Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-27
O'HERN ENDS
HIS TESTIMONY
IN WAGE CASE
Admits that Packers Have
Been Preparing to Meet
Eight Hour Day.

Chicago. Feb. 27.-In concluding
his testimony In the stockyards wage
arbitration today, John T.. O'Hern,
general superintendent for Armour a:
Co, in response to questions by
Judge Samuel Alschulcr, admitted
that the packers had for some time
hour day in buildings and equipment.
when it arrives. He said there I'M
doubtedly vas a tendency toward a
shorter working day. He insisted.
however, that the change from a 10
to an S-hour day should not be MADE
at least until after the war.
On h question of overtime he said
the necessities of the packing indus
try would always require a long day
at certain busy seasons. He believed
the amount to be paid for overtime
should be determined by the wage
scale for h basic day.
On the subject of wages, Mr.,
O'Hern said:
II believe every man is entitled
to n fair living wage. Just what that
is, of course. Is a matter Of argu-
ment; We want the arbitrator to de-
The witness denied that the five
big packers acted in concert "i IN
handling labor questions and fixing
wages.
The witness said that two-thirds Of
all the livestock killed in the United
States under government inspection
was killed by the five big packers.
The wages paid by the independent
packers. he said. correspondent with
those paid by the big five.
He said three 8-hour shifts are i'm
practicable and that because Of the
character OF the packing business the
output under a plan of two 8-hour
shifts instead of W 10.hour. periods
as at present the productivity of the
plants would be reduced 20 per cent.
He said that at present by working
day and night the packers were un-
able to fully meet the demands Of the
government for food products.
Letters written by F. F.. White.
largely with Armour & Co.'S incursions
into h butter and milk business of
Wisconsin. r. Z. Morey. who had
two milk plants, was absorbed in a
$125.OOO company. Mr.. Morey, who
apparently had authority to conclude
deals, wrote that he also had his eyes
on a plant at Bloomer, Wis.
I'VE have had several propositions
on ~condenseries, but they all ask two
or three times the investment on ac-
count of the milk business being in
such a wonderful condition" wrote
Mr.: White.
A letter of January 3, 1917 by Mr..
White to j.. Ogden Armour referred
to Fremont Kraut company which
Mr.. White was negotiating with a
view of control. 1t developed in this
letter that the plant at Bloomcr had
been purchased for $4,000, which,
the letter said, was the brick and
mortar value" Of the plant. Mr.,
White said 1--WE intend to invest $780,
600 more and turn it into Il con-
densery. He figured the plant would
turn out about 1000 cases OF CON
densed milk a day at q profit Of sixty
cents a, case,
Mr.. White reported also that he
had paid $4,000 for. a half interest
IN the Kininmouth company Mt Win
field, Kan. with a branch at Arkansas
City. dealing In butter and poultry.
Our profits the first year should
equal the purchase price," he wrote
The latter spoke of a working
agreement with the Eau Claire wis
Creamery company which Armour &
co. had for several years. This COM
pany, he wrote, had ''six or eight
creanaeries in central Wisconsin with
an annual output of 100000 pounds
OF butter a ear Mr.. White bought
control of the company to insure the
supply to Armour & Co. he. wrote.