Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1918-01-10
PROMPT ACTION
DEEMED LIKELY
Prices Can Be Lowered and
Fourth of Country's Sup
ply Conserved, Says
Expert.
HENEY WON'T DENY IT
Says 1t Can Be Done Under Re-
ccivership-similar Pol
icy Regarding Coal
Predicted.
HENEY WON'T DENY IT

Philadelphia. Jan. 1.-THE United
States government may take over the
meat industry of the country in order
to control the three principal neces-
sites of wal times-meat, coal and
transportation. This was plainly indi-
Gated at today's session of the federal
trade commission here.
An official connected with the COM
mission, which has been investigating
meat conditions here, proDhesied that
the government intended to seize all
the packing and allied industries and
Francis j. Heney, who is examining
witnesses, did not deny that the plan
was being considered in Washington.
"The course the investigation is tax
ing is plain enough" said Mr.. Heney.
Draw your w conclusions. l must
absolutely decline to be quoted in con-
@nection with the matter. 1t Is up to
the federal trade commission. / nave
been ordered to conduct the inVestiga-
ton along the lines taken. The govern
ment will do what 1T sees fit.
The federal government will ssume
control of the business through a re-
ceivership." said a member OF the COM
mission, who disclosed the purpose OF
the country wide meat investigation
now in progress. II cannot be quoted,
The meat supply is to the nation what
the railroads are to transportation, ana
IL mas DetI COICluSlNSiS pAONSN e@
regulation at this time is necessary
Roger j. Maynes, a local slaughterer,
was put through a long series OF queS-
tons tending to Illustrate how the &C.
m could operate the mat INDUS
try. to keep down prices and conserve
the supply.
Would Abolish Waste.
Maynes testified that he had already
placed his ideas at the disposal OF
Washington and asserted that federal
meat inspection should first be done
away with.
cent of the cattle and meat supply OF
the country could be conserved" said
Maynes, who was su~bpoenaed as an eN-
pert. If the government were immedi-
ately to fix prices every week.
The government should then pass
legislation stopping federal destruction
of cattle, the offal Of which is found
to be infected with tubercular germs
and legislation f%orbidding the slaugh-
ter of pregnant ewes between Novem-
ewes to the slaughter, the packers
make a speciality of killing pregnant
animals in the breeding time"
l.. l. Levine. former bookkeeper for
the Brown company. inc, now a sub
sidary of the American Agricultural
Chemical company, testified that f. j.
Murphy. who sold the business to the
larger firm received $4,000 for the
sale. hi witness said he paid less
than $50, 900 for the Brown business
which lost about 1000 per month while
Murphy was connected with the plant
as manager
COAL COMING TO NEW YORK.
New York, Jan. with the arrival
/ here today of nearly 5000 tons Of coal
) on barges that had been icebound in the
bay fuel administrators expressed the
belief that the backbone of New York's
coal famine had been broken. Unless
severe weather sets in again ii is ex-
pected there will be a steady flow OF
coal to the city in the next few days.
as more than 400, 900 tons are reported
at or near terminals.
FEDERAL ACTION NEAR.
3 Washington, Jan.7 1.-THE administra-
ton is seriously considering a new
move to meet the coal problem. 1t is
for the government to take over all
coal at the mine and proceed to dis
ribute it. Much criticism has been
| leVelcd at the fuel administration be-
cause, though ongress gave 1t this au-
thority. it has never exercised it. Cabi-
net members are advising the president
+ to order this step taken but Director
q General McAdoo is not ready to have
1t done.
He is counseling the president to hold
q off a few weeks to see whether govern
. ment operation of the railroads will not
relieve the coal deficiency. Senator
Cummins, who got the provision for
, taking over coal at the mine put into
: the law, has said from the first this
+ was the only way the coal situation
could be handled.