The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-11-08
EARLY !.
SENATE.CLASH.
Leaders Predict Controversies
IN Congress viii Start With
Packers Bill.
By JOHN sNURE.

clash over the question Of legisla-
tion to control the great packing
interests.
The clash will come first in the
Senate, where the measure for con-
troll Of the. packing industry is the
unfinished business.
KENYON sPLANs DRIVE.
ssnstor Kenyon Of Iowa. one Of the
authors of the Kenyon X endrick bill,
Is In charge Of this proposed piece
Of legislation. He has announced that
he intends to force II. to the front
and to keep II before the Senate until
II IL disposed of.
Senator Kenyon intends, II possible.
TO drive the bill to q vote before the
holiday recess. He realizes that the
opposition viii endeavor to delay II
and to hold II back until the closing
weeks OF the. session. when II can
more easily be blocked. .
Intense interest IL felt in the bill
by consumers. livestock men. farmers
and. Of course. all the packing In
terests. big and little.
- LIVESTOCK MEN APPROVE.
orEaniEations OF livestock produt-
srs are demanding the passage of
adequate legislation. They approve
Of the pending bill which would
create q Federal livestock commits
sion and impose strict regulations
on the packing interests. The bill Is
aimed especially at the big Five"
the leading concerns in the packing
industry. which, according to the re-
ports Of the, Federal Trade Commits
sion. dominate the packing business.
Farmers are also demanding legis-
lation to control and regulate the
packers. The farmers OF the United
States are organized as never be-
fore. From 1000 900 to 5000, 900 Of
them are united in such prominent
organizations as the American Fed
GRAFTON Of Farm Bureaus. the Grange
and the Farmers Union.
POTENCY ON INCREASE.
The organized farmers are be
coming a more and more potent
factor in public affairs. in politics
and business. In many Congressional
districts, members of the House and
Senate take their political lives in
their hands when they oppose de-
mands OF the farming interests. united
and organized as they are fast be-
coming.
Pressure, and intense pressure. at
that. will be put on Congress from
the farmers to enact a law to con-
troll the packing industry. On the
| other hand. the packers are q busi-
| ness. commercial, and political
power. They have many influential
| friends in Congress and they are in
tent on blocking any bill which
| would seriously affect them. As an
1 illustration of this. they succeeded
last session in heading of many ef-
forts to get a measure for their con-
troll put through Congress.
BILL IN HOUSE. TOO.
Senator Kenyon. with the backing
OF a strong group of Senators. will
| endeavor to force the bill through
quickly and at the same time. Rep
| resentative Sydney Anderson OF Min
nesota, who Is in charge OF the meas
ure in the House, will try to secure
vote on II there before the. session
is far advanced. The House COM
mittee on agriculture last session con-
dcuted extensive hearings on the aues.
| ton Of how to control the packers and
| finally brought out a bill.
| Control OF the packers was dis
cussed to a considerable extent in
| the campaign. The division of senti-
ment with respect to IL is not on
| partisan lines. HOWEVER. the situation
with respect to passing a law to con-
troll the packers Is surcharged with
big politics. Much Significance will
be attached to the action taken by
| Congress.
BIG BUSINESS OPPOSES.
1t is well known that in big bus
mess circles and among conservatives
| Of both parties there is objection ia
| further extension Of the power of the
Government over private industry
Some evidence of thJs has been given
in the sharp criticism that has beer
leveled at the Federal Trade Com
mission for it's reports on the packers
reports which raised many objec'
| lions to features of the packing bus
mess as conducted by the big Five.
| The argument that there is already
too much Government interference
with business has many supporters.
| Strong efforts are expected from
| conservative quarters to balk the pas
sage Of a bill to regulate the packers
IL these efforts succeed, there will b.
a storm Of criticism from farmers
livestock men, consumers and othel
sources.
HOPE FOR DEMOCRATS.
l. Inc pTOttStS dkoihos
| IL nothing Is done, are likely to TAXI
a political turn. The cry will go vi
| that conservative influences in Con
gress are in the saddle and are goint
to dominate things this winter and II
the new Congress. As the Republican,
control Congress the responsible,
for failure to pass bill will be visit
ed on them and their opponents. M
doubt, will attempt to turn 1t t
political account.
Senator Kenyon is going to urge
the Republican leaders in Congress
that Il will be wise politics to gee
the packers bill out Of the way anc
not to attempt to bar its passage.
II will be recalled that Attorne,
General Palmer sometime age
| reached an understanding with tn,
| packers under the terms OF which the
| "Blg Five" were to reorganize and
get rid OF certain lines OF business
which do not intrinsically belong to
the packing industry.
FARMERS NOT SATISFIED.
But this understanding has not
satisfied the farmers and stockmeu
rh q in.tst thera ,nust he strinQen