The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-05
QUALITY GUARANTEED.
phraseoloay Is Unwarranted.

The phraseology of these labels is who'll
ly unwarranted. The government inspec-
tors 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 In
spection. They do not know what else
may have been placed in ths cans in adj
dition to inspected meat As mat
ter of fact. they know nothing about the
contents of the can upon which the
packers place these labels--do not even
know that 1T contains what 1T purports to
contain. The legend Equality guaran-
teed" Immediately following the state
ment as to government inspection is
wholly unjustihable. 1t deceives and is
plainly designed to deceive the average
purchaser, who naturally infers from the
label that the government guarantees the
contents of the can to be what 1t pur
ports to be.
In another establishment piles of sau-
sages and dry moldy canned meats, adj
mittedly several years old, We're found,
which the superintendent stated to us
would be tanked and converted into
grease. The disposition to be made of
this was wholly optional with the super
intendent or representatives of the pack
ers, as the government does not concern
itself with the disposition of meats after
floor 1t might all be treated with chemi-
Gals, mixed with other meats, turned out
in any form of meat product desired, and
yet the packages or receptaeles In which 1t
was to be shipped out to the public would
be marked with label that their contents
had been government Inspected" 1t is
not alleged here that such use was to be
made of this stuff. The case Is pointed out
as one showing the glazing opportunity for
the misuse of label bearing the name
and the implied guaranty of the United
States government.
Another instance of abuse in the use
of the labels came to our notice. In two
different establishments great stocks of
old canned goods were being put through
a washing process to remove the old
labels. They were then subjected to suf-
ficient heat to 'liven up the contents-to
use the phrase of the room superintend-
emit After this, fresh labels. with the
government name on them. were to be
placed upon the cans, and they were to be
sent out bearing all the evidence of being
freshly put up product. In one of these
instances, by the admission of the superin-
tendent. the stock thus being relabeled
was over two years old In the other
case the superintendent evaded state
ment of how old the goods were.
V-Treatment of Employees.
The lack of consideration for the health
and comfort of the laborers In the Chioa-
go stock yards seems to be a direct con-
sequence of the system of administration
that prevails. The various departments
are under the direct control of supern-
tendents who claim to use full authority
in dealing with the employees and who
seem to ignore all considerations except
those Of the account book. Under this sys-
tenn proper care of the products and OF the
health and comfort of the employees Is
impossible, and the consumer suffers In
consequence The insanitary conditions in
which the laborers work and the feverish
pace which they are forced to maintain
inevitably affect their health. Physicians
state that tuberculosis is disproportion-
ately prevalent in the stock yards. and the
victims of this disease expectorate on the
spongy wooden floors of the dark work
rooms. from which falling scraps of meat
are later shoveled up to be converted into
food products.
Even the ordinary decencies OF life are
completely ignored. In practically all
cases the doors Of the toilet rooms open