Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-10-18
WHOLESALERS INTERVENE IN
CASE OF NATIONAL Associ-
ALTON AGAINST PACKERS.
ALLEGE RAIL RATES
"FAvoR BIG FIVE"
Clifford Thorne to Represent Com
plainants at Hearing Before inter.
state Commerce commission-Ses.
sions to Be Presided Over by Another
Iowa Man, Clyde 9. Atehison.
Special to Times Republican.

Des Moines, Oct. 1S.-Clirord
Thorne, former Iowa state railway
commissioner, and recognized as one
of the leading rate experts Of the
country, will be in the Nmelight Oct.
%, when the case Of the National
Wholesale Grocers association protest.
ing alleged rate discrimination in
favor Of the big packers, comes up fo-
hearing in Chicago.
Another former Iowan, Clyde B.
AtchInson, formerly Of Council Bluffs,
will preside at the taking of testimony,
he being the present Chairman OF the
interstate commerce commission, AMI
every Iowa wholesale grocery concern
large packing house, and railroad Will
be directly concerned in the case
either as plaintiff, defendant or inter-
yenor.
The case was originally brought by
Thorne, as attorney for the growers,
against all Of the railroads OF the
country. The Big Five" of the pack
ing industry, Swift & Co, Armour &
Co., Morris & Co., Wilson & Co.. and
the Cudahy Packing company, at once
interviewed to protect their interests,
and since then the most Of the larger
Iowa independents have also filed
briefs in the case, including Morrell
& Co. Of Ottumwa, the Des Moines
Packing Company, and several others.
Last week the Iowa Nebraska
Wholesale Grocers association. with
headquarters al Council Bluffs,
thru John Mehlhop, secretary, also
interviewed, and will be represented at
the hearing.
Basis Of Complaint
The grocers are protesting against
alleged rate and service discrimina-
tons which they claim have been
granted by the railroads to the pack
ing houses, especially those OF the big
| five, which, in the words Of Mr.. Thorne
| IN the original petition, have enabled
the packers rapidly to extend their
powerful influence outside OF the sale
Of the products Of slaughtered animals,
and if these provisions be permitted to
continue in effect, the packers will
gradually acquire q dominating con-
troll over the purchase. sale and dis
tribution of many of the principal food
products of the American nation
| The grocers' complaint Is based upon
a charge that the packers. thru
their control of refrigerator cars and
| other equipment, have been able to OBJ
tain numerous rate Determinations
and traffic favors from the railroad
companies, and thus have an unfair
advantage in the marketing of food
stuffs.
| The grocers ask the commission to
require the railroads to wipe out all
determinations In service and rates
now alleged to be granted the packers.
| They do not ask that the packers be
| deprived Of their refrigerator cars, or
| compelled to stay out Of the food bust
ness outside Of the handling Of meat,
as does Senator Kenyon in his bill
now before the senate.
Peddler Cars Objectionable
One of the chief complaints OF dis
| elimination made by the grocers Is
| founded upon the use Of So called ped
| dler cars by the packing companies.
| These cars are used for the distribu-
| ton not only of fresh meats and other
| packing house products, but are load
/ cd with other articles including a large
number of commodities handled in the
grocery trade.
1t is charged by the grocers that
thru the use of these peddler cars
it is possible for the packers TO make
much speedier deliveries than the
grocers, without such facilities, and ia
| thus dominate the market in much
trade territory.
| Thru these facilities, II Is charg-
ed, the packers have already taken
over a dominating control Of the
butter. egg and cheese market, and are
rapidly acquiring control Of many o.
! the staples in the grocery business.