Arizona republican., 1919-01-24
SW|F I PRAISES
 NORK IF FO0D ADMINISTRATION
Has No Objection To Control Of Stockyards - Would Demand Same Degree Of Efficiency Says Decline Of One Cent Would Mean Two And Half Million Loss On Pork.

WASHINGTON, Jan. g Louis r. Swift. president of Swift and Con- pany, told the house interstate com merce committee today that the food administration. in stabilizing the llVe- stock market, had accomplished won derful things, both for the producer and the consumer and that its control was needed now as much as ever.
 This is a critical time and every body is loaded up with meat" said Mr Swift We haven't had many ship ments. The only possible way to have made shipments abroad, as We did. Waa through food administration control
 The witness declared that a decline of one cent a pound in the pork market would mean a loss of $2,500,00 to his firm. on the great amount of meat it had prepared for the world market. He expressed a belief that with govern ment control continued, prices would be high for some months, but then prob ably would decline
 For Government Supervision
 The bill before the committee to li- cense packing plants and permit the governments to take over adjunctS such as stockyards, market newspapers and refrigerator cars. was opposed by Mir. Swift as class legislation, and cer- tain to be hurtful to the general public by crippling the industry Government supervision" through full access to the packers books, was advocated by him as a Hess dangerous" method of pro- cedure. The primary desire of Swift and Company was declared to be eff cient service in the stockyards, and readiness was expressed to sell the firms interests in various yards if present standards of operations could be maintained
 Regarding the federal trade commis- sion's allegation that packer owner ship of refrigerator cars prevents the small packers from competing with the big firms. Mir. Swift suggested that in stead of taking the cars away from the big firms, the government or railroads should build five thousand cars and let the small packers use them He said refrigerator cars were a losing invest ment to his firm. which maintained ! them only to assure efficient service | The same suggestion was made regard l ing branch houses.
 Denies Collision Charge ! Charges of collision by the federal i trade commission were denied by MT Swift. He said that there were cases il, which his firm had coSoperated with | other packers in the joint ownership oi 1 general facilities, where such facilities did not exist or were imperfect, ano that the co-oberation in no way ex- tended to the control of prices or ship ments.
 Mir. Swift said there were 25.00( stockholders. in Swift and Company and that his family did not own a ma jority of the stock The witness saiC his salary was $50,O00 year. and that his four brothers, all practical meal packers, draw from s25,000 to s35,00( each.
 Keen competition between the five big packers was declared to exist. ant MT. Swift said this apparently was { good time for new firms to enter tho business. He said he never before knew of so many plants under con struction, and told the committee tha the Anheuser Busch Brewing interest. of St. Louis were starting a new pack. ing company. The only other witnes! of the day was Levy Mayer, counse for Armour and Company. who told tn, committee why he thought the pending bill unconstitutional MT. Mayer! testimony developed an attack on tn, federal trade commissions method o Investigating the packing industry H said none of the packing firms were al lowed to present testimony or question witnesses.
 MT. Swift will resume the stand to morrow.