Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1919-02-21

to himself by Herbert Hoover, United States Food Administrator, six months ago in order to establish the real position of oHover and the Food Ad- ministration on the control of the Chicago packing industries. In this re- port MT. Hoover again reiterated his former advice of the national dange, from this growing domination of the nations food and strongly recommend ed constructive legislation at the hands of Congress rather than the doubtful stretch of temporary war powers of the Government as being the only method by which a perman- ent solution can be obtained.
 The report follows:
 II September 1918. Dear Mr. President:-
 In response to your request, l beg to set out my observations on the recommendations of the Federal Trade Commission, with regard to the five large packing firms.
 I scarcely need to repeat the views that expressed to you nearly year ago, that there is here a growing and dangeorus domination of the handling of the Nations foodstuffs.
 do. not feel that appreciation of this domination of necessity implies wrong doing on the part of the pro- prietors, but is the natural outgrowth of various factors which need cor rection. In an objective understand ing of this situation, it is necessary to review the underlying economics of it's growth.
 Consolidate Slaughter.
 At one time our food animals were wholly slaughtered and distributed To- cally. The ingenious turning to ac- count of the by-products from slaugh- tering when dealt with on a large scale gave the foundation for consol- idating of slaughtering in the larger centers. From this grew the neces- sity for special cars for livestock transport and the large stockyards at terminals. The creation of those facili- ties were largely stimulated and to a considerable extent owned by the packers. Added to this wa sthe ap- p'ication of refrigeration processes for the preservation of meat. which at once extended the period of preser- vation and the radius of distribution from the slaughter centers, enabled larger slaughtering nearer the great Western producing area. and further contributed to the centralization of the industry. This enlarged scope, particularly the refrigeration opera. tions, require not only the expensive primary equipment. but network of refrigerator cars. icing stations, and cold storape at distribution points. This special car service in products is of the nature of the Pullman Service; it must traverse railroad lines inde- nendent of ownership and moreover, it IS seasonal and varies repionallv in different seasons. For each railway to have foresean to have provided sufficient of this highly specialized is asking the impossibln. and, in anv event, no particular rail- way could be expected to provide suf- ficient of these cars oanswer the shifting of seasonal and regonal de- danms outside it's own lins
 Growth Natural.
 Thus. the provision of a large part of the stock wards and car services has fallen in considerable de- gree to the larger and more wealthy packers who have used their advan- tages as in effect special and large lv exclusive railway privilege with which to build up their own business.
 From the stare of establishment of a multiplicity of marketing facilities, such as cold storage. warehouses;. branch offices, etc., grew direct deal