The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-03-01
Appeal to Congress to Pre-
vent Court from Block
ing Investigation
SEEKS TO UNCOVER
MEAT CONSPIRACY
Action Urged to Prevent the
Stopping of the Case
Against Packers

Washington. March L.. Special and
speedy legislation to lay bare the con
| fidential files OF the great meat packers
and disclose what government investi-
gators believe will show plans TO take
complete control of the meat industry
is asked of Congress by the federal
trade commission.
On recommendation of Francis j. He
ney, special counsel conducting the com
missions investigation. who has been
restrained by court orders from taking
further papers and Also from using those
already seized by his agents, the commits
sion yesterday laid the facts before Con-
gress and asked for action.
Charging that Heney Vecder, counsel
for the packers. SIS still the custodian
of many papers which have been used
as instrumentalities in the commission
of felonies," Mr.. Hcney asked for
supplement to the espionage law to ia
cilitate the governments inquiry into
the industry,
After Federal Judge Lands of Chicago
has issued a search warrant authorizing
the seizure of important documents in
the possession of Mr.. Veeder, the federal
circuit court of appeals restrained
marshal from removing or examining
any of the papers in Veeder's vault and
further. from examining or in any way
using papers already seized by the gov
eminent.
Specifically. Mr.. Heney asked that
Congress amend or supplement the es
pionage act so that the decision OF a
Judge who issues search warrant shall |
be conclusive upon the question of the |
existence of probate cause, and that a |
summary proceeding already provided |
bv the statute for the determination of |
the question of whether the property |
seized under the writ was used for the |
commission of felony shall likewise be
conclusive for the purpose only of en-
abing the court to retain such prop
erty in the custody of the Law until the
purpose for its seizure shall have been
served
The action of the appellate court in
issuing the stay, said Mr. Heney, pre-
vented the government from even exam
ming papers already in its possession
and which federal district court had
found used las the means of committing
felonies by Swift K Co and other corpor-
atoms"
IN It's letleI 10 lct- IItslueHt MAJ |
shall, as president OF the Senate, the fed
eral trade commission described this
question "to be of such vital Importance
to its work and possibly the work of
other departments of the government as
10 require its calling the matter to the
attention of Congress
Heney, in his letter, declared that Mr..
Veeder at the beef trust trial in 1872,
lfter the statute of limitations had ex
bred. testified that for many years his
,ffice was the clearing house for the five
pig packers in criminal conspiracy
which they maintained for the fixing of
prices and the control of the meat indus
ny.
"The evidence which we have gathered
n the present investigation" continued
aeney, strongly tends to prove that
his conspiracy, with some slight modi
ication in its scope and purpose, had
continued in existence ever since and is
still active and that Veeder is still the
of many papers which have
been used as Observation-Disclosures IN the
of felonies."
The Swift. Armour, Morris. Wilson and
Judahy packing companies are special
V mentioned in the alleged commission
II felonles."