The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-02-06

TRUTH ABOUT SPECIAL PRIVILEGE COMING
LIGHT-PACKING TRUST MAGNATES ADMIT CHARGES ON
0 WITNESS sTAND-HoW ARMOUR FALsIFIED

scupied with the war, that their game
became loose and careless. The un-
usual facilities for lacking 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-kaiserism 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 25.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. u
IL s Hasn't Armour & Co. rAsnsed to
furnish to the federal trade commits
sion the figures on its South Amer
lean business? :" asked Heney, when
Armour's statements of assets, liabili-
ties, surplus and profits was under
discussion.
EYES," snapped Mayer, before Ar
mour could speak. ri advised them
that the commission could not require
any information concerning corpora
tions outside this country, and that
ended it" !,
There was a heavy emphasis and a
challenge in the words, "And THAT
ended it." which brought a smile to
Heney's face. e
sYou mean, don't you;- he began
that you
Il said that ended it," Mayer inter
rupted, thrusting out his jaw.
"And 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!"
81 didn't say anything about that,
Mayer stated, coming down few
points in his tone.
There followed q sharp exchange
between the two big lawyers, in which
Heney asked whether Mayer had
given that final answer personally 10
any member Of the federal trade com
mission-to 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 it were too hot.
There were men present who
chuckled, for they had heard Of that
interview. It is supposed that Mayer
went to Fort to say something to the
effect that The packers are counting
On you, governor. It is supposed that
Fort, without wasting breath Of furth-
Fer discussion, to bring out what the
packers counted upon him to do Or
say 81 think, invited Mayer to get
outside the Office and stay ont.
But why had Mayer told Armour
not u show his South America ac-
counts TO the federal trade commits
sion
q Trust Lawyer Ii Bad.
The reason, as Senators Gore, Nor
ris and Grccnna pulled II from Armour.
with Heney,s assistance, was this:
Armour had claimed that be made
only 81 1,100, 900 more IN 1917 than -
1915, while the other big packers irF-s Il
creaed their profits that year many
millions. Armour admitted that his
company actuall made q much proht;
ii proportion to business - the others
81 tlie Biz Five. 14 had simply qnit
reportinF his prof from South
" Arnts3icn On the Other hand. he had.