The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1919-07-11

important FOODS IN the tnite0 STATES
and an international control OF meat
products with foreign companies
seems a certainty unless fundamental
action is taken to prevent II, the ted
sral trade commission declared today
in part one of it' report 10 President
Wilson on the extent and growth OF
power OF the five packers in meat and
other industries,
~ fair consideration OF the course
the five packers have followed and the
position they have already reached
sad the report, must lead 10 the CON
tlusion that they threaten the Tree
dom OF the markets Of the countryS
food industries and OF the by-products
OF the industries linked herewith
The meat packer control OF other
foods will not require long in deyeI-
oping."
Full Publicity Urged.
Declaring 'the history OF the pack
efs' growth is ,nterwoyen with illegal
commissions, rebates and with undH-
closed control Of corporations the
Iepor, urged the Importance OF iuIl
publicity Of corporate ownership Tor
all industries
AS TO devices for securing control,
there does not exist adequate law,
the report said In its absence un-
fair competition may run ITS course TO
the goal OF monopoly ard accomplish
h the ruin OF competitors without the Sc
,rot ownership being suspected and
consequently without complaint to the
commission or Investigation OF facts.
The competitor IS IN jeopardy so long
as he has not the knowledge OF true
Q ownership and the public is entitled
to such knowledge"
Rhat Big Five" Control.
+ Alleging tina, the big five" pack
ers-Swiit Il Co, Armour x Co, VIII
son x Cos Morris X Co, and the Gu
dahy company Jointly or separately
WELD controlling interest IN SIl
companies, minority interest IN
ninety-iiye other companies and de-
termined interest in nlnety-,hrec-a
total OF 702 oompanies-and that they
produce or deal in home US commodi-
ties, largely food products, the report
gives this picture OF growing packer
INVASION into related and unrelated in
du,tries.
"ln addition 10 meat foods, they
produce or deal in such divers COM
modities as fresh tomatoes and banjo
strings, leather and cottonseed oil,
breakfast foods. vin fiz. cured hair,
pepsm and washing powders Their
branch houses are not only stations
for the distribution OF meat and
poultry, but take on the character OF
wholesale grocery stores. Aealers, in
various kinds OF produce and jobbers
10 special lines OF trade.
Reaching Out Ia Other LineA
"They have interests large enough
TO be a dominating ihHFnce IN mos,
OF the services connected with the
production and distribution OF animal
food, and their by-products. and are
reaching out for control, not only oi
substitutes OF animal food. but of sub
stiiutcs for other lines into which the
indignation OF their business has led
them. They arc factors IN cattle loan
companies making the necessary loans
=, 10 growers and feeders OF live stock
are interested IN railways and private
car lines Transporting livestock and
manufactured animal products. II
most OF the important stock yards
companies the public market for the
bulk OF food animals. and il livestock
trade papers, on which growers and
feeders rely for market news.
"They are interested in banks from
which their competitor packing house,
borrow money; in companies supply
ing machinery, ice, salt. materials
boxes. etc, to themselves and Their
competitors they are principal dealer,
OH the provision exchanges where
future prices in standard cured anima
products are determined; they o,
Neir subsidiary companies deal II
hides. oleo. fertilizer material ant
other crude animal by-produc,s; pur'
chase from other packers these crude
by-products, and themselves carry th'
manufacture thereof to further stag
than most OF their competitors
"They are important factors In TN
leather industry. in qlcomargarine ant
lard substitutes, M co,tonseed oil, if
Fertilizer, in soap, In glue, etc.
Many Other Lines.
Their vast distributing system
with the advantages arising from tn
control OF private cars, cold storage
and a network OF branch houses. hS
enabled them TO extend their activitie
OH a large scale into poultry. eggs
cheese, butter, rice, breakfast foods
= cknned vegetables, soda fountain sup
plies and other lines. y.
'"Individuais of the Ar1hour famil
are owners Of grain and elevator com
pAnies and ]. Ogden Armour Is
prominent factor in the American IN
tssnational corporation. with 10 ship
ping and shipbuilding interests, !,
import and export companies In va
rio,p lines, lis interest In eompan
Organized 10 develop cattle raisini
meat packing, quebracho extract an
allied businesses In Paraguay, Its con
troll OF large tes importing eompan
end a sugar machinery corporation
Ind fts minority stock In the Unite
Fruit company.
sSOUe of Swift 4 Co., substdiAfie