Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-01-31
Report That Farmers Are Sore
Boosts Corn.
STOCK BILLS
FACE TROUBLE
Road of the KenyOn-Kendrick
Measures Will Be Rocky.

WASHINGTON. Jan. 29.-The senate
committee on agriculture has now Sc
riously entered on the consideration Of
the Kenyon Kendrick bills for the con-
troll Of the packers through the creation
or a federal live stock commission that
shall have the power not only to ad-
minister the Sherman act, the Clayton act
in respect to trusts, but which shall
also act as the guardian OF the entire
meat industry, or practically so.
Opposition developed in tn e6rst ex-
ecutiye session to the creation of new
governmental body to take charge OF one
industry. The committee, 1t was learned,
is by no means inclined TO accept the
proposed measure without considerable
searching, and It goes without saying,
Cnat II It is finally reported to the SEN
ate for action it viii not be without
many and possibly vital notifications.
Those who opposed the creation OF
special Federated commission for the pack
ers alone put forward the suggestion
that the authority and the powers con-
Ierred in the bill be given to the fed
eral trade commission, a body which
mas been ruthless indeed In It's prose
cution Of the alleged "malefactors Of
great wealth"
THOUGHT SENATE
WILL OPPOSE TRANSFER.
1t is not anticipated that the bin would
gain favor with the conservative element,
IN the senate particularly, by the mere
transIerence OF its powers TO the fed
eFal trade commission. 1t may indeed
De frankly stated that this move would
render Its passage even more difficult
For one thing, the commission is now
under Investigation. special committee
having been appointed to idnquire into
charges made BY Senator Watson re-
publican OF Indiana, to the effect that itG
Chicago offices were a regular cave Of
AoduIlah for radicals Of all kinds, some
OF them nigh employees, when It was en-
gaged In Its Investigation of the packers.
The point Of this is that whether these
charges are right or wrong the fact that
an investigation Is in progress viii make
the senate much more chary of putting
an entire industry under its control ana
indicates considerable antagOnism to
that body.
The bin will undoubtedly be modified
IN committee, but whatever changes srs
made it is entirely safe to predict thak
II has a hard road to travel. A mora
or less cursory survey of the senate
indicates strong opposition to the Gre
alton at the present time Of more gov
eTnmental bodies, and equally strong Is
the sentiment of opposition to the con
troll Of Industry by the government. This
sentiment exists and must be reckoned
with.
Supporters Of the Kenyon endrfek
bill had hoped that the elimination Of
the Licensing feature would go a long
way TO down the opposition to II. This
iC not so, however, the proposed powers
Of the live stock commission being con-
sidered by many senators as effective
as any licensing provise could be.
SENATORS FEAR TO
ESTABLISH PRECEDENT.
1t is, however, on the question Of the
principle involved that the greatest op-
position is expected to be encountered.
AS Senator Sherman OF Illinois put It.
Once you INACCURATE the principle OF
creating governmental bodies to control
and direct one industry you open the
way for further encroachments. and no
one knows where this will end"