Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-04-11

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OBJECTED to were Inadequate studias
ana misleading data. In fact tho
secretary has approved the publica-
ton Of the results of a number of cost
OF production studies.
2 That the Secretary did not make
10 Mr. Spillman, as he stated in his
letter to the senate Of November 2
this statement:
/ indicated to him (Spillman) my
desire that careful consideration he
gwen the whole matter and that
system of inquiry and Interpretation
be devised which would be regarded
by competent students of farm eco
Monies as sound, and which would
furnish results reasonably reliable
and creditable to the Department"
The Secretary did make this state
ment to Mr.. Spillman. There is
written evidence Of it. A conference
was held by the Secretary with Mr..
Spillman in the latter part of October
1917 In a draft of memorandum
to Mr.. Spillman, written a few days
later, the Secretary specifically indi,
Gated that, in his opinion, the gem
eral studies then under way should
be deferred until the whole matter
can be thoroughly considered and the
services of an expert with the proper
economic training can be secured. >"
The same expression occurs in the
final draft of the memorandum re-
garding the projects of the Office of
Farm Management which was I'M
signed and which was referred to
Mr.. Spillman for consideration and
comment. A short time after this
memorandum was written, Mr.. Spill
man revised the projects of the office
and submitted sample to the Sec
rotary for consideration. The Secre-
tary promptly indicated his approval
OF it. On January 8, 1918, a note
was received from Mr.. Spillman,
reading as follows;
Il am pleased to receive your note
stating that the Secretary has ap-
proved the revision of our cost of
production projects along the line Of
the sample submitted. I am very
much gratified at this, for | feel it
will permit our work to go on, so far
as its essential features are coll
cerned, without interruption. The
modification required is one that is
easily made and is one which will not
materially decrease the value of the
results. We are having all these
projects revised on this basis and
will submit them as soon as the work
is finished"
The projects were revised in the
manner outlined by Mr.. Spillman and
were later incorporated in the Pro-
gram OF Work for 1918. Further.
| more, in a memorandum dated Janu-
airy 10, 1918, which the Secretary
requested his assistant to send tc Mr..
Spillman, this expression occurs:
In suggesting that the cost Of pro-
| duction studies should be deferred
until an expert with the proper eco
monte training could be secured 10
take charge of them
3, That the Secretary he'd up the
Investigations under way for the
Federal Trade Commission. that Mr..
Spillman called his attention to the
fact; that no reply was received; and
that he had to desist from the
studies.
1t is true that the studies for the
Federal Trade Commission were held
up for a time; but this was due sole
ly indicated by the memorandum OF
Secretary had in mind This is clear
Y indicated by the memorandum OF
January 10, 1918, already referred
to, in which the following statements
were made:
THE Secretary had no knowledge
whatever that you had discontinued
any of your investigations designed
to furnish information needed by the
Bureau of Markets in the work which
it is conducting in cooperating with
| the Federal Trade Commission
He had no intention what
ever that you should discontinue the
cooperative work with the Bureau
of Markets. In the circumstances, he
suggests that you Immediately get IL
touch with Mr.. Brand and arrange to
secure the data he needs in the prose
cution Of the work which his bureau
has under way in cooperation with
the Federal Trade Commission"
These statements show very clear
ly that the Secretary did talk to Mr.
Spillman; that he was not opposed to
reliable cost studies; that he merely
| n,,roo,+od tbof tho panaral studies