The Washington times., 1910-03-17
Association Head Says Or
garization Does Not Try
10 Control Prices.
EVASIVE ANSWERS
PUZZLE COMMITTEE
Little Headway Is Made At Senate
Investigation Into High
Cost of Living.

According 10 the testimony Of Prcsi-
dent Charles EuHe. of New York. the
American Association OF Meat Pack
crs IS innocent of any united effort
10 control the prices Of meat products.
For an hour and a half today the
Senate cost OF Living Committee in
Jerrogated the witness. For the same
length OF time ue prorcssed no definite
knowledge of his organization pur-
poses.
Mir Rohe seemed To- uc reluctant
witness. He volunteered no informa-
uoH whatever All that was secured
from him was by continual question
ing. Even that which ne gave was
eyasive OF indefinite. When con-
iToutcd " IN the associations minute
books and the black and white evi-
oencv ui fur associations purposes.
he persisted that he knew nothing
concerning them and was in iguor-
aucg oi-"Aal tue minute books con
tanned.
From these records IL was CLEANED.
h"ueycr, tuat tn. packers association
WAS orgaulzCd for Capitalization and
cooperation iu protecting Jhe interests
"i the packers. 20 regulate The prOtiJS
t-'tv cen themselves ami the stock yards.
10 regulate The price OF LABOR, 90 bring
INTO gipSe- :a'auoushlp the machinery
manufacturers, 20 prevent adverse le-is-
lduon, JD repeal the olcOmar-arlne law,
and 90 discuss meat inspection by Fed
cFal authorities
Answers Are Evasive
While al these objects were learned
from an examination OF the associations
records. MI Eohe was not familiar with
any of tbcm except that relating TO
meat inspection. He was time and again
asked to give the real objects FOR the
bringing together of go per cent OF the
packers or the company His reply was
ITO discuss the meat inspection and
take otHcr ,rattcrs rotating 10 the
interest Of the Industry lie at first
denied fatty that tho matter of pr-Ces
had anything to do with the organization.
He said that there was not even a dis
cusSiou Of them among the members.
The records, however, Indicated that
prices and profits was an important
matter with the association.
Senator Crawford conducted a most
vigorous examination of the witness. He
would ask him question, get a mega
i've dnSU or or no answer at all, then
would quote from some record Of the
association TO show that President Robe
was either MOI being frank with the
committee or else ne was entirely ic-
nUrant Of the workings Of the body I
over which he presidcs.
After that Senator SmOOt led the wit /
ness through a maze of questions and I
the same unsatisfactory list of answers {
was the result. The Utah Senator !
1h hsrefOre had TO resort 10 the records 1
and answer the questions for the wit /
ness The committee seemed a bit i'm Z
patient az first AZ the process, then the T.
members became amused.
Among other statements. the witness I.
said that all the big and many of the T.
little packers were members Of the as +
ISOLATION He said that ne knew OF no I
Beef trust SO-called. and of no move
mcnr or agreement between meat pro
GuCers to control prices or profits. He /
thought the present high prices were .
due to the shortage I'm supply. He could /
think Of no other cause for the pre-
vailinC conditions He admitted that (
he sold dressed meat abroad. but said .
that ne made no more profit on that /
than on goods sold I'm America. He said l
that his gross prices in Europe were I
about the same as In the United States /
tion had recommended that the packers /
shut down their plants during August 4
and September Of each year He re- /
uliCd that they did 30 not for the pUr-
pose of raising prices or holding ND the I
market. but because the product was I
not matured at that season Do
To Call Secretary.
The witness was not dismissed when /
the recess was taken at L o'clock. He I
will be called again this afternoon and I!
viii be asked 10 favor the committee /
with his ideas Of the situation.
An anonymous letter was received b.
Senator SmOOt today, saying that the I
Department Of Agriculture at Bethesda, /
Nd. were sending the calves into Wash /
ington for sale which they had inocu- |
lated for the purpose Of securing vac /