The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1909-10-29
FIGHT ON nENzoArE OF SODA.
tunIon Associated Press.l

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29.-Manufac-
turers of food products who are OPP
posed to the use of benzoate of soda
are up in arms against the Remsen
Board, which declared the use of the
preserYative in small quantities to be
harmless. meeting OF the anti
benzoate men is called for to-day to
consider plans for fighting the deci-
sion. They hope to nave the pTeser-
vative put under the official ban.
Meanwhile, the packers who use thE
| drug are jubiiant.
! 1t is believed tatl the present plan
OF the opposing forces Is to ask Prest-
dent Taft or his return to the nation
al capital to appoint o commission to
visit the factories that use the preser-
Yative in large quantities and make a
Thorough invest!ga ton as to low 1t
is used and why 1t is used. In case
kthe president will not consent to
create q commission of this sort, the
campaign It is announced, will be
carried to congress. If it does be-
come necessary to go to the legisla-
tive body, prominent men who oppose
the use OF the preservative say, a de-
mand will be made for specific regu'
lation prohibiting the use of the pre-
sentative.
In demanding a commission or
Board which shall investigate the use
Of the DreservatiVe at the factories,
the point will be made that the presi-
dent has ample authority under the
pure food law to create such body OF
men, and to authorize its expenses
paid out OF the FUNDS set aside for en-
fSorclng the pure food law. There was
some question as to the legality OF the
Remsen B0srd, but President Tatt's
gally constituted. The members OF
that board received $25 per day while
employed. For that rate OF compen-
sation, It Is pointed out, the president
could obtain the services of several
Idfsfnterested practical men to make
the proposed investigation. Asser-
lions have been made from time to
time that some of the food manutac-
turers use benZoate OF soda freely TO
preserve foodstuffs which could mot De
marketed unless preserved-that IS 70
say, the food Is in such condition tAat
1t would be rejected under the pure
food law. 1t would be an easy matter
for an investigating commission to get
Mt the truth of this allegation, say per
sons who favor an inquiry OF this sort.
There are plenty of indics tons that
the report Of the Remsen Board Will
receive attention during the coming
session OF congress. Practically ev-
cry medical society of the country OF
consequence has approved the stand
DR.. H. w. Wiley has taken in opposi-
ton to the conclusions reached by that
board. Under the circumstances, ther.i
seems no escape from at least heas'
ed controversy in congress as TO
whether the Board was right or
wrong. Recently some chemists OF
high repute who have gone through
the complete data of the Remsen
Board have reached tae conclusion
that the d.luctions made by the board
from the data were not wholly war
ranteds These chemists have made a
55ec Rudy of the memoranda kept
AZ, members of the Board who
c1hd the experiments of feeding
Ser ~ bt soda in food to several
fbi6t The assertion Is made that
inohnda goes far toward sub
hing the conclusions reached by
Ht3f Whey Who. in the early stages OF
istia con trQyefsy as to whether the use
| Of 6enzoate Of soda as preservadye
should be permitted conducted d
series OF experiments in the Depart
ment OF Agriculture.