The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-09-17
BIG NEAT FAMINE
NAY CONE SOON
Enforcement of New Law
October l to Bring
Trouble.
SMALL PACKERS NOT READY
Department of Agriculture Trying to
Impress Dealers Of the Dangers
in Store for Them.

That there is going 20 be considerable
OF jar and conflict and difficulty IN
putting into effect the new meat insPec-
ZION law is admitted by those ofhcials
of the Department of Agriculture who
have most 10 do with the. enforcement
of the statute that viii in another fort
night become the law Of the land. Too
many of the packers, especially the
smaller ones. have been delinquent about
complying with the law. Now, when
Il may be too late, many Of them are
making haste 10 comply, and still others
are even at this late date showing no
disposition to meet the situation.
Secretary Wilson has recently become
fearful Of a meat famine in New York
city, when the law takes effect. This
for the reason that almost all meat
eaten i'm that city must first be sub
Jected 10 ;he processes OF interstate
commerce, and that much of il is
slaughtered i'm small local establish
ments that have not shown a proper
realization Of the fact that they are
strictly ameuabIe 10 the law.
Must Have Certificate October 7.
on the morning of October /. bright
and early, the packer or slaughterer Of
meat who has not secured from the
Department OF Agriculture a proper Ger
tihcate that his establishment is in com
plance with the law will discover the
seriousness of his mistake. He will ind
that no railroad viii accept his products
for interstate shipment. The railroads
have all agreed 10 cooperate to the ut
most with the department officials They
will refuse all shipments from establish
menJs that have not been placed on
the certified list of the department.
IL is roundabout way Of enforcing
the law. but IL is the only one. Packing
meats Is not interstate business. and the
Federal Government has no power 10
control II. The makers of the new law
realized this and il made their task
dliheuIt- Interstate transportation is
matter over which Congress has power.
The inspection law doesn't require the
packers 20 DO anything. II merely re-
quircs that IL they don't do certain
things the railroads shall NOT rrsusTorf
their products. The law. therefore. must
be enforced against the railroads.
Railroads Promise Help.
1t is discovered, however. that this
roundabout method will. in the end.
make the law easier Of enforcement.
The railroads have nothing TO gain by
violating IT, as the packer might have;
bur they have everything 20 lose. The
l''ta.tlt.'r tIl ANN at LEtl-ls naturally.
with alp the chances 10 lose and no
chance AT all 10 benefit by infractions
of the law, they are anxious 10 be good
They have promised Secretary Wilson
that they viii not accept any meat
products except from certified establish
monts This means that the complete
and perfect machinery of the whole
railroad system will be at the disposal
of the department in enforcing the law.
II leaves no IoophOIe through which the
packers viii be able to get any un-
inspected products into the Interstate
market
The menace of a meat famine arises
from the ignorance or Carelessness man
IeSted by so many meat merchants.
They don't realize that il takes time To
get their plants cleaned up, in sani-
Jary condition, and ready for admit
tance 20 The privilege of interstate COM
meTCe They are not busying them
selves. Their plants have not been
secured and scraped and fitted with
sanitary plumbing and ali the improve
ments that are required by the de
partment Apparently they don't realize
their danger. When they do realize IT,
il VIII be too late.
Little Men Delinquent
-~. C-------..- WILL .4s-