Evening journal., 1921-07-28
THURSDAY, JULY 2s, 1921
SIGNIFICANT BRITISH FINDINGS.

WIZ nave received a copy OF what the British Govern
w ment calls the Final Report on Meat" It was
prepared by subcommittee appointed by the Standing
Committee on Trusts and presented 10 Parliament by
command Of King George.
TWO especially interesting paragraphs found in the
Parliamentary report They follows
af3 With Denmark out OF the market owing to the
war United States bacon, and TO less degree Canadian
bacon. became The standby OF this country Now That
Danish bacon again being brought n the importatons
Of United States bacon diminishing. The chief inn
porters are the Big Five swift Armour, Morris Wilson
and Cudaiiy). but there about % Independent Inn
p0rters who collectively do about much business as
The large group All sell their products through agents
IN this country sometimes branch or related houses Of
the packers. sometimes British houses. Wholesalers
either buy from these agents send their representatives
to America to buy there according the market appears
likely to be favourable not The Federal Trade Com
mission reported that combination exists in the United
between the five large companies named. Our wit
who had bought In the United States assured u.s.
however. that they had never perceived anything hut
Keen competition among the large packers and the repre-
enatVes of independent packers stated that they had not
met any Unfair competition on the part OF the big rive
and in case were prepared to face with equanimy
any competition on their part short OF deliberate at
tempt to put them out OF business Combinations for
port are moreover legal IN the United States, and
group OF independent firms associated together for
trade with the Continent II not denied that the Big
Five could they combined control the trade. but the
Witnesses maintained that the facts within their know
dsproved the existence any such endeavour The
result OF the policy OF the Ministry of Food during the
war appears on the whole to have been TO maintain te
position OF the independents The capacity OF the latter
10 compete depends as far as we cou ascertain on the
quality OF their products.
IA Some Of the agents this side claim 10 act in per
feet independence Of the houses conslgnlng TO them, sell
ing the bacon for what 1t viii fetch according 10 the state
OF the market Others work more closely TO the nstruc
lions Of te exporting firms whose selling agencies they
practically but they also maintained that they could
not control the market here Both GLASSES Of agent OF
kept their principals informed OF the present state
and probable future OF the market that they
might know whether to push restrict their exports.
american bacon for export is borax-cured TO stand the
long Journey although such bacon Is not allowed to be
sold In The United States II can therefore be kept in
cold storage In America, and supplies TO the United King
dom be 10 extent regulated The agents OF the
American houses all denied that they acted In coopera
lion with each other with any other group OF agents
and allegation OF such action was made TO us. They
an arrange Tor he smoking Of the bacon consigned 10
them and sell 10 anyone who wishes 20 buy Representa-
tes OF the wholesale trade stated that they found the
keenes competition among the American packers agents
for their custom
In view Of many tnns that been said This side
Of the Atlantic against The big meat packing concerns the
above utierances OF the British parliamentary suboom-
miitee significant and fail pleasing 70
meat packers who have been under IRE.