Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1918-03-07
ASKS POWER tn
HANDLE vEEDER
Trade Commission Appeals to
Congress to Amend Law to
Get Action on Files of
Packers.
BLOCKED BY ATTORNEY
Heney Declares He Can Show
Unlawful Conspiracy Exists
IF Court Interference
Is Removed.
BLOCKED BY ATTORNEY

Washington. d. c.. March Especial
and speedy legislation to lay bare the
confidential files OF the great meat
packers n disclose what government
investigators believe will show plans
to take complete control of the meat
industry. was asked OF congress today
by the federal trade commission.
On recommendation Of Francis ].
Beney. special OunSe conducting the
commissions Investigation, who has
taking further apers and also from
using those already seized by his
agents, the commission laid the facts
before congress and asked for action.
Charging that Henry Veeder. COUNSEL
for the packers. us still the custodian
as instrumentalities in the commission
OF %felonies." Mr.. Heney asked for a
supplement- to the espionage Jaw to
facilitate h governments inquiry in
to the industry.
After Federal Judge Lands, of Chi
cago. had issued a search warrant au-
thorizing he seizure of important doc
uments in the possession of MI. Veeder,
the federal circuit court OF appeals
restrained a marshal from removing
or examining any OF the papers in Wee
der's vaul n further from exalnin-
ing or in II way using papers already
seized by the government.
WANTS. Law NW0OQ8os
Specifically, Mr.. Heney asked that
congress amend or supplement the es-
pionage act SO that the decision of a
judge who issues q search warrant shall
be conclusive upon the question of the
existence Of probable cause. and hat
Y summary proceeding already provided
by the statute for the determination of
the question of whether the property
seized under the writ was used for the
commission OF a felony shall likewise
he conclusive for the purpose only of
enabling the our to retain such prop
erty in the custody OF the law until
the purpose for it's seizure shall hav
been served.
The action of the appellate court in
issuing Ii stay. said Mr.. Heney, pre-
vented the government from wen eX-
aiming papers already in its possession
which a federal district court had found
had been used sas the means of COM
hitting felonies by Swift & Co.. and
other corporations"
In its letter to Vice President Mar
hall rs president of the Senate, the
federal trad commission described this
question ITO be of such vital impor-
tance to its work and possibly the work
OF other departments of the govern
ment rs to require it's calling the mat
ter to The attention Of congress"
Says Trust Still Exists.
(0unSel deHey Ill MS letleF declared
that Mr.. Veeder, at the beef trust
trial in 1912, after the statute of limi-
tations had expired, had testified that
for many years his Office was the clear
ing house for the five big packers in a
criminal conspiracy, which they main
tanned for The fixing of prices M the
control OF the meat industry.
The evidence. which we have gath
cred in the present investigations, con-
tinued Mr.. Heney, strongly tends to
prove that this conspiracy with some
slight notifications to its scope and
purpose has continued in existence
ever since and Is still active and that
Veeder is still the custodian Of many
papers which have been used in the
pursuance thereof as instrumentalities
in commission Of felonies."
The Swift, Armour. Morris, Wilson
and Cudahy packing companies are
specifically mentioned in the alleged
Commission Of felonies."