The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-05-16

"
Out Federal Trade Commission Re.
concentrations - Widespread Op.
position to Selling of Government.
owned Ships-RaiIroad Owners
Want Big Loan on Return oil
Roads - Republican Standpatters
See Endorsement of League of Ma.
tions-Lane's Soldier Land Plan
Will Take Only Part of Unused
Government Land-American In.
ventOrs Need Better Patent Sys-
TEN.
Washington, D. C.-Congress is
going to be brought to a rollcall
vote on the issue of government
ownership and operation Of the stock
wards, in the next session, if the
organized farmers, the organized
dalrymen, the organized livestock
producers, the organized consumers
Of meat products, and the League
of Women Voters in the suffrage
states can do it. That is the decision
reached at a conference on packer
legislation held here this week.
in order that there may be a clear
cut issue, which neither party in the
house and senate may overlook, a
committee is to be named by William
Kent, who presided at the confer
cnce to draft a bill to be offered in
place of the Sims-Kenyon bill, which
died in the session that expired on
March 4.
A great deal of favorable publicity
has been given, among organizations
lukewarm or friendly to the pack
ers, to the Kendrick bill; which was
drawn by the solicitor of the de-
partment of agriculture as a Gust
as-good" for government ownership
of the stockyard. This Kendrick
bill, when examined, proved to be
anything but what the federal
trade commission has recommended.
For one thing, it gives, the packers
four years within which to dispose
of their holdings in the stockyards.
But inasmuch as the great majority
of the $25,000,000 of big packer
holdings in stockyards companies is
DOW in the hands of dummies, the eff
feet of the Kendrick bill would be
just nothing.
For example, the federal trade
commission examiners found that
the Morrises, who absolutely con-
troll the Kansas City stockyards,
were ready to testify that only -26
shares, out of $4,000 shares, in the
Stockyards company We're owned by
them or their family. Yet it soon
was discovered that one of their
dummies hold 5000 shares! He con-
fessed that he never had owned any,
but held it for the Morris family.
OPPOSITION TO HURLY
Chairman Hurley of the United
States shipping board is finding OPP
position to his plan to sell the gov
emment-owned ships at a sacrifice
and to sell out and close the ship
yards. Charles A. Piez, director of
the Emergency Fleet corporation,
has resigned in protest against what
he styles a policy of scuttle." The
organized shipbuilders have sent a
long cable to President Wilson. Or
gained famers have vigorously pro-
tested. Business men on the Pacific
coast have pointed out that sudden
withdrawal of shipbuilding would
produce terrible conditions for the
great army of men now employed In
that industry Charles r. Paige of
the shipping board has resigned for
the same reason.
That the cables to Wilson were not
without effect is shown by the con-
siderable modification which Hurley
has made in his cancellation order.
He now declares that only 100000
tons not adapted to merchant service
are to be cancelled at present.
The forces at work pulling for and
against government shipping
are complex. On the one side are
the independent business men and
farmers needing cheap and fair
transportation to foreign lands and
consumers needing cheap transporta-
ton from foreign lands. On the 9TH
er side are the large trusts who
want to run their own ships and
thus eliminate competitors, and
American capital invested in British
shipping companies. The big British
capitalists, too, are playing an i'm
portant part because during the war
they established many financial and
newspaper connections here.
BRIDES FROM FIUME
Another possible cause of trouble
with Italy: American troops come
nome from Venetia and Fiume with
seven brides, none of whom are Ital-
lans! All seven of these war rom
&hces are ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS!
HE offending soldiers are mem
oers Of the 1872 infantry regiment,
WHO went into Italy after the disas-
Ter 10 Italian forces on the Isonzo.
lont and We're marched and coun-
Ief-marched through a dozen Italian
cues IN order to buck up the spirits
Oh the people and give the impress
sion that the Americans had sent at
IejSt 100000 soldiers to their aid.
he2y fought on the Piave, and they
TOOK part in the final defeat and pur-
SUIT of the Austrians which ended
II The absolute surrender of the
napsburg army. The regiment was
part Of the time in and near Ven
loe' and later was stationed in Dali
HdCla and in the city of Fiun1e.
II seven Yankee soldiers won
Drides in Fiume, and if all of these
lar ladies were Jugoslavs, how can