El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-02-05
Hoover lacked
MORAL COURAGE
Ed. G. Lasater Continues
Food Bureau Attacks;
Armstrong Testifies.

Washington. D. c.. Feb. 5.-EdWard
C. Iasater. former chief OF the live
stock and markets division OF the
food administration. continued his
attack on the food administration to-
day before the house interstate com
merce committee, asserting that the
policies OF administrator Hoover had
been determined for him BY the five
leading meat packers and carried out
by employees Of the packers, serving
the government for a dollar year
when Mr.. Hoover took the office
he assumed the responsibility or rep
resenting all interests. Mr.. Lasater
said. but he never did; he protected
the milling interests. the packing in
terests and the compound feed in
terests: but he disregarded entirely
the interests OF the producer and the
consumer. II would be difficult to
estimate how much the country has
lost as a result"
Injustice to Producers.
a great injustice was done the live
stock producers by the food admins
tration IN refusing to allow them a
margin OF profit, F. C. Lasater, OF Fall
furrias, Tex. member Of the eXecu-
tive committee Of the National Live
stock association, told the house in
terstate commerce committee Tuesday.
"The packers were allowed 10
make "A good profit on everything
they handled he said. aHnd this
profit WIS assured them. They
did not stand to lose n cent. But
when the producers asked for the
same privilege Mr.. Hoover said II
could not be done. and that the
producers should be willing to
make some sacrifices TO aid the
country TO win the war;
He charged also that the food ad-
ministration, from which he had re-
signed, unjustly treated the dairy in
dustry by refusing to make public
records showing the increased costs OF
to do this. he said. holding that con
sumers were interested only in cheap
er milk"
Mr.. Lasater said Mr.. Hoover lacked
the moral courage to explain the real
causes for the high prices and that
this resulted in i'll feeling between
the public and the dairymen which Il
would take a generation TO remove
Credits Of livestock producers were
destroyed as a result OF the food adj
ministration's refusal TO allow them
fair profit. the witness declared.
since the business became so hazard
Gus that the bankers refused to make
A0dAlGr EAlGNA a. EANA AAA--AAA Aa-AHa- AAAA
packers. on the other hand, he said,
could pay any rate OF interest. be-
cause they could afford to-
The price fixing was not done d.
rectly, but there was such a close IN
Outstanding between the packers and
the department that prices could be
fixed without its becoming known
The packers paid just a certain sum-
agreed upon previously. and no con-
sideration was taken OF the pro-
ducers' costs
The department seemingly had e
arranged so that all Industries would
be protected from losses except the
producers The price for cotton seed
meal cake. which the packers them
selves produced. was increased great
". We were forced 10 buy II at the
Increased cost. but for our product
we could charge no more than before
Producers Urge Control.
A government regulated monopoly
OF the meat industry was advocated
by livestock producers Tuesday before
the senate agricultural committee and
the house interstate commerce com
mittee as the only means OF satisfy
ing both the producer and the con
sumer and preventing the cattle busi-
ness from being destroyed
George Armstrong. cattleman OF
Fort Worth. Tex. recommend 20 the
senate EDlIALlAAAEE LallA res A1AaA AA0AA Aa
enacted which would give the gov
eminent control OF the entire indus
try and permit it 10 fix the prices OF
livestock. meat and labor He said
both producers and consumers had
Just grievances against the present
system and that only government in
PREVENTION would prevent continued
agitation
While 1Ir. Armstrong was testify
ing he was asked concerning letters
bearing on his relations 10 the five
big packers one OF these dealt with
his purchase OF stock in the Fort
Worth Record The witness explained
that he had helped - purchase con-
trolling interest in this paper. advanc-
ing $4,000 borrowed on notes en-
dorsed by Armour & Co. and Swift &
Co. but denied that his purpose was
TO give the packers control OF the
paper
Mr.. Armstrong said his purpose was
70 change the 'Socialistic viewpoint"
Of the editor. Clarence Ousley. now
assistant 10 secretary Houston Mr..
Armstrong said the latter disposed OF
his newspaper stock and was con-
WINGED now that Mr.. Ousley's ideas
OF government were nearer right than
were his own at that time