Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1918-03-04
w s 6
PACkERS' INVESTIGATION.


The Investigation OF the packers
trust now being conducted at Chicago
| by the government is revealing some
things that reflects upon the honesty
and patriotism Of the men at the
! head of this great industry. These
! gentlemen, of course, contribute lib
| orally to the Red Cross, buy govern
ment bonds with lavishness and give
every aid in the way Of paying taxes
ana offering open encouragement to
the country Yet behind it ali appears
to be well defined scheme or plan
10 make millions through crooked
business out of the present misfor-
tune of the world. When laboring
men see such big institutions de-
liberately maneuvering to get I'M
fair profits and to create abnormal
conditions to boost the price of food
stufs it is not to be wondered at
that they feel, in some instances, that
they are justified in demanding
higher wages and in striking if their
demands are not complied with. Just
how far The grating at Hog Island,
the mercenary course of the packers
and the greed displayed by other big
interests. Influenced the mechanics in
the shipyards to lay down their tools
can never be known, nor what effect
that strike would have upon the out
come OF the war had not the ,meu
listened to President Wilson when he
appealed 10 their patriotism to in
duce them 10 return 10 work. They
listened to the chief executive Of the
nation and did the thing that patriot
ism would suggest.
But the president is dealing with
different class of men when he asks
the proliteers to deal justly with
consumers and appeals to their pat
riotism to arouse them to a realiza-
ton of the duties they owe their
country. These men, or many of
them, have lost their souls in the
mad race for dollars Money is their
god and to possess it they will bar
ter their good names, sacrifice the
interests of the nation and force I'M
necessary hardships upon countless
numbers of women and children.
Some Of the letters written by men
in the employ OF the packers trust,
and which came III possession oil
the government after a hard legal
battle, reveal many things that show
the real attitude of this particular
Industrial organization. Persistent eff
forts were made, some of them being
successful, to secure the appointment
of safe men to positions of influence
in the food administration depart
ment of the government.
Francis J. Henry, counsel of the in
vestigating committee, read a number
Of letters tending to show that the
packers had packed" the food board
at Washington. There has been moth |
ing uncovered that connects Herbert
Hoover with any questionable CON
duct. His reacord seems to be clean,
which is a matter of general con-
graduation. But the packers did
succeed in getting some of their
friends" appointed to important |.
positions under Hoover and it may
be believed that these friends" will
deliver the goods" when such de- |
livery might appear reasonably safe.
Tom Creig, attorney for Cudahy &
Co, wrote in one of his letters, Il
think the price should be as high as
the consumer Will stand" He also
noted that Swift has a good man in
Washington"
Here are copies of a couple of
letters showing thai the packers are
expert in the line of camounage when
it comes to making the country be-
lieve they are in hearty accord with
a proposed regulation" when they
are really not in sympathy with it at
all:
MIR. Harold II. Swift, second floor: |
Please notify Mr.. Charles H. Swift
by letter, care of the beef house,
or by wire, that the
policy of the firm has been fully de-
cided to say that We are in favor of
maximum prices on grain and lard,
short ribs and mess pork, cotton and