Evening star., 1935-10-21
POULTRY RACKET
.DR|vELAUNCHED
Wallace Directs Operators
in New York Area to
Get Licenses.
Sy the Associated Press.

1y the Associated Press.
A Nationwide Federal drive against
poultry racketeering was launched
formally yesterday with an attack on
illegal marketing practices in New
York City as the Governments first
objective.
Acting under authority of an
amendment by the last Congress to
the packers and stockyards act,
Secretary Wallace designated the
New York and Jersey City, N. j,
poultry markets for Federal super
vision. The goal named was better
price to producers and a fairer cost
to consumers.
Handlers of live poultry in seven
New York and Jersey City markets
were directed to obtain licenses from
the Secretary of Agriculture by No.
Ven1ber 25.
resulting in invalidating N. r. A. and
poultry licences under N. r. A.
originated in New York, officials said
there was no connection between that
incident and the new action the
licenses will be of different form, it
was explained, and what the new law
does is in effect to extend to poultry
markets the same supervision which
the Government has exercised for
years over packing houses and stock
yards. There was said to be no ques-
ton of codes for the industry in
Volved.
Other Probes Planned.
A. w. Miller, head of the Packers
and Stockyards' Division of the Bu-
reau of Animal Industry, said investi-
cations of poultry handling are under
way in other cities. He indicated the
Government will look closely into the
marketing of chickens in Boston,
Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, st.
Louis and San Francisco.
If, after an investigation, the Agri-
culture Department finds that unfair
trade practices may exist in any city
where the handling of poultry results
in undue increased costs to the con-
sumer, a hearing is called, when
dealers and others interested may be
heard. After study of the evidence,
If the Secretary finds that such prac-
tices actually exist, then he may
designate the city for Federal super
vision.
Any person desiring to obtain a
license to handle poultry may apply
to the Secretary and the license will
be issued without cost. But the law
provides that the applicant must fur
niSh information to show his fitness
to engage in the business and to show
that he is financially able to fulfill the
obligations he would incur as a
ncensee.
Hearings Held Here.
An investigation Of the New York
market was begun soon after the law
was passed August IA, 1885. and SUBJ
sequent hearings were held in WASH
ington.
"The Secretary of Agriculture, the
formal order for New York and Jersey
City read, has ascertained, through
independent investigations. CORE
spondence, public hearings and state
ments made by well-informed per-
sons that practices and devices result.
ing in the producers sustaining SUM-
dry losses and receiving prices far
below the reasonable value of their
live poultry in comparison with the
prices of other commodities and in
arbitrarily enhancing the cost to con-
sumers exist in the following named
cities: New York. N. Y. and Jersey
City, N. j."
After listing the local markets, the
order said New York and Jersey City
"are hereby designated as cities where
the handling of live poultry required
as an article of food for inhabitants
of large centers of population is at
tendant with various unfair, decep-
tive and fraudulent practices and de-
vices"