Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1919-02-05
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington, D. c. Feb. 1.-Recent
days In Washington might well be
characterized as days of astounding
revelations. A great deal of truth
about the golden age OF special priv1-
lege is rapidly coming to light. The
plutocrats played so fast and furious
while the people were occupied with
the war, that their game became
loose and careless. The unusual fa-
cilitfes for shaking the most inordinate
greed, presented by war conditions
and a congress under their control,
were taken full advantage of.
The senate committee on agricul-
ture has heard the big men In the
packing trust, Armour, Swift, Cudahy
and Wilson, admit all the important
charges brought against the trust by
the federal trade commission and out
side investigators. Washington has
been treated to an expose of the sub
serviency Of the department of agri-
culture to the Rockefeller propaganda
machine and of its disregard of the
interests Of the farmers. Secretary
OF War Baker has exposed the press
reports attempting to hang the charge
OF pro-ka1serism on leaders of inde-
pendent. thought. Senator Johnson
continues his powerful questioning on
the war against Russia But these
revelations are only the beginning.
Armour Admits Charges.
The packing trust magnates had
come to Washington confident Of
blowing the federal trade commits
sion out of the water" as one of the
kept press agents put it, but they had
not expected the senate committee to
spring Francis J. Heney on them. On
the morning of January rs J. Ogden
Armour was In the witness chair and
Mayer was there to advise him. The
redoubtable Levy Mayer, lawyer for
almost all the predatory money and
property that is held in Chicago,
glared across the table at Heney
Hasn't Armour & Co. refused to
furnish to the federal trade commits
sion the figures on its South Amer
lean business?" asked Heney, when
Armour's statement of assets, liabili-
ner circles of the blunderbund they
ties, surplus and profits was under
discussion.
Yes" snapped Mayer, before Ar
mour could speak. Il advised them
that the commission could not require
any information concerning corpora
lions outside this country and that
ended it"
The was heavy emphasis and a
challenge in the words, "And that
ended It," which brought a smile to
Heney's face.
"You mean, don't you," he began,
that you"
II said that ended it," Mayer inter-
rupted, thrusting out his jaw.
"And l say" responded Heney
looking him up and down, don't you
mean that you haven't heard from
them yet? The commission never
said they were satisfied with your
answer, did they?"
II didn't say anything about that"
Mayer stated, coming down a few
points In his tone.
Trust Lawyer In Bad.
There followed a sharp exchange
between the two big lawyers, In which
Heney asked whether Mayer had
given that final answer personally to
any member of the federal trade COM
Commissioner Fort for
instance.
Mayer could not remember.
Heney joked him gently about his
impaired memory, and when Mayer
rose to the taunt Heney asked whether
Mayer recalled his last visit to Com
missioner Fort.
Mayer dropped that subject as
though 1t we're too hot
There we're men present who
chuckled, for they had heard Of that
interview. 1t Is supposed that Mayer
went to Fort to say something to the
effect that 1.-THE packers are counting
that Fort, without wasting breath on
further discussion, to bring out what
the packers counted upon him to do
or say or think, invited Mayer to get
outside the Office and stay out.
But why had Mayer told Armour
not to show his Sounth American &C.
counts to the federal trade commits
sion?
The reason, as Senators Gore, Nor
ris and Grona pulled it from Armour
with Heney's assistance, was this.
Armour has claimed that he made
only 100000 more in 1917 than in
1916, while the other big packers in
creased their profits that year many
millions. Armour admitted that his
company actually made as much profit
in proportion to business as the others
in the Big. Five. He had simply quit
reporting his profits from South
America On the other hand he had