Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-27
industry Political Foot Ball"

industry Political Foot Ball.
He said the packing industry had
been "a political foot ball" for many
years; that the packers came be fore
the public now for a hearing with
clean hands" and that all they asked
was square deal" He added that
possibly the unjust suspicion"
against them was due to their failure
In the past to take the public into
their confidence.
Mr.. Morris said he would make the
statement deliberately, and challenge
successful contradiction. that 1.-The
war would not now be over il it had
packers"
"This," he said. was one of the big
industries that stood up and deliv-
cred the goods in the stress of storm.
1t never faltered, and it never wa
vered. and II never asked. or received,
one cent OF assistance from the gov
eminent Be 1t said to the eternal
q smaller percentage of profit during
the war period than the food admin
istration authorized and approved. In
the case of Norris d Co. the war prof
its were scarcely more than one-haif
of what the focd administration APP
proved. This alone gives the lie to
the charge of profiteering. and should
forever silence the charge of monop-
oily and illegal combination"
Assails Trade Commission.
Mr.. Morris read TO the committee a
prepared statement covering 1874
pages In is course he sharply as
report on the packing Industry; said
the market committee Of the National
Live Stock Association was behind the
commissions investigation, and de-
elared that the committee sought
higher prices for live stock, which
to the consumer.
Declaring that he had been inform
ed that the market committee re-
ceived $4,000 annually from the as
ISOLATION, Mr.. Morris suggested that
1t might be well for Congress or the
trade commission to investigate the
uses to which that money was put
The witness said he did not mean to
intimate that this fund was used for
any improper purpose" but that Its
size would make it rather dangerous
IL 1t should happen to get into any
improper channel"
Mr.. Morris said that if the Federal
Trade Commission had found that the
packers had raised such a sum or
one-twentieth of 1t for the purpose
they seif' they would have been
denounced as profiteers. He added
that he had heard no criticism of the
market committee fund, but said
this possibly was due to the fact that
"the public is not aware of it,"
Discusses Charges in Detail.
Taking up the Federal Trade Com
missions charges in detail, Mr.. Nor
no combination among the packers to
control prices Of live stock was given
by the fact that prices had more
than doubled in four years. He quot
ed from Independent packers testi-
tees to show that these firms were
not oppressed by the large packers,
and declared that the profits Of his
Ecompany IN the fiscal year ending
November 3, 1918, on the total capi-
tai invested. including borrowed
money. was only 7.24 per cent
Turning to the bill before the COM
mittee, the witness gave a list of rea-
sons why he opposed its enactment
He told the committee that the ex-
pertinent in government operation of
the railroads has not been so over
whelmingly successful as to justify
the belief that great benefit to the
community would result" from the
Legislation which would take from the
packers all accessories of their BUSH
ness. leaving them only the simple
for the market"
mo Intelligent Investigation"
'There has been no fair and intelli-
gent investigation of either the pro-
duction Of raw materials or the sale
Of the finished product" said Mr.. Nor
ris, "that could be the basis for big,
broad, constructive legislation. Con-
seouently, there should be no dispose
ton to pass some law simply to have
1t said that the packers had been Leg
islated against.
att is not merely q matter of fair
ness to the packers, but it is matter
of public interest. This Is no time for
'bolshevism' in this country, and 1 in
sist that no showing whatever has
been made that would justify any
srs."