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| For The Record 1
Congress Votes is issued every week that Congress is in session. |.
It covers all votes of record and reports the position taken on
each measure by the elected official whose name appears be-
low.
ik Daniel J. Flood
11th Congressional District, Pennsylvania
No. 66 93rd Congress July 4, 1974
H.R. 15580 makes appropriations totaling $32.8 billion for the
Departments of LABOR, and HEALTH, EDUCATION and
WELFARE, and related agencies during fiscal year 1975. While
considering the bill in the Committee of the Whole, record votes
came on the following amendments:
An amendment providing an additional $300 million for man-
power training and public service employment programs. Ayes
9231. Noes 171. Agreed to.
Bi Mr. Flood voted no. )
An op Bament reducing the appropriation for the Occupa-
tional Safety and Health Administration by $30 million. Ayes
179. Noes 218. Rejected.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment earmarking $5 million of the OSHA appropria-
tion for grants to states for on-site counseling to assist employ-
ers in their efforts to comply with OSHA regulations. Ayes 301.
Noes 100. Agreed to, June 27.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment prohibiting inspections of firms with 25 or less
employees for compliance with OSHA regulations. Ayes 201,
Noes 194. Agreed to.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment deleting the $101 million appropriation for
OSHA. Ayes 97. Noes 295. Rejected, June 27.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment reducing the appropriation for the National
Institute of Education by $90 million. Ayes 44. Noes 331. Reject-
ed, June 27.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment prohibiting the use of funds for the busing of
students or teachers to overcome racial imbalance or to carry
out a plan of racial desegregation in any school system. Ayes
231. Noes 137. Agreed to.
Mr. Flood voted no.
An amendment prohibiting the use of funds for abortions,
abortion referral services, or abortifacient drugs or devices.
Ayes 123. Noes 247. Rejected, June 27.
: Mr. Flood voted no.
After reporting the bill back to the House a separate vote was
demandd§@on the amendment prohibiting OSHA inspections of
firms with 25 or less employees (see above). Ayes 190. Noes 182.
Agreed to, June 27.
Mr. Flood voted no.
Whether to pass H.R. 15580 as amended. Ayes 329. Noes 43.
Passed.
Mr. Flood voted aye.
On a motion instructing House conferees to insist on House-
passed provisions extending aid to school districts serving areas
populated with Federal employees in the conference on the
ELEMENTARY and SECONDARY EDUCATION ACT
AMENDMENTS (H.R. 69): Ayes 144. Noes 187. Rejected, June
28.
Mr. Flood voted no.
The conference report on S. 3458 extends through fiscal year
1977 the Department of Agriculture’s authority to purchase
commodities for donation to DOMESTIC FOOD ASSISTANCE
programs. Yeas 325. Nays 0. Agreed to.
Mr. Flood voted yea.
The conference report on H.R. 7724 authorizes the appropria-
tion of $208 million for a program of training and fellowships for
BIOMEDICAL and BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH during fiscal
year 1975. Yeas 311, Nays 10. Agreed to, June 28.
ry Mr. Flood voted yea.
H.R. 1” provides $1.1 billion for the construction and
operating expenses of the District of Columbia government dur-
ing fiscal year 1975. Yeas 236. Nays 36. Passed, June 28.
Mr. Flood voted yea.
H. Res. 1210 permits the House Judiciary Committee to pro-
ceed Viti IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY without regard to a
rule requinng that each Committee member have 5 minutes to
question a witness. Ayes 207. Noes 140. Rejected, two-thirds not
having voted in the affirmative as required by the procedure
under which the resolution was considered, July 1.
Mr. Flood votes aye.
S.J. Res. 218 extends for 30 days, until July 30, 1974, the ex-
piration date of the EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ACT of 1945. Ayes
238. Noes 115. Passed, July 1.
Mr. Flood voted aye.
H.R. 15276 creates a JUVENILE DELINQUENCY PREVEN-
TION ADMINISTRATION to administer a program of grants to
states, localities and nonprofit agencies for the prevention and
treatment of juvenile delinquency. The bill authorizes appro-
priations totaling $480 million over the next four years for the
program. ; :
On an amendment placing the program in the Department of
Justice rather than the Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare as provided in the bill: Ayes 144. Noes 210. Rejected,
July 1.
f Mr. Flood voted no.
Whether to pass H.R. 15276. Yeas 329. Nays 20. Passed, July 1.
Mr. Flood voted yea.
H.R. 15465 authorizes $1.5 billion, to be paid in 4 annual install-
ments of $375 million, as the U.S. contribution to the IN-
TERNATS®YAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. The bill
also permits American citizens to purchase, hold, sell, or other-
wise deal with GOLD as of December 31, 1974.
During consideration of the bill in the Committee of the Whole,
a motion was offered to report the bill back to the House with the
recommendation that the enacting clause be stricken. On the
motion: Ayes 96. Noes 268. Rejected, July 2.
Mr. Flood voted aye.
On a motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Banking
and Currency with instructions to report it back with the IDA
provisions deleted: Yeas 135. Nayes 230. Rejected, July 2.
; Mr. Flood voted yea.
Whether to pass H.R. 15465. Yeas 225. Nays 140. Passed, July
2:
Mr. Flood voted yea.
Ambulance Log
ih NOXEN
* June 14—Richard Meade, accident to General Hospital. Crew:
Ralph McCormack, Roger Boston and Sandra Swingle, RN.
June 18—Martin Brobst, accident to General Hospital. Crew:
Earl Crispell and John Lyons.
June 22—Mrs. O’Boyle, Harveys Lake to General Hospital.
Crew: Jerry Tallent, Ralph McCormack and Earl May.
June 25—Mary and Elizabeth Jenkins, accident Lutes Corners, to
Noxen Clinic. Crew: Roger Boston, Howard Keller and Dave Fritz.
HARVEYS LAKE
July 3 - Motorcycle accident, Pole 269. Bernard Kastaliba, Plains
and Alfred Filipini, Plains to Nesbitt Hospital. Crew: Jim Faerber
and Fred Merrill.
July 5--Irene Shmegleski, Spring and Dudley Avenues, Sandy
Beach to General Hospital. Crew: Art Wagner and Jim Faerber.
July 5-George Bytheway, Smith’s Trailer Court to Noxen Clinic and
home. Crew: Art wagner afid Paul Wheat.
July 8-Leonore Megargel, First Street Warden Place to Mercy
Hospital. Crew: Paul Wheat and Jim Faerber.
Dallas Township
Three accidents were
reported in Dallas Township
last week. The first happened
July 4 at 8 p.m. on Route 309.
According to the report, Robert
Crompton, Burlington Road,
Unionville, Conn. was traveling
south and crossed over into the
northbound lane, striking a
vehicle operated by Robert
Goeringer, RD 3, Dallas, which
was traveling north. When the
Crompton car struck the Goe-
ringer car, Mr. Goeringer lost
control. He went into the south-
bound lane and came to rest on
the embankment. Mr. Cromp-
ton came to rest on'the guard
rails and then proceeded from
the scene of the accident. He did
not identify himself. Mr.
Goeringer got the license
number and the owner was
traced through the Luzerne
County police communications
center.
Patrolman John Appel in-
vestigated and estimated
damages to the Goeringer car
at $500. A further investigation
into the aecident is being
conducted by the police and the
insurance companies.
July 5 at 1 a.m., Patrolman
James Kelly investigated an
accident on Dallas Township
Route 819 near the intersection
with Legislative Route 40053.
Susan Laux, 101 White Birch
Lane, Elmerest, Dallas, stated
that the car she was driving hit
a car driven by Elaine Kovak,
45 Fall St., Ashley, but she did
not stop. The Kovak vehicle
proceeded after her. Both
operators had the same story.
Damages were estimated at
$100 to each car.
‘Chief Carl Miers investigated
an accident July 5 at 10:05a.m.
at the intersection of Route 309
and Main Road, Dallas.
R.E. Weaver, RD 2
Tunkhannock, had stopped for a
stop sign on the Main road, and
Gary Smith, RD 2, Dallas, was
traveling south on Route 309.
Mr. Weaver pulled out from the
stop sign and into the path of the
Smith car. Mr. Smith tried to
avoid impact and swerved to
across the intersection and
collision took place in the south
bound lane when Mr. Smith's
brakes locked.
Mr. Weaver stated that he did
not see the oncoming car. Chief
Miers recommended that Mr.
Weaver be recalled for examin-
ation by the motor vehicle of-
fice.
Encon Company, Fernbrook,
was entered between July 6 and
July 8 through a rear door.
Entry was made by breaking
the glass in the door and
opening the latch. Vending
machines and telephones were
opened and the change re-.
moved.
The incident was reported.
July 8 at 6:15 a.m. and
patrolmen James Kelly and
Doug Lamoreux investigated.
This is the second incident of
breaking and entering at the
plant in recent weeks. The
investigation is continuing.
Kingston Township
Three accidents were noted
by the Kingston Township
police last week. The first
happened July 2 at 9:30 p.m.
and Patrolmen Walter Davis
and Merle Bigelow investi
gated.
Anne M. Bealla, 42 Moyes
Ave., Swoyersville, was driving
north on Route 309 and swerved
to avoid a collision with Ann
Marie Poliansky, Provincial
Towers, Wilkes-Barre, who was
coming out of Donachies par-
king lot. Impact took place in
the northbound lane and the
Poliansky car was removed
from the point of impact before
the police arrived. Damages
were estimated at $300 to the
Bealla car and $150 to the
Poliansky car.
July 3 at 6:50 p.m., John
Petro, 40 Harris Hill Road,
Trucksville, was backing out of
his driveway and backed into a
motorcycle driven by Steven
Franklin, RD 5, Shavertown.
Mr. Franklin tried to stop to
avoid collision but was unable.
Patrolman Davis and Chief
Paul Sabol investigated and
estimated damages at $200 to
the car and $100 to the motor-
cycle. There were no injuries.
July 4 at 5:50 a.m., Alfred
Williams, RD 2, Dallas, was
traveling north on Route 309
when at a:point 1200 feet from
the intersection with Carverton
Road, Mr. Williams lost control
of his car, struck a culvert, and
proceeded 200 feet before
coming to rest on the side of the
road.
Patrolman Joseph Berube
damages at $400. The car had to
be towed away.
Dallas Borough
Dallas Borough Patrolman
John Fowler assisted by Walter
Davis, Kingston Township in-
vestigated an accident July 6 at
10 p.m. at the intersection of
Route 415 and Center Hill Road.
Richard E. Zneimer, 133
White Birch Lane, Dallas, was
passing a truck and attempted
to make a left hand turn into
Center Hill Road from the
southbound lane of Route 415.
Nancy Derhammer, RD 1, Dal-
las, was traveling north on
Route 415 and was attempting
to make a left hand turn into
Center Hill Road toward the
American Legion Home. The
two autos collided as both
operators tried to make the
turns...
Damage was estimated at
$1,000 to each car. Both cars
had to be towed.
Jackson Township
One accident was reported in
the township last week ac-
cording to Police Chief Don
Jones. On July 3 at 9:30 a.m.,
Maeryta Ann Parkhurst, 126
Doran Drive, Trucksville, was
proceeding south on the, Chase
Road when a bee flew ito her
car. It caused her to lose control
of the car and she ran off the
west berm of the road and
struck three trees. Her Volvo
sedan was a total loss. Miss
Parkhurst advised Don Jones,
who investigated, that she
would see her family physician
for her injuries. Malak’s
Towing Service towed the car.
WASHINGTON—Congress-
man Harley Staggers’ daughter
is a young physician in West
Virginia. She has treated pat-
ients suffering from con-
taminated drinking water. Yet
she is not familiar with the safe
been bogged down in her
father’s House Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee
for several months due to lack
of quorums, oil industry lobby-
ing and nit-picking.
She is not alone in this un-
awareness. Cleaning up the na-
actly a burning political issue.
Politicians do not lose or win
elections over their stands on
the level of mercury, admium,
nitrates, asbestos, lead,
live viruses, bacteria or other
drinking water pollutants that
cause short or long term
damage to citizens’ health.
But if the urgent facts about
community and metropolitan
water supplies which have been
compiled by the U.S. Public
Health Service and the En-
vironmental Protection Agency
do not move voters to action,
they have had an effect on Con-
gress. Last year the Senate
passed a bill providing for
federal drinking water stan-
dards and technical assistance
to the states who retain the pri-
mary enforcement role. How-
ever, should a state fail to pro-
tect its citizens by not enforcing
these standards, the EPA would
insure compliance.
The House bill, as it is pre-
sently written, would require
water systems which violate the
health standards to notify con-
sumers and the media. Passage
of such legislation would alert
the residents of Cleveland, for
example, more frequently
about the antiquated systems of
pipes and water-processing
plants which bring water from
Lake Erie. It would have led to
the disclosure earlier of asbes-
tos leaching from asbestos-
cement pipe or from industrial
water pollution in numerous
cities.
The drinking water bill must
be reported out within three
weeks by Chairman Staggers’
Committee of this truly historic
effort to show how little it would
cost (about $1 per American per
year) to apply known tech-
nology for much purer drinking
water will be lost.
To bring this bill to a vote on
the House floor before the im-
peachment process dominates
the legislators’ attention, three
changes are necessary.
First, the Committee must
stand up to the omnipresent oil
lobbyists who want to block a
provision dealing with con-
tamination of underground
water supplies by careless oil
operations. As always, the men
from the American Petroleum
Institute want special Congres-
sional treatment.
Second, the members of the
Staggers Committee must show
constitute a quorum. Some
members, such as Congress-
man John McCollister of
Nebraska or Congressman Dick
Shoup of Montana, have been
engaged in delaying and trivial-
izing tactics that are demeaning
and disgraceful to them. Fuller
bring more support to the work
of Congressman Paul Rogers
and his Subcommittee majority
who have worked hard on this
bill.
Third, Chairman Staggers
must assume a vigorous role in
completing Committee con-
sideration of the legislation
soon. For several years, some
mittee members have chafed
under Staggers’ lack of leader-
ship in getting the committee to
consider bills before it with rea-
sonable attentiveness. Bills lan-
quished in the Committee long
after the Senate Commerce
Committee—no speedy unit it-
self—has gotten parallel legis-
lation through the Senate. Such
attrition must not stop these
efforts for drinking water stan-
dards which are so long over-
due.
So if you drink water, write to
Congressman Staggers and
your own member of the House
of Representatives. They need
to hear from you in some detail.
WASHINGTON—For every
tax dollar Pennsylvanians pay
to the federal government for
defense, only 62 cents is return-
ed to the state, according to a
new study. The study shows
Pennsylvania is the sixteenth
biggest loser nationwide.
The figures come from a
study on defense spending by
Michigan State political scien-
tist James Anderson which was
released by Rep. Les Aspin, (D-
Wisc). The biggest losers were
Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin
and Oregon, which each get
back less than 30 cents on every
defense tax dollar.
According to the study, Penn-
sylvania loses about $1.755
billion annually in defense dol-
lars. That works out to $147.22
per person.
Aspin said the study was sur-
prising evidence that defense is
By century's end, according
to a special study-Probing the
Future-by Engineering News-
Record, A-frame buildings 400
to 500 feet high will span high-
ways and parks.
a significant drain on the
economy of most major in-
dustrial states.
In addition to Pennsylvania,
New York, Illinois, Ohio and
New Jersey all showed net
losses.
Aspin said the study is start-
ling evidence that the defense
burden is shared very unequally
by the American people.
“Taxpayers in the loser states
should know that high Pentagon
spending does not create more
jobs for their states but destroys
jobs by removing more money
than is returned,”’ Aspin said.
The study shows that 28 states
receive fewer defense dollars
than they pay to Uncle Sam
while 22 states and the District
of Columbia receive more. The
biggest winner is Washington,
D.C., which received $5.17 in de-
fense spending for every dollar
‘paid in taxes.
In compiling the study, the
tax burden for each state was
calculated from information
gathered by the Tax Founda-
tion, a private, non-partisan re-
search group. The tax burden
was compared to the defense
outlays for each state to de-
termine if the state is a net
ES —
Forty Years Ago
1934
Frog legs were in season and
many frog-catchers were sold
solid on the time-honored lure of
a bit of red flannel offered on a
barbed hook. After frog legs
quiet down in the frying pan
they're superb eating.
Stella Fiske, wife of the for-
mer Dallas constable Edward
Fiske, died at her home in
Parish Heights.
former Dallas Township tax
collector Milton Neyhart, died
at the age of 76.
Helen England resigned from
Kingston Township faculty;
Sarah Pfahler was appointed.
Dallas firemen were ready
for the four-day carnival on the
Adelman plot. Nightly dances, a
midway, an air circus and sup-
pers were on the agenda.
Reunion of Bertram, Elston
and Myers families at Hunts-
ville.
Tuna fish was two cans for a
quarter; coffee, 21 cents a
pound; and no farmer could get
rich on butter at two pounds for
55 cents.
Thirty Years Ago
1944
Russell Houser Jr., 17, a
member of Wyoming Seminary
swimming team, broke his neck
in a fall into a Wapwallopen
stream when the bank gave
way.
Ann Griffin, 19, Pioneer Ave-
nue, was killed in a highway
accident.
Lt. Peter Skopic was held by
the Germans after his plane
was downed by Nazi fighters.
Two airborne men were
wounded in France a week after
D-day. William Glenn Knecht,
was a glider flight officer; Jack
An Analysis
Evans, a paratrooper.
Robert Norman Smith,
Huntsville, was appointed to
Annapolis.
Mrs. W. B. Sutton, Carverton,
74, suffered ‘deep lacerations
when injured in a car driven by
her nephew. Mrs. Sutton went
through the windshield.
Coach Tinsley left Dallas
High for a job at Sharon High.
In the Outpost: Ralph White-
bread, India; Thomas Bately,
England; Bob Grose, Sampson;
Charles Gordon, Virginia;
Edward Tutak, Walla-Walla;
Gilbert Husted, Jacksonville;
Ray Pritchard, England; Walt
Schuler, China; T. Jefferson
Miers, on a speck of land in the
Pacific; John Youngblood, Bed-
ford Springs; Jimmie Trebil-
cox, Hawaii.
Died: Alice Major, Lehman;
Mary Pearson, 80, Outlet.
Belles-Shaver-Compton
union. :
Twenty Years Ago
1954
Nancy Wood was going over
horse show jumps on the front
page and an impressive list of
new goods for the auction was
printed. The eighth annual auc-
tion was imminent.
Franklin firemen served 700
dinners on the Fourth of July.
More of Stefan Hellersperk’s
story about being a captive in
Russia.
Harold Lewis, Franklin
Township, was elected pre-
sident of the joint Dallas-Frank-
lin board.
Schooley Memorial at Gener-
al Hospital reflected the love of
former patients.
Millie Evans, 30, Centermore-
land, was killed in a car crash.
Brakes failed. Seven children
were in the car.
re-
by Doug O’Boyle
Post’s Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON--The agricul-
tural sector of the economy,
particularly the beef industry,
has attracted lots of attention in
Washington the last few weeks.
With the attention has come a
closer congressional scrutiny of
food industry middlemen--the
“‘pipeline”’ from the farmer to
the consumer--than ever before.
Questions congressmen have
been asking at recent congress-
ional hearings are: Why is the
margin between the tarm price
and the retail price so large?
Why aren’t drops in farm prices
reflected at the retail level?
Who’s making a buck off the
farmer?
Getting the answers to those
questions has been difficult for
Congress, for . the food
‘‘pipeline’”’ has many twists and
turns. But some facts are
known.
The difference between the
farm prices and consumer
prices--the so-called farm-retail
spread--has increased steadily
over the past 20 years and has
been the primary factor in
spiraling food prices. More and
more of the food dollar is going
to process, package, transport,
and sell the food than to produce
the food.
From 1952 to 1971, retail food
prices increased 27 percent,
according to the U.S. Agricul-
ture Department. Of that in-
crease, 94 percent was due to
rises in middleman costs while
the remaining six percent was
due to increased farm costs.
The biggest middleman cost
increases were . in labor,
transportation and packaging.
The chief USDA economist
said in a recent statement, “The
long-term rise in the level of
food prices was due to per-
sistently and relentlessly rising
market margins.”
In 1973, three-fifths of the
consumer’s food dollar went to
middlemen, while two-fifths
went to farmers and livestock
producers. Translated into
dollars, $83 billion of the $134
billion consumer expenditures
for food went to middlemen last
year.
The country has recently gone
through price freezes and
economic phases and unpre-
cedented inflation. Naturally,
food production and marketing
costs have increased. But while
these costs have skyrocketed,
cattle prices have plummeted
over recent months. Yet, at first
glance, the sharply lower cattle
prices do not appear to be
reflected at the meat counter.
The reason involves a maze of
marketing procedures which
can be illustrated mathe-
matically. The farmer and live-
stock producer receive approxi-
mately 40 cents of every con-
sumer dollar spent for food.
Thus, when the livestock
‘producers’ cattle price falls 35
percent, as it has in recent
months, that drop is actually 35
percent of 40 cents, which
amounts to a 14 cent drop at the
retail level. In other words,
price fluctuations at the far-
mers’ level have only a
marginal effect on retail food
prices.
Food retail representatives
made this argument in the
hearings, but many congress-
men were perplexed by it. The
retail chains insisted they had
passed on the beef price
decreases to consumers, citing
17 percent retail beef price cuts
in recent months. Several
members of the House Agricul-
ture Committee were openly
skeptical.
Apparently in response to this
growing skepticism in
Congress, the Administration
announced the formation of a
“Task Force on Meat Margins’
to investigate the beef industry.
Another similar investigation is
underway in the Federal Trade
Commision.
The USDA disagreed with the
food chains’ claims. According
to a USDA economist, ‘Feed
cattle prices have declined
severely since Febrauary, but
retail prices of beef have been
slow in reflecting this
decrease.”
The USDA economist said
that in 1973 the middlemen’s
take on beef ‘registered the
largest gain for all commodity
groups, averaging 34 percent
higher than a year ago.” Food
retail chains make more money
off beef than any other com-
modity, it appears from the
USDA figures.
But this is not the case, ac-
cording to Safeway. ‘‘For
several years,”’ a Safeway
executive testified, “our meat
department gross profit rates
on sales have shown a steady
decline. And so far in this year
1974, our records show a further
decline from the corresponding
period a year ago.”
Despite this claim, the USDA
economist said, ‘‘We believe
that retailers could reduce their
margins and prices’’ on beef.
The fact that meat packers
and food chain profits went up,
while cattlemen were! losing
millions of dollars, did not win
many friends in Congress.
Charges of ‘‘profiteering’’ were
made, which the middlemen
emphatically denied.
et USDA figures show food
chain and meat packer profits
are increasing, sometimes
dramatically. For instance, in
the last quarter of 1973 and first
quarter of 1974, during the
‘period cattle prices were
falling, food chains’ profits
I
Big article on how to keep
children out of abandoned refri-
gerators.
Ten Years Ago
1964
Firemen battled a blaze at the
home of Tony Wisnewski, Lake
Silkworth, which destroyed the
frame building.
Torchy Wilson was saved
from death after an encounter
with a rattlesnake.
20th annual Lehman Horse
Show was termed huge success.
Delegation of Shavertown
parents bombarded the Kings-
ton Township supervisors with
request for a traffic light at the
Center Street intersection.
Jackson Township supervi-
sors passed a land sub-division
ordinance.
Headlines announced the 18th
annual auction and list of goods
new and glamorous, helped fill
the pages.
Nick Sosick Jr. attended the
American, Legion 1964 Annual
Keystone State at Penn State.
Dallas Borough Council
viewed architects’ plans of new
post office. i
Summer band program began
with concert as target.
YWCA softball league was
underway in Shavertown.
Born: Stephen, son of Mr. and
Mrs. John Bestwick, Dallas,
and Stephen Wayne, son of Mr.
and Mrs. George Yatsko, Har-
veys Lake.
Died: Julius Long Stern, 71,
Idetown, former owner of Isaac
Long’s.
watermelons were 79 cents
each; bacon, 49 cents a pound;
spaghetti, 19 cents a pound, and
a 38-ounce bottle of salad oil
could be bought for 49 cents.
Profits
Puzzle
increased to .95 percent of sales
compared to .4 percent in the
third quarter of 1973. Although
small compared ‘to other in-
dustries, based on the food
chains’ billions of dollars in
sales, a slight profit percentage
increase can add up to millions
of dollars.
Meat packers’ net profits
increased to 1.1 percent of sales
in 1973, up from 1.0 percent in
1972. In the first quarter of 1974,
meat packers’ profits averaged
1.4 percent of sales. Spectacular
profit increases were posted by
two large meat packers--Iowa
Beef Processors, with a 66
percent profit increase last
year, and American Beef
Processors, with a 288 percent
profit jump.
Citing these profit increases
and the widening farm-retail
spreads, consumer groups fold
the congressmen that the fault
rested with ‘‘an apparent
failure of competitive
mechanisms to work.” There is
a ‘high market concentration’
in the beef industry, one con-
sumer representative said,
resulting in an ‘‘oligopoly’’
among the largest food chains
which stifles competition.
Food retailers countered that
the industry was one of the most
competitive in the country.
The consumer groups also
charged that the meat packing
industry’s vertical integration--
increasing involvement of meat
packing firms in feedlot opera-
tions--allowed them to manipul-
ate cattle prices to their advant-
age. :
The meat packers tried to
downplay their feeding opera-
tions and denied they wield such
power in the cattle market.
What emerged from the
conflicting facts and figures,
charges and denials is that no
one--including the Department
of Agriculture--apparently has
a handle on the whole problem.
Congress has asked for more
information, but the more it has
gotten the more puzzled the
lawmakers have become.
Whether the Nixon Ad-
the USDA studies will provide
some clear answers remains to
be seen.
Equivalent combinations of
experience and training may be
accepted for state civil service
job requirements. Candidates
should refer to the examination
announcement for details on
position requirements and
acceptable combinations of ex-
perience and training.
Si