The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-03-05
HAD private
TIP ON FOOD CONTROL
vNrw IN ADVANCE OF EVERY
STEP THAT WAS TAKEN BY
THE GOVERNMENT.
LETTERS ARE OFFERED AS
PROOF BY ATTORNEY HENEY

Had inside Information That Hoover
Would Be Appointed. Men Who
Drew Salaries From Packing Hous-
es Hold Important Posts in Food
Administration.
CHICAGO.-With the announced
intention of showing that the big
Chicago packers had taken steps i'm
mediately after the entrance of the
limited States into the war to place
men in the food administration, prior
TO its creation, who would not allow
the packing industry to be placed at
q disadvantage Francis ]. Heney, in
charge of the federal investigation of
the packing industries, today read
voluminous letters seized from the
files of the packers before United
States Commissioner Joseph Davies.
Mr.. Heney declared later than at
least six men who drew salaries from
the packing companies and their sub
salaries were holding important
posts in the food administration.
These men, he indicated, were placed
in the food administration for no
other purpose than to head off any
action which would be detrimental to
the packers.
Day of Letter Reading.
The day was taken up in the read
ing Of letters which Mr.. Heney de-
clared to be the attempt to prove
that the packers have set out not on
ly to control the workings of the food
administration in its relation to the
packing concerns, but also to get con-
troll of certain commodities which are
competing with similar products of
the packing industries.
Virtually all of the letters read by
Mr.. Heney indicated that the packers
watched with deepest concern the
evolution of the food administration.
kilograms among the different large
packers, sent over private wires
maintained by them, showed that
practically every appointee to the
different departments of the food
administration was discussed by the
packers with conjectures as to his at
titude toward their concerns.
The names of two of the men who
hold posts in the food administration
while drawing salaries from the pack
ers were given out by Mr.. Heney.
They are E. o. Heyl, first assistant
head of the department on the CO.
ordination of purchases, and w. F.
Priebe, chief of the division of poul-
try and eggs and perishable markets.
Mr.. Heney said that Mr. Heyl is paid
a salary by the Libby, Mcneil G Lib
by company, a subsidiary of Swift
& Co., while Priebe is head of the
W. F. Priebe & Co., subsidiary of
Swift & Co.
Had Inside knowledge.
Mr.. Heney said that the letters
proved that the packers knew of the
appointment of Mr.. Hoover before
the public was apprised of the event;
that they had inside" information
that Joseph P. Cotton, a New York
attorney, would be appointed head
Of the meat and livestock section of
the food administration bureau even
before official Washington was ad-
ylsed of it, and had confidential in
formation on the attitude of the food
administration before it was an
nounced to the public and acted ac-
cordingly.
The packers were informed, ac-
cordlng to the letters, that Mr.. Hoo
yer was to be appointed food admin
lStrator four days before the an
nouncement was made public. The
announcement was made on May 10,