Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1906-06-08
QUALITY GUARANTEED.

of congress of March 8, 1891.
QUALITY GUARANTEED.
The phraseology of these labels is
wholly unwarranted. The govern
ment inspectors pass only upon the
healthfulness of the animal at the
time Of killing They know nothing
of the processes through which the
meat has passed since this inspection.
They do not know what else may have
been placed in the cans in addition to
inspected meat" AS matter of
fact they know nothing about the
contents" of the can upon which the
packers place thes labels-do not
even know that it contains what it
purports to contain. The legend
quality guaranteed" Immediately fol-
lowing the statement as to govern
ment inspection Is wholly unjustifi-
able. 1t deceives and Is plainly de-
signed to deceive the average pur-
chaser, who naturally infers from the
label that the government guarantees
the contents of the can to be what it
. pu. ports to be.
In another establishment piles of
sausages and dry moldy canned meats,
admittedly several years old, were
found, which the superintendent
stated to us would be tanked and con-
verted into grease The disposition
to be made of this was wholly optional
with the superintendent or repre-
sentatives of the packers, as the gov
ernment does not concern itself with
. the disposition of meats after they
have passed inspection on the killing
, floor 1t might all be treated with
chemicals, mixed with other meats,
turned out in any form of meat pro-
duct desired, and yet the packages or
receptacles in which it was to be
shipped out to the public would be
. marked with a label that their con-
tents had been government inspect
ed" 1t is not alleged here that such
use was to be made of this stuff. The
case is pointed out as one showing
, the glaring opportunity for the mis-
: use of label bearing the name and
the implied guaranty of the United
t States government.
Another instance of abuse in the
l use of the labels came to our notice.
3 In two different establishments great
2 stocks of old canned goods were be-
| Ing put IhlouSu d pioSCoo "
: remove the old labels. They were
4 then subjected to sufficient heat to
. 'liven up" the oontents-to use the
3 phrase of the room superintendent.
Y After this, fresh labels, with the gov
: ernment name on them, were to be
: placed upon the cans, and they were
Q to be sent out bearing all the evidence
t of being freshly put up product. In
: ore of these instances. by the admis-
S sion of the superintendent the stock
+ thus being relabeled was over two
II years old. In the other case the su-
Il perintendent evaded a statement OF
). how old the goods were.
Treatment of Employees.
e The lack of consideration for the
IT health and comfort of the laborers ir
: the Chicago stock yards seems to be
5. a direct consequence of the system Of
IF administration that prevails. The
5, various departments are under the
It direct control of superintendents WHO
It claim to use full authority in dealing
y with the employees and who seem tt
II Ignore all considerations except those
IT Of the account book. Under this sys
e tenn proper care of the products ant
1t Of the health. and comfort of the EN-
e ployes Is impossible. and the con
ID sumner suffers in consequence. The
unsanitary conditions in which the
'f laborers work and the feverlsh pace
m which they are forced to maintain in
Is evitably affect their health. Physi
Is clans state that tuberculosis is dis
s, proportionately prevalent in the stool
n yards, and the victims of this disease
'e expectorate on the spongy woodel
a floors of the dark workrooms, from
Of which falling scraps of meat are late
lie shoveled UP to be converted into foo
ss products.
lie Even the ordinary decences of lif
n are completely ignored. In practical
" ly all cases the doors Of the toile
III rooms open directly into the workin
o. rooms, the privies of men and wome
H. frequently adjoin and the entrance
es are sometimes no more than foot O
n two apart In other cases there ar
SIS no privies for women In the rooms-f
ne which they work, and to reach tn
rs nearest it is necessary to go up @
ne down couple of flights of stairs. l
Us one noticeable instance the priyy fo
ty the women working In several adjoir
ing rooms was in a room In whic
n men chiefly were employed, and ever
y girl going to use this had to pass b
in the working places Of dozens of NAL
og operatives and enter the privy tn
ID, door of which was not six feet froI
to the working place of one of the me
d. operatives. AS previously noted,
nd the priyies for men and women alil'
rs there are no partitions, but simply
m long row Of open seats. Rest room
ed where tired women workers might G
up for short rest. were found as raj
ng exceptions, and in some establish
ments women are even placed
IN. charge of privies chiefly for the pu
mt pose, 1t was stated. to see that tt
'es girls did not absent themselves tt
at long from their work under the e,
he cus. Of Visiting them In some Il