Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1919-02-04
L. D. H. Weld of Swift Com
pany Declares SO Many In
dependent Concerns Exist
as to Prevent Monopoly
Lasater Asserts Food Admin
istration and Department of
Agriculture Aided Firms in
Holding Up Meat Prices

CBy Review Leased WireJ
WASHINGTON, Feb 3-The food
administration and the department OF
agriculture aided the five big packing
firms in obtaining a monopolistic
control OF the meat packing industry,
Edward C. Lasater, of the National
Livestock associations executive com
mittee and a former employe of the
food administration, testified today
before the house interstate commerce
committee.
While Mr. Iasater was making this
charge and asserting that he had re-
signed from the food administration
because he realized Its practices were
harmful 10 the common welfare" L d.
H Weld, manager OF Swift & Co. re-
search department, told the senate az
riculture committee that a combina-
ton OF the big packers TO control the
meat industry was impossible because
OF the large number of independent
concerns.
Mr. Lasater asserted before the
house committee that during the last
is months the food administration
had served as a screen" behind which
the packers operated Illegally agains.
the pubhc's interests. When asked
: what the Illegal acts Of the packers
had Oeens Mr. Lasater replied he
would answer in detail later
Submits Letter
The department OF agriculture aidec
the packers, Mr.. Lasater charged. bv
delaying investigation of the meat
growers by the federal trade commits
sion at the time the packers them
selves were being investigated.
Mr.. Lasater submitted a letter from
W. j. Spillman, former chief OF the
bureau of farm management of the de-
partment OF agriculture, in which Mr..
Spillman said Secretary Houston re-
tarded investigation OF the producers
by refusing to authorize appointment
OF 10 Investigators He added that the
secretary had told him to discontinue
the investigation entirely, saying the
farmer was not entitled to any infor-
nation on the subject and that "the
only use ever made of such informa-
tion was for agitatOrs like this man
Baer OF North Dakota to go out and
stir up the farmers with
Next day, Mr.. Spillman wrote. he
received letter from Secretary Hous-
ton notifying him that every project
connected with the investigation was
discontinued Mr.. Spillman said the
secretary authorized the appointment
of the investigators only when the Ma
tonal Livestock association became
insistent in its demands.
Yields Testimony
In his testimony before the senate
committee, Mr.. Weld said Swift &.
Co.'S earnings for the period of the
war had increased 176 per cent. com
pared with the three years ending
with 1914, but argued that this was
not as great an increase as some other
Industries had enjoyed and that com
petition was responsible for the fact
that the profits were not higher.
Over the protest OF Senator PAGE
OF Vermont, who declared it was
nothing less than piece OF dishonor.
able practice" the committee admit
ted TO the record today peneiled nota
tion signed Il. F. S" and dealing with
the testimony last week OF w. F. Prize
by OF the food administrations pouItry
division, and formerly president oi
Prieby & Co, said to be a subsidiary
poultry concern Of Swift & Co.
The, nOtatiOns were submitted ,,
Francis ]. Heney, who explained Il
the committee that by mistake a pri
Tate copy OF the federal trade com
missions report on the packers in
vestigatiOn which had been used fol
reference by Louis F. Swift in his
testimony last week had been placed
in his brief case.
The following had been written OF
a card appended to one Of the page:
Of the report"
Chaplain Says Profit 81
Prieby matter shows up rotten
am ashamed it got this way and sor
~ we cannot change over to Swift
Co. or sell out Think we must Re
turn book L F s." On the card wa
printed the name OF L. A Carton
treasurer of Swift & Co. and the fol
lowing notation was written in ink an,
signed 4 A C." 1T is embarrassin!
to whole poultry business. Whether
would be less so by changing name Z
Continued On Page Three