Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-02-27
Introduces Evidence to Show
That Dummy Names Are
Used in Conducting Busi-
ness Which They Own,
JAR OF PRESERVES is
HELD Likely DONATION
Letter Read at Trade Com
mission Inquiry in Which
Packers Decided on Contri-
button to Church Bazaar.

~" hoRhiNo JOURNAL sPtCiAL ltAagp Wistl
Chicago, Feb. 26.-Testimony to
substantiate charges that the big Chi.
cago packers eliminated the little
(poultry and egg dealers by undersell-
ing them, by setting up dummy
firms. by use of special railway facili-
ties and by other unfair means, was
introduced at the hearing conducted
by Francis j. Heney before Samuel
w. Tator, examiner for the federal
trade commission, today.
w. +. Priebe, who is said by Mr.
Heney to be drawing a salary from
Swift & Co. while serving the govern
ment on the food administration at
pecially active against the small deal
ers.
Lobby Charge Made.
Mr.. Heney also attempted to show
that the packers lobbied in state cap
itols. during the consideration of laws
to better labor conditions, that they
sought to increase negro help in the
packing plants, and that in general
fought against all legislation for the
good of the working man and work
ing woman.
In one instance, according to Mr.
Heney,.the packers had made dona'
ton to be used at church bazaar to
Mrs. J. j. Healey. wife of an arbitrator
for the Illinois industrial board, be-
fore whom disputed cases of work
ingmen's compensation were heard.
Contribution Discussed.
ut might be advisable to make
Healey I would advise about ST.
worth of our product" read par
of letter written by II. A. Germbricr
of the Wilson & Co. legal department
to V. d. Skipworth, vice president o.
the firm.
In instructing the wholesale de
partment to deliver SIS worth o
goods to Mrs. Healey Mr.. Skipwortl
wrote that he wanted the donation t.
appear as large as possible.
sI think an assortment of preserve
would make up larger package thai
anything else" ne suggested in hi
memoranda i.
Owned by Swift & Company.
Mr.. Heney charged that w. I
Priebe g. Company of Chicago, whicI
has been supposed to be the larges
independent" butter and egg deale
in the country and which is allege
to be owned by Swift & Coppan,
controlled score Of creameries an
poultry and butter and egg plants /
Missouri Illinois and Iowa and ope
rated them under dummy" names.
"This was done to fool the farm
ers and public Attorney Hene
said. "In reality all of the concern
are owned by Swift & Company.
want to put in evidence this state
ment of w. f. Priebe & Compan.
giving list of their plants and buy
ing stations
Taken From Correspondence.
The statement was seized b
agents Of the federal trade commits
sion from the correspondence file
after the office manager for Priet
4 Company had denied any busine!
affiliations with concerns previousl
mentioned in testimony except tn;
Priebe & Company merely acted as
selling agent.
Accusations that the packers gol
bled the little dealers. stifled the
by underselling and by jugglr
prices were made by several wi
nesses T. A. Buchanan, a poultl
and egg dealer of Hardin, Mo-, test
fled that when he refused to sell
agents OF. the packers they start'
spirited fight even to the point
paying higher prices in Hardin (
produce than they paid in adjace
territory. The witness said tn
where the large concerns had mono
oily on the field 1t worked to a d
advantage of not only the produc
but the consumer as well. He sa
that as soon as independent buye
were driven out Of the field the
was an immediate drop in prices pa
producers.
Couldn't Fight Big Firm.
Randolph Miller of Macon, NJ
testified that "Swift got all of {
business" His story told of an u
tiring fight against price raising
the part of the packers buyers.
declared that his business had be
undermined and curtailed by I
business Of thes 'big buyers" "
carried out program of flexi
prices to throttle all competition.
The packers, Miller testified. us
the poultry and egg trade as cl
to force producers to sell them tn
entire output Of produce. cream
cluded.
Two Of tho witnesses questioned
0OniiRSsd 0P fssc q.