Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-02-28

istic oil the worthy secretary. had
convinced him of what he wanted 70
pelleVe' namely, that there is no such
thing as the cost of production.
Mr. Houston then said: The
farmer is not entitled to any informa-
ton on the subject of cost of produce
| ton. His business is to produce
Inc only use ever made of such in
formation is for agitators like this
man Baer of North Dakota to go out
and stir the farmers up with it," He
then ordered me in the most positive
terms TO stop all Investigations deal
ing with the cost of production.
The next day received from the
secretary an unsigned letter, sent os-
tenslbly that | might suggest any
changes in the wording necessary to
make it effective, the first sentence
OF winch began: According to the
| agreement we reached in our confer
ence yesterday the following projects
In your office will be discontinued -
lie then went on to enumerate. by
| number, every one of our projects
dealing with cost of production. in
GLIDING nearly half the work of the
| office. | sent a note to the secre-
tary reminding him that these par
ticuiar Investigations had been re-
quested by the Federal Trade Com
mission, but he did not deign to reply
to this note. Under the circum-
stances we were compelled to desist
from such of this work as required
new letters of authorization.
Immediately resolved to leave
the department so as to be in posi-
! ton to force the secretary to change
his mind about this work, as well as
other work of the Office of Farm
Management which he had discnur-
| aged from the first. 1t was not until
June following that | was able to
complete these arrangements. Mean
while, early in January 1918, AIR. E.
c. Lasater came to my office and in
CURED as to the progress of the cost
of production studies. l TOLD him
the situation and he suggested that
if | would wait a little he could rem
der some assistance. ] told him his
holm mntIId ho
About the middle of January,
1918, the secretary received a tele-
gram from Mr.. Ike Pryor, president
of the American National Livestock
association, reading substantially as
follows: The Amer Nat. Livestock
Assoc, in session at Salt Lake City,
would like to know the status of the
Investigations on cost of producing
beef being conducted by your Office
of Farm Management. Please wire
reply in time for me to read 1t to
| this convention before it adjourns
| tomorrow at 400" This telegram
was sent to me to prepare a reply for
the secretary's signature. | pre-
pared substantially the following:
THE Investigations on cost of pro-
| duction referred to in your telegram
have been greatly extended and are
being pushed vigorously. report
on them will be ready by the LIST OF
July"
| About 10 minutes after | sent this
to the secretary's office, Mr.. Har-
| rison. secretary TO Secretary Hous-
| ton, called me over the phone and
said, as nearly as | can remember;
"Spillman, what in hell do you mean
| by sending a telegram like this over
here for the secretary to sign. You
know damned we'll he has ordered
all those Investigations stopped.
Yes" | replied, Il know he has
ordered them stopped, but | have a
suspicion he is going to order them
started again" What do you mean
| by that?" responded the astounded
| Mr.. Harrison. Il mean just what
the words imply" was my rejoinder.
But the telegram isn't true" insist
| ed Harrison. 1T will be true when
the secretary has signed it," | re-
piled. But he won't sign it," said
Harrison. ! said | thought he would,
and asked Mr.. Harrison if he knew
who Ike Pryor is "All | know" he
| responded, lis that he is signed here
as president of this association. "
Yes" said |, and that is one of
| the largest and Invest punches of
men in the country, and | happen to
know that they know what they are
after Please tell the secretary from
me that if he values his job he will
sign that telegram"
A few minutes later l received a
courteous note from Mr. Harrison.
with a copy of the telegram, which
he said the secretary had signed and