The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-19
Constructive Legislation to
Control the Packing Industry
y7a3ns |vton ef Probep to< b. Obtained by AssgEng
Equal Opportunity in Tfansportatoni Terminals and the
Limitation of the Activities of These Businesses.

ent and of greater promise for tbs
future. II is certain, to my mind
that these businesses have been eco
nomically efficient in their period OF
competitive upgrowth. but as time
goes on. this efficiency cannot fail to
diminish, and. like all nonopoiies, be-
gin to defend itself by repression
rather than by efficinecy. The worst
social result of this whole growth In
domination OF trades Is the undermin-
! ing OF the initiative and the equal
opportunity OF our people and the
tyranny which necessarily follows In
! the commercial world.
! Commissions Recommendations
| The federal trade commission q
recommendations fall into three
parts:
! (al That the railroad admiristra-
ton take over all animal and refriger-
alton car services.
(b) That they take over the stock
yard terminals,
! &c, That the federal government
| itself take over the packers branch
houses, cold storage warehouses. etc,
with view. I assume, to the establish
/ ing OF equal opportunity OF entrance
! into distribution among all manufac-
turers and traders
AS to the first part OF this recon-
mendation on car service, / am in
/ fun agreement and may recall to you
/ that soon after it's installation We rec
mended that the railway administra a.
tion should take over an doperate all
! private car lines IN food products
This has to some degree been accom-
plished through their car service d.
vision.
These arrangements are purely un-
der wa bowers, and II the reforms
! proposed are to be Of any value. they
must be placed upon A permanent
! basis and not merely for the war
/ There can be no doubt that the cal
services, in order TO obtain the re-
suits desired and the greatest ma
tional economy. n st be greatly ex-
panded and must be operated from d
/ national point of view, rather than
: from that OF each individual railway
! Moreover, they are highly Technical
| services beyond the ordinary range
of railway mana cement and need e
embrace all cooled cars as well IA
meat cars. Whether this service or
! /. national scale should be conducted
by the government or by private en-
terpriae. under control az public
utility seems to me TO reGutr.
further thought and. in any event. Il
Wv fiA 0i'ti NV bA'AtEiAhr AiSb'atAt "
the railway question.
As to the stock yards, am II
agreement that they should he en-
tiroly disassoctated from the contro
of the packers A distinction mus
he drawn between the stock yards a
a physical market place and the buy
ing and selling conducted therein
In the first sense, the complaint
largely center around the exclusion
| nf l1,,S hut S.F an
prevention OF competitors from es
tahlishing packing plants either upol
1 land of the yards or Of obtaintn
; track and other connections there
with.
The solution OF this problem 4
permanent form will also Iepen
upon The ultimate solution OF the rail
way problem. II the government
should acquire the railways, IL woul
: appear to me that II should, as a par
; OF the system, acquire the yards ]
T the government returns the railway
TO their ow1ers, II would appear {
, mo that these ends could be accom-
| Hlshed by appropriate regulation ur!
DER the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion. and this should be done adj In
tcrim.
As TO the wrong practices bctwee
E buyers and sellers. these would no
7 be corrected by the government own
3 ing or controlling the physical yards
they are. in fact. now under war regu
? La. il by he Department OF AgricuI
p ture.
e rs to the recommendation that th
, Federal government should at ono
, take over the PACKERS branch houses
{ cold storage and warehouse facilitie
Z ] fina much difficulty. do not a.
= sumo that the Trade Comm ission cor
p ten plates the government enterin
: upon the purchase and sale OF mes
and groceries at these establishment
= Nor does 1t appear 10 me that the IL
:. dividual separate and scattere
g branch houses OF the packers furnis
. any proper physical basis for FRI
terminal wholesale markets.
In discussion with the independel
:. packers, l find no belief that II
; packers branch houses would ser'
:, as a basis of universal market ser
, ice, and l find much differences
opinion as TO public markets as a 81
luton. ANY of the great packer
" eoE .pment in this particular would
tension TO effect such objections. ar
- we are in no position to find the I'M
terial and labor during the war.
VI Terminal Facilities.
"a We do need an absolute assuran'
TO the food trades Of such termin
W facilities MS Will allow any manufa
n turer or dealer in any food produ
IT equal opportunity to handle and sto
IL his goods pending their final distr
" button. The usefulness of either pul
Il lie wholesale. or retail markets 4
I, the promotion Of these ends Is a ma
IL ter OF great division of opinion.
q The most predominant feeling
= the independent trades is that II sit
d can be made available, adjacent
% railway facilities, the trades then
4 selves would solve the matter.
T. In any event. the whole public ma
IS ket question js peculiar to each CT
{ md town. and my own inquiries fin
al little 4-heNet that the present 5rane
q. houses of the packers would ser,
: this purpose.
o Furthermore. my own instinct.
{ any event is against Federal Owner
ship of such facilities. and our ow
G Inquiries rather indicate that II tran,
n portaiion questions. together wit
= factors mentioned later on. are D,
- right, this problem will solve itsel
n Altogether, | do not consider that II
prime object OF maintaining the il
q icative OF our citizens and of o,
4 local communities is to be secured
. this vast expansion of Federal a.
tivities -
= There are certain matters relatir
:, Ia the development and control of Il