Show THE VORACIOUS HIG BIG FIVE THE E FEDERAL trade commission in special report shows to what extent the big five of the meat packing industry are permeating the business of 0 purveying all kinds ot of food the big five jointly or separately now I 1 control companies have a minority in 96 95 others and have what Is called an undetermined interest in 93 more the packers now deal in I 1 such various commodities as fresh tomatoes and banjo strings leather and cottonseed oil grape juice curled hair pepsin breakfast foods and washing powders thus branch house are not only stations tor for the distri bulion of meat and poultry but are wholesale grocery houses and aid be sides groceries they handle ice salt fertilizers butter eggs rice grains and countless other articles T the he in has arri arrived v ed with inundating force the combined comb tied sales were above last year and go up I 1 about a billion a year the trade commission is strong on description ot of conditions but weak on prescription ot of remedies there Is talk of 0 illegal combinations and re bates but this Is old stuff and experience peri ence has sadly shown that the duease of bigness is not rem removed 0 ved when there are successful antitrust suits or a cessation of special transportation por tation privileges the packers thrive chiefly through the economies incident to doing busness on a large scale and with perfected means the packers are unpopular but even more un poplar are high prices |