The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-07-25

Il
poration would have to refrain from
the purchase, manufacture, storage
OF sale of foodstuffs or commodities
other than those handled in the bust
ness for which the license is issued"
ms provision is aimed to destroy
the great monopolies in "by-products"
which have developed at the packing
centers.
Under the proposed law every con-
Germ must permit the commissioner
OF toodstuffs to examine it's records
and must pay a severe penalty for
false statements, concealments or
perversion of the truth. Of particu-
lar Importance is the provision which
empowers the. secretary of agricul-
ture to revoke the license of any
dealer suspected of concealing the
facts about his business. But the
public would not be deprived of the
foodstuffs handled by a concern that
lost its license. The bill directs that
the courts shall appoint receiver to
manage every such business, to act
I'm the interest of the public" pend
ing such time as the proprietors may
convince the courts that they are
worthy to resume the control of the
business.
More striking still is the clause
which provides that when a concern
has lost it's license the burden shall
rest with such concern to prove in
court that the license should be re-
stored. when the evidence war
rants" the government may take
away license. To get it back the
packer must expose all the secrets
of his business and make them mat
tiers of public record. This provision
is expected to make the packers very
careful to avoid suspicion that they
are cheating the consumers.
TO AID COMPETITION
Most encouraging of all is. that
part of the proposed law which di-
reefs the secretary of agriculture tc
cooperate in developing private
semi-private or public rivals to the
big meat packers. The commissioner
of foodstuffs is directed to issue Ii
censes for stockyards, slaughter
houses and allied enterprises to "any
public, quasi-public or other corpora
ton or cooperative association or tx
any agency controlled or operated by
a state"
The department Of agriculture il
further directed to assist all rivals
to the big packers by supplying
them with scientific data, such a:
standardized building plans, and t.
cooperate to procure for them suf1l
cient transportation facilities! Al
railroads are required to furnish roll
ing stock as needed by all holders O
the federal license, and the big pack
ers are forbidden to use any refrlg
orator cars not so furnished by gov
eminent direction. Furthermore
mo license shall own, control or hav
any interest in" any stockyard, eX
cept during the first six months at
ter the passage of the act.
Both as consumers apd as wage
earners the workers have sltfere
from the monopoly enjoyed by tn
+ "meat trust" Friends or The Ken
yon-Anderson bills invite organize
+ labor to scrutinize them, advaTtis
; them and give them such support
r they may appear to deserve.
/ BURLESON is ASSAH.ED
4 Postmaster General Burleson con
| tinue:, to receive his daily drubbln
Y from some hostile section of the put
\ lie he is supposed TO represent. VI
ganized employees Of the Fotoma
l railroad yards, Alexandria, va an
q telegraph operators a. That Poli
b ''did their Bit in this respect In
: other day. They adopted resolutlo
V calling upon President Wilson te Gus
e Burleson with all possible speed o
: the ground that "his incumbency IS
c detriment to the services of the goN
S eminent of the United States, an
k because he "has shown himself IL
+ competent and unable to discharg
V the duties of postmaster general"
t This denunciation of his rule come
h lust at time when Mr.. Burleson
Y congratulating himself upon his vi
n torv over the strike of the Con
n mercial Telegraphers' union. Ihe1
d is no denying Mr.. Burleson's victor
d in this case. The strikers have bee
is forced to drop their fight and seek r
employment on such terms as II
C companies, under Burleson's directlo
# NAV care to grant. But it is vimpor
If ant to know how the strikers we
is beaten. It is clear from descrptlo
If given by the strikers chief, 5.
lie Konenkamp, that Burleson IS 20
f. sessed of such autocratlc ana Ia
r reaching governmental powers tn
ct no strike against him could ever su
t, coed unless it were general wal
le out of the operating and cleric
at staffs of the telegraph, telephone al
,e abroad lines. Konenkamp says
< statement to returned strikers:
e. "You have sought a minimum
to the things which the present go
tie eminent administration says
Mt workers should enjoy. You have n
at onlv been denied those rights, D
be governmental agencies have be
oy used to prevent your getting tne
# bv exercising your own econon
strength. We find that sendll
kilograms from city to city IN su
:. cases is allowed, thing for WIN
in Western Union officials Were ARE
X ed when they tried to DO 1t witn ae