Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-02-04
HOOVER ACCUSED
WITH HOUSTON Of
AIDING PACKE RS
Food Administration Screen
Behind Which Swift and,
Others Operated, Says Ed
ward C, LaSater,

washington, FeD. 3.-Ihc food ud-
ministration and the department of
agriculture aided the five big packing
firms in obtaining a monopolistic con-
troll CT the meat packing industry Ed
ward c. Lasater, of the National Live
stock associations executive commit
tee and former employe of the food
administration, testified today lefore
the house inters ate commerce COM
mittee.
W hle Mr. Lasater was making this
charge and asserting that he had re-
signed from the food administration
because he realized Its practices
We're harmful to the common web
fare l.. ID. II. Weld, manager of
Swift 4 Co. $ research department.,
tod the senate agriculture commit
tee that a combination of the big
packers to control the meat industry
was impracticable because of the large
number of Independent concerns,
Hoover Served as Screen.
Mr.. Lasater asserted before the
house committee that during the last
eighteen months the food administra
ton had served as Il screen" behind
which the packers operated Illegally
against the public's interests, When
asked what the Illegal acts of the
packers had been, Mr., Lasater replied
he would answer in detail later,
The department of agriculture aid
ed the packers, Mr.. Lasater charged,
by delaying investigation of the meat
growers by the federal trade commits
sion at the time the packers them
selves were being Investigated. He
said the packers did not want such
an inquiry as they knew it would rob
them sof the argument that the pro-
ducers, and not they, were making the
big profits
Houston Blamed.
Mr. Lasater submitted letter from
J.'W. Spillman, former chief of the
bureau of farm management of the !
department Of agriculture, in which |
Mr. Spillm6n said Secretary Houston
retarded investigation of the produc-
ers by refusing to authorize appoint
ment of fifteen Investigators, He ad |
ded that the secretary had told him to
discontinue the investigation entirely |
saying the farmer was not entitled to
any information on the subject and
that the only use ever made OF such
information was for agitators like this
man Baer of North Dakota to go out
and, stir up the farmers with"
Next day, Mr.. Spillman wrote he
received letter from Secretary Hous-
ton, notifying him that every pro-
ject connected with the investigation
was discontinued. Mr.. Spiliman said
the secretary authorized the appoint
ment of the Investigators only when
he National Livestock association be-
came insistent in it's demands.
Mr. Lasater told the committee that
he statement of the packers that
they did not have the power to
TX prices of livestock even if they
lesired to do So was founded on
acts and that the packers knew it."
Bait to Livestock Growers.
The witness said the packers had :
held out tempting bait to the d
vestock association at its annual ses- 9
ion in Chicago in December, 1917, :
'hen they asked the producers to go :
perate with them" Cooperation, he Z
eclared, meant price fixing and a :,
further effort of the packers to shove :
he blame for high prices on some one =
lse,' and the producers refused To i
onsider the idea.
In his testimony before the senate =
Mr.. Weld said Swift =. & :,
ompany's earnings for the period of :,
he war had increased 176 per cent, :,
with the three years ending s,
18th 1914, but argued that this was /.
OF as great an increase as some other e
ldustrieS had enjoyed and that COM
etition was responsible for the fact n
lat the profits We're not higher,
But doesn't that show all of you
ere making profits during the war
rat were too high" asked Senator q
orris of Nebraska. who declared that :,
ny surplus accumulated above =
,asonable dividend was taken from :,
lie consumers pocket" "
Admitted Over Protest. ="
Over the protest of Senator Page /,
Vermont, who declared it was
nothing less than a piece of dishon-
Die practice" the committee admit
d to the record today penciled nota-
ons signed IL. r. s." and dealing
it'll the testimony last week of w. +.
reby of the food administrations
)ultry division, ard formerly presi-
mt of Prieby & Company. said to be
subsidiary poultry concern of Swift
Company
The notations were submitted by =
rancis ]. Heney. who explained to
e committee that by mistake a pri-
tie copy Of the federal trade COM
ission's report on the packers in
istigation which had been used for
ference by Louis F. Swift in his
last week had been placed
his brief case
The following had been written on
card appended to one OF the pages
the report:
'Prieby matter shows up rotten. |
n ashamed it got this way and sorry
cannot change over to Swift & /,
'mpany. or sell out. Think we must. VI
eturn book. L. +. s." Il
On the card was printed the name VIC
l.. A. Carton, treasurer of Swift & -,
'mpany and the following notation -
'itten in ink was signed l.. A. c. 1T m
embarrassing to whole poultry tn
siness. Whether it would be less
by changing name to Swift &
mpany, Is matter I have mention
to you and others without conclu- bu
N" e ell
j, NJ. Chaplain. auditor of Swift & oo
mpany, was another witness today. %
ter he had testified that the nrofit fe,
head of beef was 81. MIR. Hepey tn
Id letter which he said showed
at Libby. Mcneil & Libby, a Swift
bsidiary, made an average profit va
s6.14 head on beef in 1915. The on
ter also said the Libby concern lost tir
)ney on pneapples and California
lit. W.
That's why such big business is be-
economical said Mr.. Heney. THE
It OF the bushes must pay for the il
SEES of side lines