The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1922-06-29
SWIFT SAYS PACKERS
BENEFIT TO PUBLIC
Head of Leading Plant Explains the
Position of Companies in
Price Adjusting.
Claims Nation Could Not Be Fed at Pre-
sent Cost II Giant Plants
Were Not Active.
BY LOUIS F. SWIFT.

Editors Note.-Louis F. Swift, head
of the vast organization that bears his
name, in the following outlines the rea-
sons why Americas modern complex
life has given birth to his own and SIM
liar companies and why their existence
is important to every citizen of the Uni
ted States. 1t Is o clearly written arti-
Gle and presents the packers side of
disagreement that is of many years
standing.
We have been hearing for a great
many years, especially during the war,
about the economies of producing goods
on a large scale. Most of the textbooks
on economies tell us that the large con-
Germ is able to carry on its business at
lower cost than a small concern for the
following reasons:
1t buys and sells in larger quantities
and is able, therefore, to buy raw ma
terials and to sell finished products to
the best advantage; If it is a manufac-
turing concern, large output permits
greater specialization on the part of its
labor forces, and permits the use of the
best manufacturing methods, with the
result that manufacturing costs are re-
duced to the lowest possible point;
large scale operations make it possible
to employ highly efficient managers and
to maintain research specialists; the
large concern can utilize its by-products
more economically.
In these respects the packing indus
try is like all other industries. The
large packing plant can be operated
more economically than a small plant
chiefly on account of the economies at
tending the utilization of by-products
on a large scale. But strange as it may
seem this fact alone does not really ex-
plain why large packers have come into
existence. A very real reason for the
development of large packing concerns
is to be found in the distinctive and alb
solutely necessary service they renda
in transporting meat products long dis
tances from the producing to the con-
suming sections of the country.
Stock in West.
1t so happens that approximately two
thirds of the livestock of the country is
produced west Of the Mississippi River,
while two-thirds of our population lives
to the east of it. Either live animals
or fresh meats must be shipped from
West to East, and it has been found to
be more economical to slaughter the
animals in the producing sections and
to ship the meat products in refriger-
ator cars to the consuming sections
than to ship the live animals.
Before the development of the re-
frigerator car it was impossible to ship
fresh meats. The livestock of the West
had to be shipped East for slaughter
because it was impossible to transport
perishable products any great distance.
The shipment of livestock to Eastern
markets for slaughter was exceedingly
wasteful. Many of the animals died on
the long journey. Owing to the length
Of the haul stock arrived much shrunk-
en- in weight. At certain points on the
road il was necessary to unload the
stcck and give them feed water and
rest. All this involved heavy expense.
In addition there was the fact that only
little more than half the animals
dressed out as meat, and in those days
the balance, with the exception of the
hide, was largely waste. To the other
wastes of the system would be added
nearly half the freight costs.
The large packer has been instru-
mental in eliminating these wastes.
Herein lies his distinctive service. His
packing plants are located near the
source of production. Refrigerator cars
transport the products Of these plants
long distances Qn many cases more
than thousand miles) to branch
houses located in consuming centers.
His cars are also used to carry perish
able meat products to the small towns