Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-02-22
Not in the interest of Trulh.

IT can be taken for granted that the country
1 is in for a period OF congressional investi-
cations Opportunity TO pry deep into the
affairs Of the war. with presidential election
looming in sight is IL temptation not to be
resisted, especially when the party that is
coming into power in Congress is OF the OPP
posite political faith of the party in control
OF the executive branch of the government.
With this prospect there is no quarrel. In
the first place, and from partisan stand
point, there is confidence that in the long run
the investigation will not shake the belief of
the people that the administration conducted
n mighty successful war. In a broader sense
the fact is recognized that there is no surer
guarantee Of the perpetuation of free institu-
tions that a readiness on the part OF Con-
gress to inquire into the affairs of the gov
ernment.
But it is trusted that before long congress
sional committees will learn to draw the line
somewhere between what is evidence and
what is slanderous gossip; what is an attempt
to convey truth and what is Il mere deiama-
ton of character. During the past few weeks
the Agricultural Committee OF the Senate and
the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Com
mittee OF the House have been hearing testi-
mony concerning the operations and affairs
of the meat packers. Valuable information
has been brought 10 light concerning the ex-
tent to which the packers have extended their
grip over the food supplies of the country
but there is rime or reason, or even de-
ccncy, in certain forms OF evidence that have
been offered. Reference is made in this re-
gard to some OF tho observations OF Francis ].
Heney, special prosecutor for the Federal
Trade Commission in its investigation of the
packers.
Appearing before the Senate committee in
the dual capacit.r of advisory counsel TO the
committee and also paid representative OF
one OF the parties at interest in the contro-
versy, Mr.. lleney in the absence of the ind-
fdual he was accusing. made the unsworn
statement that Levi Mayer. counsel for
Armour & Co. had offered him lucrative law
business, the intimation being that the offer
was for the purpose of improperly influencing
him to cease his activities against the packers
Mr.. Mayer, on appearing before the commit
tee. promptly branded the accusation as false,
and there the matter rested Mr. Heney being
protected against any libel proceedings by
the immunity which goes with testimony be-
fore a congressional body
week or so before, this same Mr.. Hcney
told the committee one morning that. by ac-
cident, he had picked up from the committee
table the night before, along with his papers,
an exchange OF personal messages that had
passed between the witness, Armour and his
counsel during the examination of Mr. Ar
mour. He desired to return them to Mr.
Armour, he explained, but before doing so he
calmly read out the messages to the COM
mittee.
There may be clcvcrness about this sort
OF thing, but to the man on the street it is
apt to look pretty small and petty. Ger
tainly such tactics are not calculated 10 in
spire public confidence in the investigation.