Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-02-10
MAYER DENIES
HE OFFERED
JOB TO HENEY
Declares in Telegram to
Wilson That Heney Work
ed Against Packers.

Washington, Feb 10.-Levy Mayer,
counsel for j.. Ogden Armour, denied
flatly before the senate agriculture
committee today that he had offered
employment with the big packers to
Francis j. Heney. who is conducting
before the committee. He read a tele-
gram from Frank r. Walsh, who Mr..
Heney said Mr.. Mayer told him had
been made 2 similar offer. stating he
had heard Nothing of it.
Mr.. Heney, who made the charge
before the committee Saturday. was
not present until after Mr.. Mayer had
made his preliminary statement.
The telegram from Mr.. Walsh in
st. Louis was sent. Mr.. Mayer said.
without his request.
This is the statement of an honest
man." the witness added. Gin con-
trast to this clumsy. transparent. dis
honorable and unprofessional lie of
Mr.. Heney."
Mr.. Mayer remarked that Mr.. Hen
ey had charged the alleged offer was
made January "a and questioned the
propriety of. his not having made it
public before if it were true. He said
he waA not in the city when the
charge was made and consequently
was not able to answer it then.
Mr.. Walsh's telegram was read as
follows:
1.-The Associated Press asks me for
comment upon Mr.. Heney's statement
of Saturday which I gave as follows:
while I a claim a very pleasant
acquaintance with MI. Mayer, he
never offered employment in Chicago
or elsewhere and this does not imply
that he might not have done so with
perfect prOpriety or that I might not
have accepted or declined the same
with like. propriety."
Mr.. Mayer read a letter he said
he wrote President Wilson on Janus
airy II, 1915 when the federal trade
commission with Mr. Heney as its
counsel, was investigating the bust
ness of the packers. In it he charged
that Mr.. Heney was then trying to
undermine public confidence. in the
meat industry, N that the packers
were not permitted to call or cross
examine witnesses.
Hall Makes Statement.
Washington, Feb. 10.-Meat prices
have increased steadily during the
last Is years because livestock men,
believing they were being robbed by
the five meat packers, in collision
with the railroads., kept down produc-
ton, the house interstate commerce
committee was told today by Louis
- " W w uSpdA I14ACllI VI d6lA.
cultures bureau of markets.
Mr.. a said until 1900 the pro-
duction of livestock increased stead
lily with the population, but that
thereafter it remained the same from
year to year. The same amount Of
livestock is being produced now for
100000 people, he said, that was
produced in 1900 for 10000, 900 with
the result that the demand is much
greater than the supply and prices
have increased.
"The producers believed the pack
ers had combined to keep down the
prices for livestock and began rails
ing grain" he continued. 'They had
no confidence in the livestock mar
kets. Knowing hat the packers
owned the stockyards they believed
arrangements had beer made, to elm
mate competition and that prices
were not determined by cost of pro-
duction. 7".E s#*5a'
The wide fluctuations from, day to
day in prices caused the producers to
be even more dissatisfied. Uneven
shipments to the markets which re-
suited in alternating periods Of over
supply and u~ndersupply were due,
the producers believed, t. collision
between the packers and the rail-
roads. A lack Of reliable market in
formation was another reason for the
producers considering it inadvisable
to make increases in production. The
industry became too much Of a
gamble"
Mr.. Hall advocated extended SUI
pervision Of all branches of the meat
industry, distribution of reliable, i'm
formation regarding the markets to
the producers, and a greater cooper
alton between the livestock interests
and the government and distribution
agencies,