Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-03-01
Asks Legislation to Open Confidcn
tlal Letters and Ffics Of Pack
ing Companies.
C0LLUSWE BIDDING CITED
Investigator Docs Not Want 20 Walt
for Court Action ON Appeal OF
Lands Decision.
RETAILERS DENY BIG GAINS
Insists Profits Are Small; Butter
Makers Tel OF Squeeze Felt
In Indiana.

CHICAGO, Feb 2s---Government
contracts FOR millions OF pounds OF
meats. labor troubles and employers
methods to oppose them. tho diffl-
oulties of retail meat dealers in Chi
cago and obstacles placed In the
way OF butter makers In rural In
diana, were some OF tho subjects
touched on today In the federal
trade commission investigation Into
the packing house Industry
Under the questioning or Francis
j. Heney, counsel for the comNis-.
sion, witnesses told OF the difficulty
IN making "A reasonable profit In tho
retail meat business In Chicago In
direct conflict with statemenu that
retail butchers were responsible In
some degree for high meat prices
Appeals 60 Congress,
Through letters read before u. M.
Manly. federal trade com mniission ex-
amlner. Mr. Heney brought out that
the question OF changing govern
ment specifications 40 as to permit
cheaper meats being included In
army contracts had been considered
by the five big packing houses and
the quartermaster'H department Al
the same time there came from
Washington announcement that
congress had been asked by tha fed.
eral trade com mi ission at tho In
stance of Mr. Heney, TO enact speedy
legislation to.Iopen up the private
and confidential files OF the pack.
ers to disclose what government In
vestigators believe will show plans
10 take control OF the meat industry.
The appeal to congress was based
on the preaent conflicts between the
trade com mission and Henry Veeder
OF Chicago. counsel for Swift a CO.,
over possession OF files and papers
In the veeder private vault, which
was opened at the order OF Mr..
Hsney some time ago, Determina-
ton OF authority over tho papars
which Mr.. Heney charges tend 10
prove the intent to commit n felony
through collusive bidding by the
packers on government meat con-
tracts now rests with the United
States circuit court of appeals here
on an appeal rom n decision Of
Judge LAndis that the veedsr
vaults were legally opened under .
search warrant Argument on the
appeal was set for tomorrow, but n
exaAots6 60 be continued for nj least
a day.
CiarIin Letter Road.
At one point today the hearing re-
verted to n congressional action In
1918 on proposed federal investi-
cation OF the packing house indus
try In ono letter read into the rec
ord. q. GsD Clafiin, tr., a lawyer OF
Kansas city, Kan, Acknowledged re-
celpt OF information for Thomas
Crelgh OF Chicago relative 20 Con-
gremman Dudley Doolittie Of the
Fourth Kansas district
Another Doolittle letter signed by
Thomas Creigh replied 10 the ciAflin
letter. Included in u under date OF
august 81. 1919, was the followingi
Thanks for your favor OF tbs
18th with references 10 the Doolittle
trade com mission beef trust COM
plant The Doolittle complaint In a
turn In the direction that was ask
Ing you to look into where Cudahy
seems To be omitted.
II hope you will be able to instiI
into the governments mind, the no
tion that he did the right thing In
leaving us out. In some hearings
before the subjudiciary committee
OF the house, certainly tried to
make our independence very plain
the point being that we never had
any interest in the National Pack
lng company and were not parties
defendant In the last set OF beef
trust prosecutions"
Mr. Heney explained that Mr..
Creigh is general counsel for Cuda-
by a. Co.
The letter cioesd with the para
graph
ION the othar hand. with the
present record breaking price hsins
paid for live stock. what possible
benefit can come 10 live stock con-
stituentH Of any congressman IN
seeking to impair the financial abii-
lty OF the principal purchasers OF
live stock7"
Another inulry by Thomas Creigh
relative 10 Congressman Doolittle
CONTINUED OS PACE THREE.