Evening star., 1921-07-01
Editorial Digest
Controlling the Packers.


industry. which has passed ooth
houses Of Congress and Is now In con-
ference over minor amendments
seems to be unsatisfactory to most
newspapers because Of too much or
too little control according to the eoi-
tortal viewpoint. So far. the Prov'-
dence Tribune independent repuoh-
CAM. points out, the country has paio
comparatively little attention to the
various bills designed to control or
regulate the packing industry" But
the Senate's action in defeating the
bill prepared by its own agricultural
committee" has created q situation so
"extraordinary" that the Tribune feels
the people will do we'll to look into
the whole subject. learn what Is pro-
posed and then make up their minds
as to the wisdom or unwisdom Of any
program that may be offered"
The vital difference between the
Senate committee bill. which was de-
feated. and the House bill, which the
Senate accepted with amendments. ac-
cording to Capper's Weekly (republt-
can). lies "in the kind Of authority
conferred. the bill as passed giving
the Secretary Of Agriculture similar
!
Kenyon bill. but with powers largely
suggestive or recommendatory"
There is, Of course. the usual outcry
against any sort of governmental con-
ment in business" The Wall Street
Journal independently finds little to
choose between the two: the bill that
was killed would vest control of the
meat packing industry in commits
sion and the other puts it into the
nf hn too Df o.
! ture" Either proposal. the Journal
holds. "is vicious and socialistic." The
Florida Times-Union tdemocratic) de-
clares itself as mot in favor Of any
of the measures that have been en-
acted or proposed for regulation of
| the packers" because it believes that
! they have acted more decently to-
ward the people than have the ma
jority of the business interests Of the
country" and the Springfield tMo.)
ally opposed to further 'meddling
with business by government bu-
reaus."
Opposition from the other angle.
however. is based on the objection
that such regulation as is imposed
! as the Jefferson City (Mo) Capital
| News independent democratic) ex-
presses it. to letting the packers
control themselves" AS passed, the
ASc" oElcdHS Item tfHuepeHUcHtJ says,
the bill deals with few points of
heart interest to the general public"
since 1t promises nothing that has not
already been the subject of past leg
islation. 'and everybody knows how
| much tor how littleJ that has been"
But Of greater Importance is the fact
that lit rids the packers Of the ac-
tivities of the Federal Trade Commits
sion" which the Item thinks the pack
ers will find highly pleasing
enD is plainly mystified. by the Sem
ates action in throwing out it's own
measure and passing the House bill.
Whether the greater support received
by the latter 'is due to its greater
, strength or it's greater weakness" is
ever. accepts as reasonable" the sup
position that ''men voted for It be-
cause they thought it did not amount
to much" The chief value of the bill
to the Minnesota Star minneapolis.
independently is that it records public
sentiment against profiteering in the
distribution of food and other life
necessities" The control it will ex-
ercise. says the Star. is "only nomi-
NAL" providing only an opening for
actual future control"
Protesting that the bill will para
! lyze the only federal agency that
has ever been able to tell the public
anything of what the packers are
! really doing" the Christian Science
Monitor (BoSton. independently makes
plea for retention of authority by
/ the Federal Trade Commission.
This position. which other papers
share. is based the New York Globe
! tinderenden'> thinks. ''on the belief.
! correct or otherwise. that the Depart
, ment of Agriculture will be more apt
| to forgive abuses in the packing in
! dustry than would different trib-
/ unal." but 1.-The future alone can de-
eide" whether or not the department
| will be as vigorous in its regulation
as would the Federal Trade Ccmmis-
sion.
In the opinion of the Manchester
Union independent republican,, the
administration of the law has been
; intrusted to the proper department
Of the government The Union ap-
proves heartily of the bill as it
stands. because 1t eliminates the
! motives of "vengeance" and "chas.
| tisement," and in its Fundamental
desire for economic effectiveness" 1t
| is "simply the demand for honest
dealing in an honest business.
There is no reason apparent to the
Baltimore Sun Undependent demo-
| cratic) why the proposed legislation
"shouid not prove an effective brake
| and bar to any tendency to monopoly.
price-hxing and restraint OF trade
among the big Chicago packers. and
further than this conservative pub
| lie opinion does not desire 1t TO 90.