The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-01-30
BIG FIVE INITIATES
PRICE Of LEATHER
ProftecrinR Charged Against Social
ed Meat Trust in Government
Investigation.
BBNEY BEFORE COMMISSION
Cnttlemcn Who Called for Federal
Investigation State That They Lose
Money on All Shipments of Beef

Washington, Jan. ea,--Pro1teering
IN leather required by the United
States government was charged
against the so-calIed meat trust. at
tho government investigation today
before the federal trade commission.
! Testimony introduced by Francis j.
/ Hepey developed that the big five
I'm control of the Western leather mar
ket, inflated prices against indepen-
| dent operators in the. market for gov
eminent contracts.
They are receiving from seven and
ono-haf to ten cents a pound more
for leather of the same quality offer
ed by the Farmers Co Operative As
ISOLATION of Wisconsin," Charley II.
Mays. CT Madison, representing $500
tilted
Packers hides are always includ-
cd In the governm ent specification
| while country packers hides, the
product of the Independent associa-
tion. have 10 be sold wherever a mar
ket can be found" the witness added
Us there any difference In the
treatment of the hides to warrant
their sale at higher prices?" Heney
asked.
Shuttle ten hides prepared by the
independents and ten of the pa cking
combine and no expert can identity
them, Mays said. They are treat
ed with the Identical process and all
of the independent employees form
erly worked for Swifts, Armours or
other big packers"
Grease Also Controlled.
Grease, another comm odity re-
quired by the government in war
work is also controlled by the big
Ave. MIR. Mays testified. He said
that the competition enforced by the
rendering plants connected with the
packers has made Independent deal
ing impossible.
How do the packers sell beef in
the Wisconsin territory? ?" Heney
asked
"A present they are underselling
us three cents. The average cost of
production was S452l a head and we
sold 6,422 head at *s6 each" the cat
tie man stated
Secret Communicati between the
Armou executive Offices and Colin
II. Livingstone. Washington financier,
a s4y000-a-yea,' a gent of the firm, was
disclosed by Bernard A. Duffey, tele-
graph operator, formerly employed
in the Baltimore Office and now I'm
l Is
wire.
Il telephoned confidential Mesa ges
from Baltimore TO Mr.. Livingstone in
Washington" Duffey explained when
asked how the Armours relayed in
structions to Livingstone.
Armour Il Co. communicated with
MIR, Livingstone over the private wire
last night Duffey testified.
Colin II, Livingstone, who was ex-
cused from the wltkesS stand last
week to produce a letter concerning
his business relations with the Ar
mours il to be recalled tomorrow.
He will be questioned about the eff
forts Of the packers to bafk the pas
sage Of the Boriand resolution Of
, 1915. calling for an investigation of
the entire packing business
That the packers through daily
telegraphic communications with
agents stationed At the principal ship
ping points carried on a war of dis
elimination against members of the
Texas cattlemen's association and the
American National Live Stock ASSOC
citation, was also testified to before
the committee.
Srnotfsers Small Dealer.
Tn Fort Worth the Armour repre-
sentatives forced the price of live
stock to such n low mark that we had
TO ship to st. Louis and there we
had 10 dispose of the stock at loss
Of so cents on the hundred pounds.
The market was steady but notice OF
our shipments had been wired
ahead" e. C. Iasater OF the Two as
sociations testified.
II was one OF the oattleunen who
asked for federal investigation of the
meat business the witness replied
when asked by Henry II the packers
were taking revenge on independents
who opposed them.
Every day complete reports of
conditions In all the shipping sra
tons were sent to Chicago" John O.
Ohsol, an expert OF the federal trade
com mission said. He exhibited cop
les of m essaTe@ taken from the pack
ing house nles These records of
shfrm ents, prices ana purchases were
distributed among the Armour. Cud-
any, Swift, Morris and Wilson con-
Germs"
did the information which was
sent TO the packers affect the mar
kst of the independent dsaaers?" Mr..
Heney asked.
TT made 1t possible for the pack
ers to control the situation in gil Of
the stock yards and at the shipping
places" the witness said.
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