Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-16
Trade Commission Says
"Big Five Will Domi-
nate Grocery Trade.
ALMOST SUPREME
IN MANY LINES
Paslssrs and Subsidiary Companies
Reaching Out For Monopoly In Cam
ned and Dried EdlbIes and csrsals--
Enormous profits IL Condensed Milk
and Breakfast Foeds-t'Rie Five"
Dividing Field Among Themselves.

washington, Oct. 16.-Reiteration OF
the claim that the hve big packing
companies OF Chicago bid fair to DOM
mate the Wholesale grocery trade and
already handle more than 200 foods un-
related to the packing industry IL made
In part four OF the federal trade>com-
missions . report, published today.
"The extent to which the packers
should be permitted to enter unrelated
food lines. even Assuming legitimate
competitive methods" the report said.
lis matter which the public interest
should determine Two questions. pri-
marily economic. are involved:
sDoes this widening of activity re-
suit in additional economies OF pro.
dnction and distribution?
'sDoes 1t result and will It continue to
result in lower prices7
IA third question not here discussed
relates to the ultimate effect Of such
vast and powerful organization on the
political future OF American institu-'
tions."
included in the list Of commodities
said to be falling under control Of the
big Five are poultry and game and
dairy products; canned and dried veg
etables and fruit; canned, dried and
frozen fish: cocoa. coffee, n1olasses, and
cane. cornsand>maple syrupa. IN Addt-
\ tion. Armour 4 Co. - aaiA %, ~ hand
Hing soda fountain prsparatisns ard
Z utensils &: q ~
5Ths extent OF packer control varies
1 with tn sleeelity and cuuamodity AND
ne deAfsf wAnse bustnsssS = saaasAgs aap-y
.sorbed.. & s.-, 49,
sowing to the msase md sScfScylsf
!, the methods Of the packers IN coaduct-
Ing their business. exact statistics arc
not available for the country ~ .
whole which viii show just how far
the control has reached.
Whsrs Packers Control.
"Many companies handling or manu-
featuring these commodities are con-
trolled by the packers, no hint of which
10 disclosed by scrutiny Of the names
under which they pperate.S
Four Of the packers. 6wift, fWilson.
Armour and Cudahy. the report states,
thru their subsidiaries and not includ-
ing family controlled companies, hand
led, In 1914. 4s.5 per cent Of the esti-
mated total Of shipped dressed poultry
and a per cent Of shipped eggs. The
same four handled ~ per cent Of al
factory-made cheese in 1918, the report
says, ana adds:
..That the Big Five are IN 4 posi-
tion to control IS TO 50 per cent OF the
cheese in Wisconsin IL generally con-
ceded."
1 4 oia Esrninss She~n.
Libby, Mcneil 4 Libby, = Swift con-
cern, alone handled 10.4 per cent Of all
evaporated and condensed milk In 1918
according 70 the report.
The Armour Grain Company. . fac
tor in tho cereal and breakfast 1000
business. reported q surplus Of e5.426,-
$50 Tor the year 1918 after deducting
~ per cent dividend on capital stock.
the report says, adding: .s{
'Arhe years net earning amounted to
s2.sos, 81, or 80. per cent on the cap
!, it'll stock and u, psr cent on the net
worth Of the COMPANY. including capi-
|, tai. surplus and undivided profits -
reported at tho dose of the hscal year
4 1915, Production Of Lard compounds
and substitutes ~ the ave packers
I dursnE the drst six months Of 1917 Was
n placed at 4s.l per cent Of the total 9nd
I. oIeomarsarine at ~ per cent. Az
Complete hguros 20 show ths PACK pcsN'