Arizona republican., 1918-02-27
PACKERS GObBLE LITTLE DEAL [ERS. CHARGE PROBERS
Contribution to Bazaar Is
 Made for Purpose and
 Goods Given Are Picked to Look Big As Possible
[RepubIlcan A. P. Leased Wirel


 CHICAGO, Feb. 26-Testimony to substantiate charges that the big Chi cago packers eliminated the little poul- try and egg dealers by underseling them. by setting up dummy firms, by use of special railway facilities and by other unfair means, was introduced at the hearing conducted by Francis J. Heney before Samuel w. Tator, ex- aminer for the federal trade commis- sion today.
 W. F. Priebe. who is said by MT. Heney to be drawing a salary from Swift & Go. while serving the govern ment on the food administration at S1 year, was accused of being especially active against the small,dealers
 MT. Heney also attempted to show that the packers lobbied in state capi- tals 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 he working man and working woman.
 Donation to Church Bazaar
 In one instance, according to Mir. Heney, the packers had made a dona- ton to be used at church bazaar to Mrs. J. J. Healey, wife of an arbitrator for the Illinois industrial board, before whom disputed cases of working men : compensation were heard.
 "It might be advisable to make some 0nd of contribution to Mrs. Healey. I would advise about S15 worth of our product read a part of letter writ ten by H. A. Gembrich of the Wilson x Go. legal department, to Y. b. Skip 1 worth vice president of the firm.
 In instructing the wholesale depart ment to deliver $15 worth of goods to | Mrs. Healey, MT. Skipworth wrote that | he wanted the donation to appear as large as possible.
 Make Package Look Big l T think an assortment of preserves would make up larger package than anything else,' he suggested in his memorandum.
 MT. Heney charged that w. F. Priebe & Co. of Chicago, which has been sup posed to be the largest independent" butter and egg dealer in the country, and which is alleged to be owned by Swift & Co.,, controlled d score of creameries and poultry and butter and egg plants in Missouri, Illinois and Iowa, and operated them under ''dum- my names.
 This was done to fool the farmers and the public" Attorney Heney said. Tn reality all of the concerns are owned by Swift & Go. 1 want to put in evidence this statement of w. F. Priebe X Co.,, giving list of their plants and buying stations
 The statement was seized by agents of the federal trade commission from the correspondence files after the office manager for Priebe & Co. had denied any business affiliations with concerns previously mentioned in testimony ex- cept that Priebe X Co. merely acted as a selling agent.
 GobbIe Little Dealers
 Accusations that the packers gobbled Ithe little dealers, stifled them by under selling and by juggling prices were made by several witnesses. T. A. Bu- chanan poultry and egg dealer of Hardin, Mo-. testified that when he re- fused to sell to agents of the packers they started spirited fight even to the point of paying higher prices in liar din for produce than they paid in ad- jacent territory. The witness said that where the large concerns had monopoly on the field it worked to a disadvan- ttake of not only the producer but the consumer as well. He said that as soon as independent buyers were driv- en out of the field there was an inn mediate drop in prices paid producers
 Rudolph Miller of Macon, Mo-. testi- fled that Swift got all of the busi- ness" His story told of an untirins fight against price raising on the part } of the packers buyers. He declared that his business had been undermined and curtailed by the business of the big buyers who carried on a pro- gram of flexible prices to throttle ali l competition.
 Poultry and Egg Club -
 The packers, Miller testified, used 3 the poultry and egg trade as a club to 5 force producers to sell them their en- l tire output of produce, cream included 7 Two of the witnesses questioned by l Attorney Heney today made the dec laratIon that they regretted their ap- f pearance before the commission be- cause they feared reprisals from the | packers.
 Q T am sorry I was called here to tes- z tCOntlnued on Page TWo1