Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-01-28
ARMOUR DRAF TING
LEG|SLA To
CONTRQL PACKERS
Head of Chicago Firm Says
He and His Counsel Are
Preparing a Measure to Be
Submitted to Congress,

Washington, Jan 2S.---J Ogden
Armour, president of Armour and
Company, told the senate agriculture
committee tonight at the conclusion
of his testimony that he and his
counsel We're drafting legislation ror
the regulation of the meat packing in
dustry which he expected to submit
for similar bills now before congress.
Before being presented, the legis-
lation will be submitted to the other
dig packing firms and the independ-
cnts for their approval Mr., Armour
said He added that he believed the
plan which he had in mind would
satisfy producer and consumer and
remove "antagonism to the packers
which he admitted seemed general,
Mr.. Armour reiterated that his op-
position 10 control by the govern
ment or the railroads of refrigerator
and live stock cars and stock yards
was predicated solely on his fear they
could not be operated as efficiently
as now. He said he believed private
ownership Of branch houses absolute
ly necessary but declared government
operated branch houses for the small
packers would not be opposed by the
large companies
Morris Before House Committee
While Mr.. Armour was finishing
his testimony before the senate COM
mittee Edward S. Morris of Chicago,
president of Morris and Company,
appeared before the house interstate
commerce committee in opposition to
the pending legislation. which he de-
clared would imperil the industry and
prove costly to the consumer. Mr..
Morris had a prepared statement of
1874 pages. but at the suggestion of
the committee, he read only part of
it. The entire statement, however,
was admitted to the record of the
hearing
Mr. Morris told the committee he
had no objection to government own
ershlp Of the meat industry provided
his CON pany w.as Reimbursed .nimS-
diately for its property and invest
ments. He said he would object
however, If payment was postponed
"as the industry would soon be In
such chaotic condition that pro-
per settlement would be impossible
Unless congress wants to have an
other industry in the situation where
the railroads now are" the witness
said, ''it should leave the meat in
! dustry alone. Government regula-
f.tion might cause the ultimate ruin OF
the industry as we'll as resulting in a
great increase in the cost of living y
| Mr.. Morris declared there was no
monopoly of the meat industry, Re-
! plying to the statement Of the federal
/ trade commission that there was col
! fusion among the five big packing
| firms in buying and selling, Mr.. Nor
ris said tho best proof that no COM
bination existed was in the fact that
| prices of livestock had more than
! doubled in four years.
/ The witness charged that the pur-
| pose of the market committee of the
National Livestock association, which
he said was behind the investigation
of the federal trade commission, was
to obtain higher prices for livestock
which would mean higher costs to
/ the consumer He suggested that 1t
| might be advisable for congress to
| investigate the uses to which the COM
| mittee had put the fund of $l50,0O0
which he said it received annually
| from the association He asserted
| that he did not meean to intimate
that the fund was put to any i'm
I proper purpose" but said its size
/ would make it rather dangerous If II
should happen to get into the impro-
per channel"
| Profits of Morris and Company for
I, the fiscal year ending November B,
1918, were only T.23 per cent on the
total capital invested, Mr.. Morris
said. This profit. he asserted was
only little more than one-half OF
what the food administration APP