The Washington times., 1919-02-01
.SAYSFOOD BUREAU
PUSSY FOOTED"

The Food Administration was ac-
cused by Senator Gronna OF Minneso-
IA Of pussy footing" when II ex-
eluded newspapermen from the con-
ferences a. which the prices Of hogs
were fixed. The charge came at to-
days session OF the Senate Agricui-
ture Committee investigators Of the
packers.
william A. Glasgow. counsel for the
Food Administration. has just read
a letter referring to the October con-
ference in which the price OF live
hogs was set at $3.50. in which It
was said the meeting was "open, not
secret"
THAT, Of course, is not true" Gron-
na observed. The first meeting rhat
was open not secret was held on
January 2S, when newspaper men
were admitted for the irst time.
The evidence before this commit
tee 10 conclusive" said Senator
France. Maryland, "that there we're
secret meetings between the packers
and the Food Administration refer
ring to price fixing meetings.
These meetings were not conVen-
tons. or town meetings" Glasgow
replied.
The Food Administration seems to
have been pussy footing in that con-
nectton, Senator Gronna interrupted
when Glasgow referred to 'Open
meetings.
While unsuccessful efforts were be-
ing made before the Senate AgricuI-
ture Committee yesterday to develop
tne toentlty OF a person who sent
swift & Co. advance information re-
Saruing Government activities AFFECT
ing the meat packing fndustry. the
House Interstate Commerce Commit
tee was Informed by the Federal
Trade Commission that it would fur-
nish Nthe names OF witnesses upon
whose testimony IL had made charges
Of collusion among the hve big pack
Ing firms.
The MyBteFiOus ADtamOnd T.0
Louis F. Swift, president Of Swift
( Co., and Henry Veeder, counsel for
the company, were questioned about
tho writer referred to during the hear
ing as Diamond T."
One letter from Thomas +. Logan,
Of Washington, and another letter
and several memoranda unsigned, but
purporting to be from Diamond T."
relating to plans OF the Federal Trade
Commission and the Food Administra-
tion, had been read by Heney. Both
Mr. Swift and Mr.. Veeder said they
could not recall having previously
seen the Diamond T" correspondence.
This designation OF the correspond
ence was given by reason OF the fact
that the one letter had at" inside a
diamond at the top OF the page. This
I-N q
1917. and told of plans for investiga-
tion OF food prices
It was marked private" and bore
the stamp Louis F. Swift" At the
top was the notation: Information
received by Mr.. Veeder this morning
from Diamond t." initials Of six
officials OF Swift & Co. at the top in
dicated that copies had been sent 20
them, the witnesses said
was aT'' Tumultyg
"Did the 'T' mean TumuIty?'" asked
Senator Norris Of Nebraska
"I don't know what it meant" re-
piled the witness.
Payment Of the $4,000 yearly salary
of Thomas F. Logan as publicity ad-
wiser for Swift & Co. was made from
the expense account Of Mr.. Veeder,
Mr.. Swift said, and his name did not
appear in the books of Swift & Co.
The witness said Mr.. Veeder was
paid ST. 900 a year, Of which about
| S25 600 represented his salary as
counsel. while the balance was to
cover "office expenses"
do you know il there are any
other $4,000 men, like Logan hired by
Mr.. Veeder?" asked Senator Norris.
Mr.. Swift said Mr.. Veeder's account
was checked up at times. He testi-
/ fled he had called Up Mr.. Logan per-
sonally and that he knew Of the lat
ter's connection with the Philadelphia
| Inquirer and Leslie's weekly, but not
with other publications.
l. Mr.. LOgan's trip to Europe with
Chairman Hurley, Of the shipping
/ board, would be useful in enabling
/ him to sound sentiment in England
/ toward the packers" Mr.. Swift said.