The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-22
SENATOR FROM MAINE
OPPOSES RE EGULAT|ON
Of PACK|N G INDUSTRY
FERNALD ATTACKS GOVERNMENT
TENDENCY TOWARD CONTROL
OF BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

Washington, Aug. 21.--An attack on
governmental tendency toward assum-
ing control of business enterprises,
with especial reference to proposed leg
islation for supervision of the pack
ing industry, was made today by Sen
ator Fernald of Maine, speaking in
the senate. Stamping the Kenyon and
kendrick bills, vehicles of the packer
regulation now under discussion, as
examples of "stflng, throttling leg.
islation," he declared his opposition
to them, said they were extensions of
the policy which had failed in the
transportation and communication in
dustries, and predicted that the public
would suffer from higher costs and
poorer service should they be enacted
Il cannot believe the senate of the
United States feels after the expert
ence we have had with government
control of railroads, telegraph and
telephone lines, that the policy should
be continued" Senator t'ernald said.
1T would certainly lead to chaos and
bankruptcy. In behalf of the business
men of the South, who have had as
much to do with making our country
great as any class Of citizens, | want
to protest here and now against this
proposed Legislation. 1t is filled with
danger to our institutions and our
system of government. 1t is socalis-
tic, it is un-American, and it should
be defeated"
Defending the packers, Senator
Fernald said these industries had to
be conducted in large units in order
to be economical. Their development
of refrigerator card and ownership of
stockyard. like their utilization of ami
NAL by-products. constituted valuable
service.
"One of the most notable results
of by-product utilization is the fact that
all the meat from a steer can be sold
by the packer for much less than he
pays for the live animal" Senator
Fernald said. Swift & Company in
1918 paid on an average s92.70 a head
for cattle, and sold the meat for sS1.45
head. For by-products, s22.0S a
head was received. Thus $l0.Sl cover
ed the expense and profit on each
head. And figures show the profit
per head was only sl.02.
ITO my way of thinking, the discov-
cry made by the packers that by.pro-
ducts that were thrown away could
be utilized is one of the great achieve
ments of modern time. When the pro
position to curb the packing industry
is viewed in its proper light, l think
il will be found that the present or
ganization of the industry really meets
the needs of the situation in this coun-
try and results in efficiency"
He attacked the Federal Trade Com
mission for questionable methods" in
its investigation and report on the
packers and said that it had very
largely lost sight of its function TO
aid and guide business.
THE commission" asserted the SEN
ator. failed to get any evidence of
1t is only by unfair
methods, by misinterpretation and mis-
statement of facts, that il was able
to come to the conclusion that there is
on restraint of trade. |
This report. SO far as | have been able |
to investigate it, contains no evidence |
Of monopoly. i am reliably informed
that the commission in some instances |
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