, 1922-05-27
Packers Act aids .Industru

ITHE PACKERS and stockyards act recently nm
L held by the supreme court has given the agri-
cultural department a free hand in enforcing the pro-
visions. The decision as rendered by Chief Justice
Taft stated 'the object to be secured by this act is
the free and unburdered flow of live stock from the
ranches and farms through the great stock
yards and Strengthening centers . . . and thence in
the form of meat products 10 the consuming cities"
II is for the purpose of assuring these results that
the department of agriculture has been erecting ud-
ministrative machinery for carrying out the provisions
of the Packers and Stock Yards act. The magnitude
of the task is indicated by the fact that under the
PROVISIONS Of the Get the department of agriculture
has supervision over SO yards which during the year
1921 handled over so, 100000 head of cattle and
other live stock.
partment of agriculture has divided the United States
into four divisions; each division will have one gen.
efal supervisor and under him there will be local super
Visors at the various larger packing and marketing
centers. Stock yards and marketing centers which
are not large enough to justify a resident supervisor
will be looked after by the district supervisor. Super
yisors have already been located in Atlanta, Buffalo,
New York City, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cincinnati. In
d~ianapolis, Chicago, st. Paul, Sioux City, Omaha.
Kansas City. Fort Worth, Ell Paso, Denver and San
Francisco.
In speaking of these supervisors Secretary of Agri-
culture Wallace says: "We wish farmers and stock
men to go to the supervisors whenever they believe
they have received unfair treatment and also to re-
port any unfair practices which have come under their
observation. Many matters of which shippers feel
they have reason to complain can be settled on the
/ spot if they are reported in person on the day the
reason for the complaint has occurred. Whenever the
two parties to a misunderstanding can be brought
together by n third party whose sole purpose is to
do the fair thing by both, there should not be very
much trouble in adjusting matters to the satisfaction
OF everyone. l hope. therefore, that shippers to these
markets will help us enforce the law properly by
reporting Immediately any grievances.
Further it is stated by the secretary that the de-
partment has had the most satisfactory co-operaion
from the large packers andsthe owners of stock yards
The opposition to the act which occasioned the litiga.
ton that resulted in the supreme courts decision
came from commission merchants and small traders
and from marketing agents. Under the act such
parties are forbidden from charging unreasonable
rates and from engaging in discriminatory or decep.
tive practices. In the opinion of the department OF
agriculture the supreme courts decision will be Sc
convincing to commission men, traders and marketing
agencies that they will not attempt further opposition
TO the law or evasion of it.
1t is pointed out that while it is the intention OF
the department rigidly to enforce the law, it does mol
intend to be arbitrary. every man." says Secre.ary
Wallace, will have a fair hearing and every oppor
tunity will be given him voluntarily 20 correct any
practices which are in violation of the law" The
department announces it has already been able to
eliminate a number of abuses and bring about a de.
cided Improvement in several markets. In order to
advise all supervisors regarding their powers and
duties as well as obtain from them first hand infor
nation as to conditions in their markets, all super
visors were called to Washington for a meeting with
the heads of the bureau having in charge the admin.
istration of the Packers and Stock Yards act.