Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-10-20
ASKS INVESTIGATION.
lCon,inued from Page One,


other committee of this body. / men
ton 1t only to call attention briefly to
the socialistic activities of some of the
members Of the federal trade commits
sion who were chosen to investigate
the operation Of these corporations.
my theory is that, no matter what
business is subject to investigation by
the federal trade commission, it is en-
titled to fair and decent treatment. The
agents Of the government should be
sent out to investigate and not to per-
secute. They should impartially COLI
lect the facts and transmit them to the
federal trade commission in order that
that body may come to just conclusions
concerning the questions involved. But
in these cases, that course has not
been always pursued"
Senator Hitchcock asked Watson II
he meant to infer that employees were
advocating socialism as part of their
official duties.
only in a private capacity" Wat
son explained. Hitchcock then attack
ed the language of Watson's resolution
declaring Watson appeared to confuse
Bolshevism and socialism. Watson
read a list of the commissions en-
ployees who worked on the packer in
vestigation.
"All of these employees are not Soc
ialists nor have they been involved in
socialistic activities, but some of them
have been to a most amazing degree
he said.
CITES ONE CASE
Watson referred to Stuart Chase,
who had charge Of the Chicago part of
the investigation.
His office at Chicago during the in
yestigation Of the meat packers was
in the Conway building and it at once
| became the center of socialistic ac-
| tivities," Watson continued.
| About him in the federal trade COM
missions quarters were grouped such
men at Victor Berger and Irvine st.
John Tucker, both of them have been
indicted and convicted under the es-
pionage act, and many other extreme
Socialists and his office became the
rendezvous for a number of men de-
voted to the destruction of property,
the overthrow of government and the
contamination of the ideals of social
| ism.
| 'It can be verified by affidavit that
| Chase instructed members of the fed
eral trade commissions investigating
staff that in the event the figures OBJ
! tanned from the packers books Were
, not the equivalent to those submitted
by the packers in their financial state
ments, they should in all cases take
the lower figures. In a number of In
stances it so happened that the fig
ures obtained by the federal trade
commission used the larger figures
would be arrived at by putting back
various reserves into profits. thereby
Initiating the profits, all of which was
done upon Cases positive instructions
Samuel w. Tator, who with Chase
had general charge of Investigations. is
well known in socialist circles. Dur
ing this time he was an avowed ad-
mirer of Lenine and Trotsky and fire.
quently expressed his admiration OF
the soviet government of Russia.
WARNING FROM CAPITAL.
; After the armistice was signed, III
warned his fellow investigators of the
federal trade commission that tht
Washington office had notified the
Chicago office to cease all revolution
airy activities, stating that If they con
tInued they would get into trouble
with the department of justice.
"If my information be correct, thu
headquarters of the federal trade com
{ mission in Chicago during the tim,
{ they were open, were centers of sedi
: ton and anarchy from which radiatet
the most baleful influence. The plac
D to begin reform is where the evil doe
the greatest harm and works TIL
greatest destruction and that is in tn
/ departments of government.
Il trust / have mentioned enough Z
4 demonstrate that that office was dur
e ing all that period, center of radical
r ism, a nesting place of Socialists,
spawning grosnd for sovietism an
C that while protesting to investigat
= business with a view to graduating 1t
a evil features, they consistently plotte
o for the destruction of the business the
: were charged to investigate and for tn
s confiscation and collective OWNERSHIP
e of all the means for the creation an
I. distribution OF wealth.
IF these charges be true, and on m
responsibility I charge they are. thes
; facts should be known to the publ,
9 II they can be substantiated. the bust
n ness world has a right to. know tn
\ character of the investigation to whic
e they may be subjected and the peopl
: have the right to be informed as
n the misfeasance and malfeasance {
lAt 60