Omaha daily bee., 1921-01-25
Packer Bill
Is Passed
By Senate
Measure to Regulate big
Five" and Live Stock Market
ing Agencies Carries by i
Vote of 46 to 33.
Nebraskans Split Votes
By ARTHUR SEARS HENNING.
Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.

Chicago Tribune Omaha Bee Leased Wire.
Washington, Jan. IA coalition
lof progressive republicans and demo-
Gratis put the packers regulation bill
through the senate today by vote
Of 46 to 35. The measure provides
for government supervision OF the
meat packing industry, which its I'd
vocates contend will protect stock
growers and meat consumers from
alleged price control by the packers,
but which its opponents pronounce
az invasion of private enterprise ap-
preaching state socialism.
The bill now goes TO the house,
where it is in for some hard sled
ding in the remaining So legislative
days of this congress. Predictions
are rife that it will not become a
law at this time, for unless the house
should accept the senate measure
without change, which would be IN
usual, an agreed bill would be
evolved so late in the session that
few senator's could talk conference
report to death by March 4.
. Vote of Senate.
Here is the way the senate lined
ur on the final roll call on the bill
Republicans for: Borah, Cappcr,
Curtis, Gooding. lGronna, Johnson,
! California; Kellogg, Kenyon, La
Toilette, Lenroot,- McNary, Nelson,
Norris. Poindexter. Spencer, Stcr-.
! ling, Townsend and Willis.
for 1S
Democrats For7-Ashurst, Culbcr-
son. Fletcher. Glass. Gore, Harris,
Harrison. Hitchcock, hnson
(South Dakota, Jones (New Mex
ico), Kendrick, Kirby, Mcclellan,
Myers, Overman. Owen. Phelan,
Pittman, Pomerene, Ransdell, Reed,
Robinson. Sheppard, Smith (Geor-
gia), Swanson. Trammell. Walsh
| Massachusetts, and Walsh (Mon-
tana). Totals. ~. ...
Total for--46.
Republicans Against-Ball, Brand
ege. Colt. Dillingham;. Edge, Elkins,,
Fernald, France. Hale, Keyes, Knox.
Lodge, McCumber, Mclean, Moses,
New. Page, Phipps, S Sherm u,
Smoot, Sutherland, Wadsworth,
Warren. Total-25.
Democrats Against - Beckhanl,
Denial Hehin, King. Shields, Smith
(Arizona), Smith (Maryland), Stan
ley, Underwood and Williams. To-
tal--lo.
4 Total Against--53.
Two Amendments Adopted.
Numerous efforts to amend the
bill before the final roll call failed
with two exceptions. An amend
ment offered by Senator Pittman of
Nevada, to exempt farmers and live
stock men from the operation of the
act was adopted by vote of SO to
! 81. Another amendment proposed
by Senator Borah of Idaho. declar-
ing proceedings under the act to be
open to the public, was adopted
without record vote.
Senator Sherman of Illinois took
a parting fling at the bill. Every
one" he said. knows how to run
the packing industry except the
packers. Why don't you 60 after
the retailcrs?"
The action of the senate came as
a result OF years OF agitation i'll
congress. Supporters of the measure
contended it was dangerous to the
nations welfare to permit so large all
industry dealing i'll foodstuffs to 20.
unregulated.
The bill creates a federal five stock
commission of three members ap-
pointed by the president, at a salary
OF $4,000 year, to supervise the
packing industry.
Provisions of Bill.
The bill prohibits the packers from
engaging i'll unjust and unfair prac-
tices; from buying or selling live
stock III such a way as to affect
prices or. create monopoly. and re-
quires them to dispose OF their own
ership or interest in stock yards
within two years unless the time is
extended for good cause.
The bill gives the commission pow
er to make rules and regulations TO-
enforce the prohibitions and require
mcnts. and grants it drastic au-
thority to obtain information about
the conduct of the packers busi-
ness. 1t also sets up a scheme of
registration. adopted in lieu Of the
licensing system originally proposed.
\ Upon violation of the regulation the
commission can hale packer to
court and ask that he be fined.