The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-01

h made before the Senate agriculture committee today to develop the identity of a person who sent Swift S Co. advance information regard ing government activities affect ing the meat packing industry. the House interstate commerce commitS tee was informed by the federal trade commission that it would fur- nish the names of witnesses upon whose testimony it had made charges of collision among the five big packing firms.
 Louis F. Swift, president of Swift & Co, and Henry veeder. counsel for the company, were questioned before the Senate committee about the writer referred to during the hearing as Diamond T." One letter from Thomas F. Logan of Washington, and another letter and several memoranda, un- signed but purporting to be from "Dia- mond IT. relating to plans of the fed eral trade commission and the food administration, had been read by Fran ~ cis J. Heney, who was conducting the cross examination of the witnesses for
 
 Veeder said they could not recall hav- ing previously seen the Diamond IT. correspondence.
 This designation of the correspond ence was given by reason of the fact that the one letter had 'T'' inside a diamond at the top or the page. This letter was dated Washington, June IS, 1917, and told of plans for investiga- tion of food prices. It was marked private" and bore the stamp Louis F. Swift" with date two days later. At the top was the notation: 'Informa- ton received by MT. Feeder this morn ing from Diamond T.. Initials of six officials of Swift & Co., at the top indicated that copies had been sent to them, the witness said.
 TEXT OF LETTER
 The letter said:
 At meeting of the commission to- day MT. Davis was placed in charge of the meat packing end of the food administration; MT. Colver in charge o1 the wheat and wheat products and the members allotted other phases of the inquiry
 s-rhis is under the resolution and ap- propriation recently passed by Con gress. The work is to be done as planned in conjunction with the Hoover food ad
  wire for conference in Chicago. He wil outline the procedure and ask for as sistancs. There will be enough delay tt give plenty of time for readiness. I might be suggested that you have 1T readiness everything bearing on higf prices and their causes, even though i should not be exactly what is desired With your knowledge you should b able to give some good leads and sug gestions for further inquiry.
 MT. McManus could be helpful at thi end if he could get back immediately EsXchangei of kilograms inadvisable Please destroy this immediately"
 04 SIGNED HURLEY"
 At the bottom of the letter written il ink and inclosed in rough square wa the name "Hurley.".
 Who wrote the name Hurley ol there?" asked Mir. Heney.
 Tt looks little like my handwriting, Mr.. Swift responded. :. f"When you got something of that sor were you in the habit of consulting MI Hurley?" asked Senator Kenyon Q Iowa. "~
 No I might have written Armour or Smith on that letter just as well, said the witness.
 ''Isn't that the kind of information yo paid MT. Logan to get for you?'' cor tinued the Iowa senator
 Mir. Swift denied this. <. s EDO you know of any letter in whic MT. Logan advised you about what wer or at the White sHouse?" asked Hene, MT. Swift said he did not.
 A letter from Logan to Veeder wa then read. In it the future activities ( the food adminst ation were detaile several days in advance of the announce nent that food administrator was be appointed. Reference was made sto th alleged antagonism of Secretary Hou! ton to the appointment of Herbert Hoover and to the mad scramble ft power among cabinet members.
 When MT. Swift concluded, MT. veedt was called to testify. He said he was ur able to say who had written the "Dis mond T' letter.
 POSSIBLY ANONYMOUS 'It may have been anonymous" said, ''or it may have come from O, office in Washington, but I doubt vel much if it was Tom Logan who VITO that letter."
 MT. Heney contended that the lett could not have been anonymous as re erence to Diamond TT was noted other correspondence.
 'tDid the TT mean Tumulty?' askt Senator Norris of Nebraska.
 sI don't know what 1t means" r piled the witness. T don't think it mea, Tumutly.'
 MT. Veeder said he had met Secretal Ttlmulty once as we'll as Joseph Davie a member of the trade commission.
 While ~Mr Swift was being question, earlier in the day by Mir. Heney, yeeder and John J. Heeley, his assistar were threatened with banishment fro the committee room because of interru lions they made to questions. MT. Vee' er will continue his testimony tomorro
 Soon after the House committee m today, it received letter from Wiliia B. Colver, chairman of the federal tra commission, saying that the commissl would gladly submit the names or VI nesses demanded by the committee ye terday, together with all other inform ton and evidence it had secured duri fhe investigation of the meat inou fry. He said the committee would n need to pass resolution to get what desired.
 MUCH LIGHT PROMISED
 Announcement that the commissi would appear again before the coi rpittee was made by MT. Colver, W htated that it twill throw much liz upon the record as built up before committee during the past 10 days
 Charges that the packers were tempting to drive the wholesale gI cArs of the country out of business W made to the committee by William Rode president of the ad-Murdo company. Chicago. He said the pac CTS had become great menace to t wholesalers because they obtained ssT cial privileges from the railroads whi