Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1919-01-28
ARMOUR PLANS
FEDERAL LAWS
TO REGULATE
NEAT. INDUSTRY
Tells Agricultural Committee
He Believes Plan Will Sat
isfy Producers, Consumers
and Remove Antagonism
IN RevIew Leased VIC

(By Review Leased Wirel
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27-J. Ogden
Armour, president of Armour & Co.
told the senate agriculture committee
tonight at the conclusion of his testi-
mOny. that he and his counsel were
drafting legislation for the regulation
of the meat packing industry which
he expected TO submit as a substitute
for similar bills now before congress.
Before being presented, the legisla-
ton will be submitted 10 the other
packers and the independents for their
approval, Mr.. Armour said. He added
that ne believed the plan which ne had
III mind would satisfy producer and
consumer and remove 'antagonism to
the packers" which he admitted seem
ed general.
Chance for inefficiency
Mr. Armour reiterated that his oD-
position TO control by the government
or the railroads of refrigerator and
livestock cars and stockyards was
predicated solely on his fear they
could not be operated as efficiently
as now. He said he believed private
ownership of branch houses absolute
" necessary, but declared government
operated branch houses for the small
packers would not be opposed by the
large companies.
While Mr.. Armour was finishing his
testimony before the senate commit
tee. Edward S. Morris OF Chicago,
president OF Morris & Co., appeared
before the house interstate commerce
committee in opposition TO the pend
ing legislation, which he declared
would imperil the industry and prove
costly TO the consumer Mr.. Morris
had a prepared statement of 154 pages,
but a. the suggestion of the commit
tee, he read only part of il. The en-
tire statement, however, was admitted
TO the record of the hearing.
Asks Immediate Payment
Mr. Morris told the committee he
had no objection to government own
eTship OF the meat industry provided
his company was reimbursed immedi-
ately for its property and investments.
He said he would object, however. if
payment was postponed, Aas the in
dustry would soon be in such a chaotic
condition that 4 proper settlement
would be impossible"
unless congress wants TO have an
other industry in the situation where
the railroads now are" the witness
said3 1t should leave the meat indus
try alone. Government regulation
might cause the ultimate ruin OF the
industry as well as resulting in a great
increase in the cost of living
Mr.. Morris declared there was no
unpDnuoiv Of tho r,oau-
plying TO the statement of the federal
trade commission that there was COZ
lusiOn amOns the five biz plc zlne
firms in buying and selling. Mr.. Morris
said the best proof that no cOmbina-
ton existed was in the fact that prices
OF livestock had more than doubled in
four years
The witness charged that the pur-
pose of the market committee OF the
National Livestock association. which
he said was behind the investigation
of the federal trade commission, was
TO obtain higher prices for livestock
which would mean higher costs TO the
consumer. He suggested that it might
be advisable for congress to investi-
gate the uses to which the committee
had put the fund OF sl50,OOO which he
said it received annually from the as
sOciatiOn. He asserted that he did not
mean to intimate the fund was put TO
any improper purpose" but said its
size would make it rather dangerous
if 1t should happen to get into the
improper channel"
Profits Small for 1918
Profits of Norris & Co for the fiscal
year ending November 3, 1918. were
only 7.24 per cent on the total capital
invested, Mr.. Morris said. This profit,
he asserted, was only a little more
. than One-half of what the food admin
istration approved.
Questioned by Representative Wins
low of Massachusetts, regarding the
relative profits of producers and pack
ers, Mr.. Morris said he believed that
if the investigation conducted by the
federal trade commission had covered
all branches of the meat industry in
stead of having beer concentrated on
the five big packing firms. it would
have revealed that the producers prof
its were much the higher proportion
ately.
During the senate committee hear
ing Mr. Heney introduced unsigned
memoranda which he said recorded
conferences at which it was agreed
that expenses of a S1,5OO,00O publicity
campaign involving newspaper adver-
tisements in every city above $4,000
were to be borne pro rata by the five
big packers, to educate the public