The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-27
TRADE COMMISSION
REPORTS USELESS,
SENATE TOLD BY
AGENT OF SWIFT
By a...si...s Pros. u

WaShlngton, August 20
Reports of the federal trade
commission on the five large
packers and their alleged con-
troll of the industry are "abso-
lutely useless as a basis for
passing legislation" l.. D. H.
Weld, representative of Swift
and company, assured the Sem
ate agricultural committee to-
day.
Summing up his two-day argument
against foreign regulation of the indus
try. as proposed in the Kenyon and
kendrick bills. he challenged the truth
of the commissions findings in a half
dozen particulars, and ended by assail-
ing the commission itself.
Don't you resent having this sort of
evidence put before your he asked the
committee members. So.
DO you think you ought to allow
government bureau to make this un-
sary industry@'
Mr.. Weld said he had demonstrated
before the committee that the five
packers. far from controlling rs per
cent OF the wholesale grocery business
did less than three per cent of it; that
they did not control prices either for
live stock or meats; that their profits
were as moderate if not lower than the
profits of any ether industry; and that
in numberless details as TO capita: in
vestment operations. in England
live stock pools" the commission and
especially Commissioner w. B. Col
ver who opened the hearings, had
dealt in misstatement, misrepresenta-
ton, insinuation and inaccuracies"
what possible motive can a public
body have for doing the sort of thing
you say the commission has done? Sem
ator Harrison, democrat. Mississippi,
asked.
II prefer not to go into personah-
ties" Mr.. Weld replied. but theories of
members of the commission on economic
subjects are not what l call sound
There isn't a business man on the
commission. Principally they are news
paper men,"
OTHER OPPONENTS HEARD
Several other opponents of the reg
ulation legislation were heard during
the day. and the federal trade commits
sion made public report recommend
ing that operation of refrigerator cars
and of cars used in meat transporta-
ton be declared a government monop-
oily.
Unless we can be assured Of more
efficient and economical government
control than was the case with the rail-
roads, telegraph and telephone COM
panies, neither the producer nor con-
+ sumner can hope to benefit from such
legislation" Everett c. Brown, presi-
dent of the national live stock ex-
change, which is composed Of stock
yard brokers, told. the committee
Mr.. Brown took exception to testi-
mony given before the committee by
Federal Trade Commissioner Colver and
remarked that ''in our great industry it
has seemed more proper to speak of
the TRADE commission than the Grade
commission
John. Waters, manager of farmers
cooperative society in Iowa, expressed
the opinion that the legislation would
be detrimental of production and dis
tribution of live stock"
H. w. Robinson, Portland. Me-. indie
pendent packer. announced that I'VE
want no licensing system" as the big
packers. through furnishing considera-
BILE cooperation were not intent on
putting the independents out OF bust
ness
Mr. Weld incidentally-told the COM
mittee that Swift and company spent
81 100000 on advertising last year. and
intend to keep up their efforts in that
line in an endeavor to educate the pub
lie and eliminate the unjust prejudice
against the packer" When Senator
Harrison asked if that sort of expend-
fture would not raise the price of meat,
he said that 1t only amounted to Is one
hundredths OF one per cent of sales,
and that it would justify itself by ad-
ding to the ease of operation.
Ownership of stock yards, Mr. Weld
said. in discussing point stressed in
tho trade commission report, was not
particularly important to the packers
''if We can get the yards run as eff
GENTLY He fixed the proportion OF
the leather business Of the country con
tro1led by the packers at Tess than a
per cent" and said that Swift and com
pany was engaged in divesting itself OF
it's tannery holdings, ~ organizing 2
aeparete corporation-N