The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-02-27

written by Mrs. o. G. Ellis, repre-
senting the Tacoma Pure Food
Council, should be of vital interest
to every housewife in Tacoma and
to all other persons who are par
ticuIar about what they eat
EditOr):
The interest in the Pure Food
work has become SO widespread
and SO many questions by phone
and letter come to the Pure Food
council, that it seems best to an
swer these by statement Of the
work that is being done.
The title, Household Econo-
mics and Pure Food committee OF
Women's clubs, conveys an idea
cf the wide scope of the work
Nearly all clubs in the state in
clude, as part of their work, a
study of the best methods in home
making. No program will bring
out such a large attendance or
evoke such interested discussion
of home and children. Such days
include also a discussion of the
Pure Food law and how to get
the benefits of 1t in the home
the recent "bleached flour" "ben-
zoate of soda" and CDR. Wiley
controversies have attracted the
widest attention among women.
The question of market inspec-
tion Is the public part of the work
and is being taken by Clubs all
over the United States. AS a
member of the National Pure
Food committee, have had let
ters from Texas, Illinois, Ken
lucky, New Jersey, Arizona, Con-
necticut, Missouri, Montana, Utah
and Oregon discussing the best
method of work and asking what
the state of Washington and the
city of Tacoma have done. With
pride I have sent copy of the
excellent state pure food law.
which closely follows the federal
law. What could add more to
the fame of Tacoma or better ad-
vertise our city of homes than to
send a model market sanitation
ordinance which is enforced here.
This would be good reason for
saying, You'll like Tacoma" The
Portland plan" is known to the
100000 members of the general
federation Of. clubs and the Ia
coma plan is an Improvement upon
it.
In the last~week letters from
eastern friends speak of seeing in
eastern papers an account of the
work in Tacoma in regard to mar
ket sanitation. Eastern papers
and food journals have copied Mr..
Fulmer's articles on pure food
which are being published in the
papers throughout this state.
The Pure Food council of Ia
coma is composed of the presi-
dents or delegates from thirty-two
women's organizations. This in
cludes federated clubs, other clubs
and many church societies, repre-
senting a membership of 100
women who live in all parts of the
city from South Tacoma, Pacific
Heights and other southern Sec
lions to the Whitworth district
and toward Point Defiance.
The observations of these wo-
men reported in the Pure Food
council disclose the fact that con-
ditions in Tacoma are not up to
the Portland requirements and
that an ordinance for food santa
ton would correct faults that
were usually the result of careless
ness or oversight and would fore
stall worse conditions which would
come with the growth of the city
and longer neglect of public in
terest in these matters.
Such an ordinance has been in
force in Portland for three years
and in her work the market in
spector has greatly improved con-
ditions there.
With this ordinance as a guide,
the state labor commissioners law
governing bake shops and the ad-
vice and experience of the city
health officers, DR.. Green, DR.. Yo-
cum and DR.. Sargntich, an ordin-
ance was drawn and is now under
consideration by the city council.
This ordinance provides that all
places where food Is kept or Of
fered for sale must be kept in a
clean, sanitary condition.
"To promote the public well
fare" is the duty of every citizen
under the constitution of the Uni
ted States and in no way can this
be more effectually aided than by
having the best possible food con-
ditions In our city. We recog-
nize the benefits of sanitary
plumbing, quarantine regulations
and many other developments of
the city administration in reduc-
ing the prevalence of disease and
elevating the standard of living
among all people. Why not add
to these the benefits of pure, clean
food In every homer To no part
of the human family will this APP
ply with greater blessing than to
the little children whose growing
constitutions are so susceptible to-
disease and who suffer most from
the evils of malformation.
One of the best results from a.
sanitation ordinance would be tol
arouse an interest and observance
Of better regulations in unsanitary|
homes. This Is the lesson and
influence which every sanitary
4o0d afnro wOyuA ovort ovor kh a