The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-01-18
NEAT PACKERS SAY PAN IN Ev|DE NCE
 ID LIMIT BUSINESS
Claim Federal Trade Commls- sion CircuIates Its Report on Investigation of the Big
 Five" Packers
By Associated Press

Wsshington, January 1.-The attenAion ug members of Congress was called to- stzy by the Institute of American Meat Packers, through it's Washington office, tp proposals submitted to the British Parliament regarding the meat industry and said to be designed to restrain American packers from further extend Asg their world trade.
 The institute, in an open letter to sen ators and representatives transmitting rerort to Parliament by a subcommit- tee of the standing committee on trusts, says this report was Consequence of the deliberate circulation in foreign coun- tries by the federal trade commission of the commissions report on its investi- gation of the ''big five" packers con ducted several years ago by direction of President Wilson.
 It is charged by the institute that the trade commission not only furnished copies of it's report to representatives here of foreign governments but also asked the diplomatic bureau of the state department to transmit copies Of the re- port direct to those governments.
 The commission, it is charged further, sent to the diplomatic bureau form letter to be used in transmitting the re- port, which said:
 There is inclosed herewith . copy of the summary of the report of the federal trade commission on the meat industry which was recently released for pubiica- ton by President Wilson and which may be of interest to your government"
 By this form letter." says the in- stitute's communication, "President Will son was made to extend the invitation to foreign governments to take the 'funua- mental action" which the commission said was necessary to prevent 1nterna- tional control of the meat products by the American packers.
 The institutes letter goes on to say that members of Congress. after read ing the British co$amittee's report, which quotes at great length from the trade commission report, will appreciate the serious disaster which threatens the live stock industry of this country as con- sequence of the deliberate circulation in foreign countries by the federal trade commission of its false and un1us' charges against the American packers.
 The British committees report, a digest of which was published recently in the United States, says mo complaint was made (at hearings held by iD of unfair trading on the part of the American companies beyond severe cutting ol prices for the purpose of developine trade or clearing surplus stocks but I charges that there is at least a taci' understanding between the American meat companies to respect each others position which secures to them all th' economic advantages of an active com bnation."
 The committee finally recommends tha .it should be the declared policy of hi maiesty's government to prevent the per centage of the beef trade, which is a present in foreign hands. from increasin. to the loss of producers at home and il the doninions and of British importing companies and that expansion of for eign interests in tlie United Kingdom should be restrained by taxation and sub sldizing refrigerated shipping companies