Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-07-11
PACKING INTERESTS
BEING EXPANDED
Many Commodities Besides Food Pro-
dpets Dealt In BY Packing Concerns,
From Meat Foods 70 Banjo Strinss
and Pspsin-Fundamsntai Action
Must Be Taken to Protect Public,
Commission Ayers.


in the United States and an interna-
tional control of meat products with
foreign countries, seems certainty un-
less fundamental action is taken to
prevent II, the federal trade commits
sion declared today IL Par: ct tts re-
port to President Wilson on "the ex-
tent and growth Of i've packers in
meat and other industries."
A fair consideration Of the cause the
five packers followed, and the position
they have already reached, says the
report, must lead to the conclusion
that they threaten the freedom Of the
market OF the country's food industries
and by-products, and the industries
linked Herewith. The meat packers
control Of other foods will not require
Tong in DEVELOPING"
Declaring "the history Of the packers
growth ID interviewer with illegal COM
missions and rebates and with undis-
closed control Of cooperation" the
report urged the importance Of full
pu6Iictty-08 cooperative control.
On Road 20 Monopoly.
A ~ s6svicessAs to securing control
there doAs not exist adequate law"
the report says.
I'm its absence unfair competition
may run Its course to the goal OF
monopoly and accomplish the ruin of
composition without the secret owner
ship being suspected, and consequently
without complaint to the commission
or Investigation Of facts. The competi-
tor is in jeopardy as long as he has not
the knowledge Of true ownership. and
the public is entitled to such know
ledge"
Alleging that the sbig five" packers,
Swift & Co.. Armour & Co., Wilson &
Co.. Morris & Co and the Cudahy COM
pany. jointly or separately. WELD con-
trolling interest in STA companies, min
ority interests in IS others and unde- 4
termined interests in 93-a total Of
73 companies-and that they deal in
IT'S commodities. largely food products,
the report gives this picture Of grow
ing packer invasion into related and
unrelated industries.
Deal in Many Commodities
in addition to meat foods, they pro-
duce or deal in such divers commodi-
ties as fresh tomatoes and banjo
strings leather, cottonseed >sil, break
fast foods. curled hair. pepsin, and
washing powders.
Their branch houses are not only
stationed for the distribution of meat
and poultry. but take on the garb Of
wholesale grocery stores, dealers in
various kinds Of produce and jobbers
to special lines Of trade.
They have interests large enough
tobe dominating influence in most
of the services connected with the pro-
duction OF animal foods, and their by
products. and are reaching out for con-
troll. not only Of substitutes Of animal
foods. but, Of substitutes of other lines
into which the integration Of their
business, has led them. They are fact
ors in cattle loan companies making
the necessary loans to growers and
feeders Of live stock; are interested in
railways and private car lines, trans
porting live stock and manufactured
animal products"
Interested in Banks.
'"They are interested in banks froIh
which their competitor packing houses
borrow money; in companies suppl&ng
machinery, ice, salt, materials. boxes,
etc, to themselves and their competi-
tor; they are principal dealers on the
provisions exchanges, where future
prices IN standard Occurred animal pro-
ducts are determined.
'They are important factors in the
leather industry. In oleomargarine and
lard substitutes, in cotton seed oil, in
fertilizer, In soap, In glue, etc.
.Theirfyast distributing system, with
the advantages arising from the con- !
troll OF private cars, cold storage and d
network Of branch houses, has enabled
:..e... 70 extend their activities Oil q.
large scale Into poultry, eggs. cheese,
butter, rice, breakfast foods. canned
vegetables, soda fountain supplies and
other lines. ts
Grains and shippins.
Individuals Of the Armour family
are owners Of grain and elevator COM
panies and ]. Ogden Armour is q prom
inent factor In the American Interna-
tional Corporation, with It's shipping 4
ana shipbuildinE interests, it's import
and export companies In various lines,
IT. interest IN company organized to
deyelop cattle raising, meat packing
ana allied bpsiness In Paraguay, Its
contro! ~ large tea importing COM
pany ana sugar machinery corpoS2-
tiOn, ana ~ minority stock In the Uni
tsd FEptt 1 -
~ ssls
TIT & ,sl Il ID s .t 81 li4 ss