Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-07-12
PACKERS ABOUT TO DOMINATE THE NATIONS FOOD SUPPLY IS WARNING OF l. 5, TRADE
 COMMISSION IN REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT

As a financial power, the report in part says: "The packer has drawn to marked degree upon the banks of the country for liquid funds--he could operate on the scale he does without the very large loans furnish ed by the banks. To assure himself loans ample to his purpose, the big packers has secured utilization through stock ownership, representa- tion on directorates, and in other ways, with numerous banks and trust companies. MT. Armour, MT. Swift, 1 MT. Morris and MT. Wilson are direc- tors in banks affiliated closely with those who are strong at the sources of credit, the packers power is great not only for financing their own na- tional and international operations, but for affecting, for good or for i'll, the credit of cattle producers and of competitors or customers ln any line.
 Average monthly holding of non- perishable meats during 1916, the re- port shows were for the Big Five as against all other interstate slaugh- ters; of frozen beef, $50 percent; smoked ham and bacon, 64.1 percent; dry salt pork, 6G.S; pickled pork, 70.5; total meats from swine, 700.
 Control Great Packing Centers. The Big Five control of interstate slaughter at the 12 great packing center-Chicago, Kansas City, Oma- ha, St. Louis, New York City, St. Joseph, Fort Worth, St. Paul, Sioux City, Oklahoma City, Denver and Wichita-was during 1916, 94.4 per cent of cattle; 89.1 calves; 94.3 sheep and lambs; and 81 swine.
 "In the Chicago market-the larg- est in the countrywide Big Five slaughtered 887.1 percent of all cattle slaughtered there for interstate com merce; 93.6 percent of calves; 95.5 sheep and lambs; and 67.3 swine" l the report states. 'In the remain ing II cities they have 97.6 percent of the total cattle slaughter"
 The Big Five on December 31, 1917 owned 93 percent of the 16,600 re- frigerator cars owned by intehstate
 slaughters; 20 percent of the 1902
 ventalator cars used principally in
 fruit and vegetable traffic; and 92
 percent of the 24,592 total refrige-
 rator cars of interstate slaughterers.
 Of all refrigerator cars in the
 United States, the Big Five owned 91
 percent of beef cars, other interstate
 slaughterers percent, private car
 companies, 2 percent; Big Five owend ' percent of ventilator cars, other in- terstate slaughterers 1 percent, pri-
 vate car companies, 6 percent, and
 railroad interests, S6 percent.
 Swift Denies, of Course.
 Chicago, July 11.-Charges against the big meat packers contained in the :; report issued by the federal trade commission today were denied by Louis F. Swift, president of Swif : & Co.
 ''This report is merely an attacl : upon large and successful bushes! organizations and should be resented by all Americans who are proud O
 the industrial progress of the nation, said MT. Swife. Ut contains noth
 ing new and is an outgrowth of tn, former discredited Heney Ex-part . investigation"
 ,i Unler the manner in which tn, trade commission juggles figures anc
 both the spirit and letter of the lav l and want to cooperate with th , against the methods used by this i'm
 portant branch of the government.