The Washington times., 1919-02-02
PACKERS DEFENDED
BY FOOD COUNSEL

Packers alleged efforts to control
the Food Administration were probed
by the Senate agricultural Commit
tee yesterday.
Senators charged that packers en-
ployes served as doIlar-a-year men
on the Food Administration and that
packers met with the Food Admins
tration in secret conference to Ak
meat prices.
'Who selected the committee, TO
represent the packers?" inquired SEN
ator Gore.
Il suppose the packers did," W. A.
Glasgow, counsel for the Food Ad-
ministratiOn, said.
The packers selected their COM
mittee. while the President selected
the committee to represent the farm
ers," observed Senator Gore.
Admits secret Conferences.
Glasgow corrected his previous
statement that price-hxing confer
ences were public after Senators pro-
tested that they were held behind
locked doors and that the~publIc and
newspaper correspondents were
barred.
Representatives Of the press were
not present." Glasgow admitted in
correcting his statement 'The rule
was that at meetings the press should
not be present, but were to have the
results Of any agreement"
Statements submitted to the COM
mittee showed that one meeting con-
vened three days before an announce
ment was issued.
Glasgow resented charges made IN
Congress that Hoover went to Europe
90 create a market for packers prod
ucts after the armistice, and that the
$10O,OO0.0O0 Appropriation was urged
to relieve the packers OF surplus
meat.
Charges Hoover Control
Referring to the farmers advisory
commission, which considered the
wheat price question, Senator Gore
intimated it was under Hooyer's con-
troll
81 am told that Hoover sat at the
table and wrote out the resolutions
for the advisory commission" he said.
II he did. 1t was at their request"
answered.
Francis J. Heney, special fnvestiEa-
tor, charged that W. F. Priebe@of the
Food Administration poultry depart
ment, was Swift's poultry man, and
had charge OF S>~Ift's buying agencies.
II went over the letters he wrote,
Glasgow said, "and while some Of
them were no. written as I would
have written them, did not consider
them sufficient to convict Priebe OF
having acted dishonestIy."
Heney charged Priebe ordered the
sale Of live poultry stopped to enable
to sell surplus fowls in stor-
age.
Congress Il Divided.
Sentiment in Congress Is divided
On the result to date Of the packers
The Senate committee
Is apparently determined to curb the
packers power. On the House size
there is some hesitation, and the
House committee plans to question
witnesses Of the Federal Trade Com
mission before reaching a decision.
On the Senate side the quiz has
been aggressive under the examina- /
lion OF Heney, who conducted the I
Federal Trade Commissions investI- |
cation.
During the hearing, Heney has
'hoEn that packers held out enor-
noas South American profits, Ar
nour's alono totaling $4,000, 900, IN
heir profits reports, that a "sociai
obby" was, maintained here BY pack
.rs'~egents who entertained his Cow
eminent officials, that the packers
on a percentage basis
% a fund for fighting the BorlanG
and proposed investiga-l
ions, and that the per cent profits
INIT of the food administration con-
aims joker permitting much great,
n profits