Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-07
eaocgRs ALLGog FOOD rRvsr.
Nallroads and Packers Charged With
Controlling Distributions.

Chicago. July IA complaint which
charges in effect that the railroads OF
the country and tho big packing firms
have united to form food trust which
will soon control the distribution OF
our food products generally thruout
the country" VIII be filed this morniEs,
with the Interstate Commerce Com
mission by the National Wholesale
Grocers' Association.
The complaint sets forth the alleged
facts and petitions the commission to
hold hearings and then order that all
discrimination on the part of the iaii
roads be stopped.
The complaint sets up that the rail-
roads give 10 all the big packing con-
Germs more frequent tra>Ss. speedier
schedules. more frequent and extensive
refrigeration. more liberal routes and
transportation between more numer-
GUS and different points or origin and
destination" than are granted TO tho
grocers. To this there. Is no objection.
The complaint alleges that the pack
ers regularly load into the cars with
their packing house products such
things as cheese, coffee. cire, cereals
Va aAt hiuoSs utiCo PEANUT Jul
ter. soap. soap powder. talcum powder.
canned fruits, canned vegetables,
pickles, olives, catsup, beans, prunes.
table sauce, preserves. jams, sirups.
crushed fruits. grape Juice. canned
milk and other groceries and grocery
staples.
And while the grocers have to de-
pend on the regular slow freight ser
vice. which takes. from five to twenty
days, the packers. by putting their
groceries in with meat shipments, can
deliver orders in from one to two days.
giving them tremendous advantage.
The complaint specifies the service
on the Panhandle route between Chi
cago and Columbus, o., setting forth
that the packers, under the mixtures
and minima devices of defendants,
can put their grocery staples and
other merchandise in peddfer cars and
have them sent forward daily under
special and expedited service from
Chicago to almost every point on the
said route.
!, Consequently the . ,mbers Of COM
plainant have lost to said packers a
great portion Of their trade on ship
ments from Chicago to said points Of
destination on said route"
Further. the complaint alleges, spe-
cial distribution service is given these
peddler cars Of the packers, which SER
vice is denied the grocers. And espe-
cially a switching service is often
given the, packers, and in Chicago this
ser:"f..cc-a IS given without cost
Now all these special and expedited
services rendered the packers and de-
MED the grocers the complainant holds
to be unlawful, excessive. unjust and
unreasonable and in violation of the
interstate commerce laws"
And that "the members Of complain
ant have by reason Of said unlawful
acts already suffered great injury and
damage"
And, further, that "if these, tariff
provisions be permitted to continue
the packers will gradually acquire a
dominating control over the purchase
sale and distribution Of many Of the
principal food products Of the Ameri-,
can nation"
The attorneys who bring this action
for the grocers are Clifford Thorne. Of
Chicago. Breed, Abbott & Morgan, Of
New York, R. c. Fnllbright, of Houston
and Ralph Merriam, Of Chicago.