The Washington times., 1908-11-18
Bleaching Harmless and
Necessity, Contention Be-
fore Pure Food Board.
EXPERT DESCRIBES
WHITENING OF FLOUR
Mill Men From All Parts of Coun-
try Present at Hearing Chem
lists on Hand.

If any discredit is cast on this pro-
cessor bleaching or aging flour. OF we
are forbidden to continue IL by the sdict
Of this board. you vii be guilty of prac-
tieally killing the American export trade
an -four, take millions OF dollars from
the value of the wheat crop to the
American farmer, and practically con-
hscating thousands or American flour
mills, valued at many millions OF dol,
lars"
This was the statement made at the
hearing before the Secretary Of Agri-
culture and the members Of the food
and drug inspection board, AIessrs.
Whey Dunlap, and McCabe. by a. L.
Goetzman, OF st. Louis, secretary Of the
national Federation OF MiIlers. repre-
senting twenty-five States and local as
socLatonss and many independent mill
eTs with a total capacity Of $4,000 bar
rels OF flour day.
Daily Production.
The daily production is 10000 barrs1z
oV.O0O barrels accredited TO The VVaef
eO@s'' OF Facihc States, 10000 to grist
mills grinding for consumption and the
me ' o'V'oO' barrels daily. going abroad
@hd entering into domestic cousumption
The trouble arises from the cali bv
~. Wiley ana his associate members
q the FOOD board 10 the miIIers To-
oeIend their bleaching processes. d..
whey has been conducting experiments
tor months and his assistants elsewhere
nave been doing the same.
The decision Of the board is withheld
until after this hearing, and the cause
viii then probably be sent to the board
OF referees for hnal settlement, and If
adverse, the miIIers WIZ unouestionsbIv
take the matter to the highest courts
According to the milIers, they were
forced to age or bleach -four because
the millers OF all European countries
did it, and American flour, exported IN
the extent of 100000 barrels a year,
would be unstable otherwise.
VIII Whiten by Age.
They claim that -four win whiten
BY age. and as the average time Of
delivering flour on the other side from
the mills is ninety days after the sale
by sample, frequently -four is rejected.
and that American miiIers would be
driven out of competition in the marts
OF the world.
Moreover, this process, which is moth
thing but a flash of electricity on the
nour destroying impurities and Whiten-
ing il, has the approval of the famous
scientists and Is In general use in the
paternal governments Of France, Ger
many, and Belgium.
Millers also claim that this process
enables them To Use new wheat imme-
diateiy, whereas II is rarely used other
wise until months after harvest. thus
adding millions to the value Of wheat.
Mr.. GOetzman said that a serious
shortage, # not an actual -four famine,
was only aveTted this summer by The
grinding Of new wheat in August, other
wise impossible without the aging pro
cess.
Secrets Disclosed.
incidentally, some secrets of the -four
business were disclosed. There is but
cents a barrel in flour. II the -four
does not show the same Whiteness as
the sample. bIeached by age. 1t costs
the millers from 8 to 40 cents a barrel in
claims from buyers.
Prof. Walter Haiues. of Chicago. one
OF the greatest American chemists: Dr.
WesneT, of the food laboratories Of
Chicago; Prof. Harry Snyder Of Min
neapolis, and Prof. Away, of the Uni
veTsity, of Nebraska. were in attend
Rnce 10 uphold the views of the miIlers
There were scores of mnIers present
from, all over the country. Bruce Elliott.
OF St Louis, being their legal repre-
sentative.
Prof L7dd. the noted North Dakota
chemist, aud a number or other lights
we're on hand 10 oppose the contentious
The hearing Will probably extend over
until tomorrow