The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-07-12
SWIFT DECLARES SO
CHARGES UNFAIR
Packers Are Benefit to Food and Meat
Consumers-About IS Per Cent
Paid for Livestock.

CHICAGO, July 12-Chafges against
the packers in the report of the federal
trade commission were denied yesterday
by Louis F. Swift, speaking for his own
company and for the other big Chicago
packers.
tThis latest report of the federal
trade commission is merely an attack
upon large and successful business or
gapizations, and should be resented by
all Americans who are proud OF the in
dustrial progress of the nation,'' he
said. cit contains nothing new and
is an outgrowth of the former discredit
ed Heney ex parte investigation. = n
"This report, so far as | am informed,
contains absolutely no evidence ofcollu-
sion among the five largest packers.
"The manner in which the trade
commission juggles figures and resorts
to sensationalism betrays the 1nsinceri-
ty of the commission. We are living up
to both the spirit and letter of the law,
and want to cooperate with the govern
ment in every helpful and constructive
way, but we must protest against the
methods used by this important branch
of the government.
81 say that the large packers and
| their individual businesses are a public
benefit and decided factor in keeping
down the spread between livestock and
meat prices. This report is put out now
as part of the Propaganda in which the
trade commission, with others, IS en-
gagged, seeking to subject the packing
| industry and other lines of business to
the arbitrary control of subordinate
government officials through license
system.
"No one disputes that out of the to-
tai receipts of the packers derived from
the products of animals, about 50 per
cent is paid out for live animals them
selves. About 13 per cent is paid out
for wages, transportation and other such
expenses. About two per cent of this
turnover is earned by the packers as
net profit, and no one disputes that this
amount is but small fraction of a
cent per pound and that it is so neglgi-
BILE as not in any way to affect the price
which the consumer pays for meats.
cit is to be regretted that in these
days, when the public feels keenly the
pressure of high prices, government
1 body does not give out facts respecting
prices and profits. This has never been
done fairly by the federal trade com
mission as regards the packing indus
try, although the commission has con-
stantly had the most complete informa-
ton in its possession.
"The report just issued by the trade
commission and its discussion of the
number of subsidiary companies, and its
calculation of percentages of the classes
of business handled by the packers, are
not only erroneous, but are entirely i'm
material to the real question in which
the public is interested namely, why
are high priees9
81 do not believe that the findings of
such a preiudiced and unfair report
should be used to influence public opin-
ion or as basis for the radical legisla
ton that has been introduced at Wash
ington.
:, Thomas H.lFWnsen, president of Viii
son & Co., issued the following state
ment:
!. s"After reading the latest attacks up
on the meat packing industry. | mus
say that it is unfortunate that a state
e of mind seems to exist among the mem
r bers of the federal trade commission
: that they should be opposed to larg'
business interests.
cit seems strange TO me that in Thu
. report the federal trade commission
i failed to call attention of the people t
facts in the food administration repor
/ as shown on page 90, which relates t,
! a wartime profit TO the packers.
i ''This report shows that the packer
L were permitted to earn a maximum
r profit of 9 per cent on sales of edibl
: products upon capital invested. 1t ais
stated that the profit of the five larg
is packers for year ending Nov. i, 19l!
l. was little over $40.000,000 on an III
IS vestment of over $714,000,000 maxim
< a net profit of SO per cent, or "a pc
IT cent less than that authorized by tn
It government.
,eI "These figures passed through tn
h hands of the federal trade commissio
lie and the accuracy of these figures ha
1T not been and cannot be questioned.