and Representative DeWait
of Pennsylvania, who salS the re-
publican members were gong out
side the bill before the committee 10
drag in the tariff. Mr.. Armour SAID
he did not know what the effect had
been.
Asked as to the Armour advertis-
ing campaign, the witness replied
that he regretted it had been neces-
sary to do a great deal more itdver-
tising than usual since the fedrai
Trade Commission started its crusade
or whatever you call it against the
packing industry"
He said the packers had to inform
the public of their side of the ques-
tion because they had had no chance
until now to make other reply to the
commissions charges.