Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-07-12
CONTROL OF WORLD
| FOODS BY PACKERS
| CLAIMED IN REPORT
Federal Trade Commission
Sees Near Domination of
Necessary Edibles.
ASSERT "BIG FIVE" SEEKS
TO MONOPOLIZE MARKETS
Investigations Show Quintet Has
Interests in Banks and Public
Utilities.
MAINTAIN SUBSTITUTE PRICES
Now Delve Into Grocery and Farm
Lines to Strengthen Their
Hold.
ASSERT "BIG FIVE" SEEKS
TO MONOPOLIZE MARKETS
MAINTAIN SUBSTITUTE PRICES
NO" Delve Into Grocery and Farm
Lines to Strengthen Their
Hold.
[ Py Associated Press ]


WASHINGTON. July 1I-An an
preaching packer domination Of an
important foods in the United States
ana an international control of nca,
products with foreign compan MES seems
certainty unless fundamental action
is taken to prevent II, tho Federal
Trade Commission declared today in
part one Of its report TO pres,den,
Wilson on the extent and growth OF
power OF the five packers in meat and
other industries"
the nve packers have followed and the
position they have already reached"
SAD the report must lead 20 the con
Slusion that they threaten the free
dom OF the market of the countr;'s
1000 iOSa indus,ries rt and OF the by;,product
packer control Of other foods will not
require long in developing"
Declaring the history of the pack
crs growth is interviewer with illegal
combina tions. rebates and wrh undis-
closed control of corporations" the
report urged the Importance OF fun
puohcity OF corporate ownership Of all
industries.
Laws Are Not Adequate.
"As TO devices for securing control.
there does not exist adequate law"
competition may run It's course TO the
goal OF monopoly and accomplish the
ownership being suspected. and con.
seauently without complaint TO ths
commission or investigation Of facts
ss he has not the knowledge OF true
twpership. and the public is entitled 10
such knowledge"
A,lsg!ng that the "b,s hvs" packers
: CO. Morris Hfcsoua Coo and 8 he the cudsSS iisSs
trolling interes, in S7i companies,
minority interest In ninety-five others
sna isr.. term ss in ninety
that they produce or deal In some 775
com n,odities. largely food products.
the report gives this picture OF grow
ing packer invasion into related and
unrelated industries:
Produce Other Foods.
In addition to meat foods. they
modi,ies as fresh ,omaioes Tato est asd BANJO eGn
strings, leather and cottonseed oil.
breakfast foods, gin fzz. curlcd hair
pepsin and washing powders. Their
branch houses are no, only stations
for the distribution OF meat and poul-
try. but take on the character of whole
sale grocery stores. dealers in various
Kinds OF produce and jobbers TO spc-
cial lines of trade.
be dominating Influence IN most Of
the services connected with the pro.
duction and distribution of animal
foods and their by-produc,s. and are
reaching out for control, not only OF
substitutes for animal food. but Of
substitutes for other lines into which
TIE integrat.on OF their business has
led them. They are factors in cattle
loan companies making the necessary
loans to growers and feeders OF live
stock; are interested in railways and
private car lines Transporting live
ducts: In most of the important stock
yards companies-the public market
for the bulk OF food animals. and in
I've stock trade papers on which grow
ers and feeders rely for market news.
Interested In nnnks.
They are, interested in banks from
which their competitor packing houses
borrow money; in companies supplying
etc, to themselves and their competi-
tors: they are principal dealers on
the provision exchanges where future
prices in standard cured animal pro-
ducts are determined; they or their
subsidiary companies deal In hides.
oleo. fertilizer material, and other
crude animal by-prodncts. purchase
products. and themselves carry the
manufacture thereof TO further stage
than most OF their competitors.
They are important factors in the
lard substitutes. in cottonseed oil, in
fertilizer. in soap, in glue. ETC.
Their vast distributing system. with
the advantages arising from the con.
troll of private cars, cold storage, and
a network of branch houses, has en-
abled them to extend their activities
on large scare INTO poultry, eSsS'
cheese. butter. rice. breakfast foods.
canned vegetables. soda fountain sup
plies and other lines.
Own Grain Elevators.
"Individuals of the Armour family
are owners of grain and elevator com
panles and J. Ogden Armour is pro-
mnent factor in the American Inter
rational Corporation, with its shipping
and shipbuilding interests. it's import
and export companies in various lines.
S!ts interest in 4 company organized to
develop cattle raising, meat packing.
euebracho extract and allied businesses
in Paraguay, its control OF large tea
importing company and sugar ma
nhinery corporation and It's minority
stock in the United Fruit Company.
Some OF Swift & Company's subsi-
aaws Of wilson fSu.s co m
pany, Inc, has reached into the salmon
fisheries of Alaska. and Morris con-
cern cans shrimp taken in the waters
In England. France. Italy: Holland
and other. European countries large
meat distributing companies have been
meats from their plants In the United
States. Argentine, Uruguay, Paraguay,
Brazil and Australia"
Control Public Utilities.
The big FIVE. the report said have
corporations in sioux City. Kansas
City South st. Paul, Portland. Ore,
South San Francisco, South st. JOS
sph. Mo- Hill City. Mimi. Fort Worth.
As to financial power the report in
'The packer has drawn to marked
for liquid funds he could not operate
on the scale he does without the very
large loans furnished By banks. To
Continued on Second Page.)