Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-02-28
CONGRESS IS ASKED
TO HELP HENEY OUT
Probcr Wants to Get at Conf
dental Files of Chicago
Meat Packers.
BY Associated Press to Every Evening

Washington, Feb. %. Special and
speedy Legislation to lay bare the CON
hdential files of the great meat packers
and disclose what government investi-
gators 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 ].
Hency, special counsel conducting the
commissions investigation, who has been
restrained by court orders from taking
further papers and also from using those
already seized by his agents, the com
mission laid the facts before Congress and
asked for action.
Charging that Henry Vcedcr, counsel
for the packers, still is the custodian Of
many papers which have been used ~
instrumentaiities III the commission Of
felonies' Mr.. Heney asked for supple
rncnt to the espionage law 10 facilitate he
governments inquiry into the industry.
After Federal Judge Lands of Chicago
had issued a search warrant authorizing
the seizure Of important documents IN tho
possession of Mr.. Ncedcr. the Federal
Circuit Court Of Appeals restrained a
marshal from removing or examining any
of the papers in Npeder 3 vault, and further
from examining or IN anv way using
papers already seized hy the government
Specifically. Mr. tIencv asked Congress
10 amend or supplement the espionage net
so hat the decision ''of Judge who Issucs
a search warrant shall be conclusive upon
the question Of the existence Of probable
cause. and that a summary proceeding
already provided by the statute for the
determination Of the question whether
the property seized under he writ was
used for the commission Of felony shall
likewise be conclusive for the purpose
only of enabling the court 10 retain such
property in the custody Of the law until
the purpose for IFS seizure shall have been
served
Tho action Of The appellate court IN
issuing he -fav. SAID Mr Heney. pre-
vented the government from even ey-
anining papers already IN is possession
and which a Federal District Court had
found had been llaeql tas the means Of
committing felonics by Swift Il % and
other corporations
In its letter to Yicc-Pre-ident Marshall,
a. President of tho Senate, tho FederN
Trade Commission described this qieS-
ton ''tn be of such vital importance 70
its work, and possibly the work Of other
departments If tho government - -
require its calling the matter - the
attention ~ Congress
Nr Hcney IN his letter declared Mr.
Neeocr 1t he beef trust trial IN 1912. after
the statute If limitations had expired
had testified that Tor many years his
Office vas the clearing house Tor the five
blg packers n 4 criminal conspiracy winch
they maintained for the 6xln9 of prices
and the control u The meat industry
The evidence which We have gathered
IN the present investigation. continued
Mr. Heney, strongly tends 70 prove
that this conspiracy with some slight
mod fcatlon 70 lfs scope and purpose has
continued in existence ever since and still
Is active and that Nccder -tll il the
custodian Of many papers which have
been used in the pursuance thereof as
| inst trInentaIlties in the commission oi
| felonies
The swift. Armour. Morris, Wilson
and Cudahy packing companies arc
specifically mentioned IN the alleged com
/ mission aSf fptDuip=