Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-07-18
Department Of Agriculture Will
Need Large Number OF Meat
Inspectors
THEY MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE
Politicians Will Not Be Given These
Positions, as Qualifications of the
Appointees Will Require That Ex-
perience In the Meat Packing In
dustry Be Shown.

Washington, July 1S.--In the neigh
borhood of thousand positions, each
paying $1,000 year. Will soon be OPP
ened to men who are able to inspect
meat. This is part of the force re-
quired by the new Beveridge meat in
spection law.
These positions are to be filled on
the merit plan. Applicants will be
examined by the United States civil
service commission, and those who
pass will he put to work Immediately
Already over 1900 applications have
reached Washington. These examina-
tons will be held In various cities
thruout the country next Saturday.
July 81.
1t is not necessary that a man should
be a graduate in veterinary surgery or
have other college or technical educa-
ton in order to be a United States
meat inspector. What the government
wants is young men who knew good
meat from bad. 1t will be necessary,
however,, W baNS aNlISdi VAPSii-
ence Experience will count for more
than anything else in the examination.
The employees of big packing houses
especially those who have worked in
the various departments-will have the
best chance to secure these jobs.
A mere butchers experience is hard
ly enough. But butcher who hap
pens to have had some experience in
curing, packing or canning meats, or
who has worked in cutting rooms,
canning rooms, dry salt and sweet
pickle cellars, sausage, lard, oleo and
beef extract departments are compe-
tent to inspect meats and should be
able to tell what products are suitable
for human food. OF course, an in
spector will have to know how to read
and write and spell simple words bur
not much weight Is laid on this part
Of the examination. About all the
reading and writing he needs is enough
to make out decent report.
All the technical and highly scien-
tific examination and testing of the
meats will be performed by special
corps Of inspectors who are graduates
from veterinary schools. The latter
will also inspect the cattle and other
animals on the hoof. The main work
for which the government needs men
and it will need a lot Of them-is to
watch the meat as it is cut up and
passed thru the various forms.
1t is not known as yet just how
many men will be needed by the gov
eminent, but the first call is for 400.
There will probably be calls for hun
dreds more.
Here are few facts for those inter-
ested. The age limit Of candidates is
from 81 to so years. Time allowed for
the examination is four hours. The
first thing to do is to write to the
United States civil service commission
at Washington, d. c., or to one of the
examining boards in the cities where
examinations are held, and secure an
application blank for the position of
inspector Of meat products, bureau OF
animal industry. department of agri-
culture"
These positions will be filled abso-
lutely without regard to political pull
or personal influence. Candidates may
feel certain of this.
The government wants men - good
men-and wants them in a hurry.