The Washington times., 1919-08-26
BIG PACKERS
UNDULYAIDED
BY ROADS, is
TRADE EREPORT

Recommendation that private
ownership Of refrigerator and live
stock cars be prohibited we're made
IN a report by the Federal Trade
Commission today.
The commission declares that all
such cars either should be acquired
and operated as a Government mo-
nopoly or be owned BY the railroads
and operated under Government Ii
cense and regulation.
Private Cars Give Edge.
Explaining the recommendations.
the commission says the big packers
through ownership Of the refrigerator
and live stock cars, are enabled to
gain an advantage over smaller, inde-
pendent concerns.
Cars OF the "big hve" are granted
expedited service" the commission
charges.
'The cara OF small independent
packers are misused and diverted" It
says, frequently being cut Of service
for extended. periods: in several In
stances for as long as six months"
sBig FIveV FaVored.
The commission cites traffic figures
showing how this expedited service"
works out TO enable the 'big fve" to
deliver their product IN quicker time
than their competitors. Cars Of the
''big hve.n in 1917. averaged SOS miles
travel per day per car. the report
Gays while those OF their small inde-
pendent competitors Travelled only 54.5
miles per day
The 'big five" ip Deeember 81,
1917. owned. according to the report,
I5.454 brine tank cars, or about 90
per cent Of the total number use.
In some eases. the commission
charges, railroads pay packers big
allowances for performance OF part
Of the transportation service.
CAN FavoritISm sNaturaLS
Favorable arrangements for the
lease Of stoelxyards 70 the packers
b. the railroads also tend to make
fayoritism OF the "big five" natural
On the part Of the roads, the commits
sion declares. Another factor. the
commission says, IS the sale - the
railroads OF dumping posts which
are manufactured BY q subsidiary Of
enc OF the big five"
The commission also traces alleged
relationships between the packers
and the private car companies which
lease the refrigerator cars in which
fresh vegetables are shipped,
own s0OO Private Cars.
One company is the Fruit Growers
Express Inc which owns. the COM
mission says, $3.50 ventilator refrig-
orator cars and enjoys a monopoIistic
contract with seven railroads.
The Fruit Growers Express IS
owned by the stockholders Of Armour
& Co, according to the commission.
The exclusive contract" says the
commission. has in some cases oper-
ated TO the detriment Of both produc-
er and consumer.
The Fruit Growers Express has
failed to maintain its refrigerator car
equipment in satisfactory condition,
with the result that shippers have
frequently suffered unnecessary i'm
pairment OF their products"
Claims Report Untrue.
Immediately following publication
Of the commissions report, Thomas
z. Wilson, OF Wilson & Co., and
president OF the Institute OF Ameri-
can Meat Packers. declared the CON-
missions Investigation was conduct
ed BY men inexperienced in transpor-
fatioa questions. He said the report
81 diametrically opposed TO that
lanovu down by the /. c c. recently,
,-t,irh stated the present system Of
FIles and regulations with regard TO
private cars should not be changed.
There are admittedly too few re-
frigerator cars" he said. Greater
mileage Of packer cars was possible
because a load was waiting for every
car 365 days a year"