The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-01-24
Is Fearless In Enforcement of
 the New Law
PIERCE UPH0LDS METHOD
If His Energy Is lnsubordnation 1t Is the Kind of Official lnsubordina- ton That the People Like
 and Will Applaud.
By PAUL PIERCE
Editor of the National Food Maoszin,

Editor of the National Food Mauazine. The episode of Dr. Wiley's so-called in subordnation, which has been stirring official circles at Washington for week or more, and has caused so much news paper comment upon the present status Of the pure food question: may be at tended with resultse more far-reaching than contemplated at the outset by those who stirred up the trouble
 1T 1t IS insurbordination for a public official to fearlessly and impartially en- force the food law, thus protecting the consumer against poisonous foods then Dr. Wiley is guilty of insubordination. but 1t is the kind of insubordination the people love in a public official and for which the people do not propose to see that public official suffer.
 The attempt to disparage Dr. Diley, like all those which have preceded it, emanates from reactionary element of the food manufacturing interests-the class of manufacturers which originally opposed the enactment of the national food law and which, ever since it's pas sage, has been engaged in an attempt to nullify some of its important provisions The argument they now make for the re- moval of Dr. Wiley is the very one made prior to the passage of the food law to prevent its enactment
 
 bringing political and other influence to bear, it has been possible for these man. ufacturers to perpetuate some of the grossest abuses of the past, until 1t has become probable that if the public is to be protected the great war between food poisoners and pure food advocates must be fought all over again.
 But this latest attempt has reused into In cum Of+f of t,t. effort to enforce the law against the use of pernicious drugs and other harmful food adulterations, a force not previously heard from, but one that is likely to make itself felt with the administration, be- cause it will have the support of the people.
 A strong organization is being effected among the manufacturers of strictly pure, high-grade foods, which will represent a combined capital of many millions and great varitey of widespread interests This organization will undertake to ex- pose the graft there Is in the manufac- ture of food frauds. It proposes to open the eyes of the people to where they are being robbed and swindled by the mean est kind of deception. It will bring into view conditions existing in many food factories worse than Upton Sinclair ever pictured in Packing Town It will be heard in Washington. It will insist upon the enforcement of the law, both in letter and spirit. It's influence will be felt in every state
 The chief contention at present between the reactionaries and Dr. Wiley is con cerning the use of benzoate of soda, a coal tar product, used extensively to pre- vent fermentation in preserved fruits and vegetables, and which has been pro l nounced by Dr. Wiley to be dangerous. 1 harmful drug. There is to be sure some | disagreement among scientific men upon this point. but the weight of scientific opin- ion in both Europe and America is with Dr. Wiley, and even admitting the pos sibiity of doubt as to benzoate of soda being harmful in the quantities used in the preservation of food products, sure ly the public health, rather than the pocket of the interruptions manufacturer, should receive the benefit of the doubt.
 Like all harmful preservatives, there always is room for argument as to just how great a quantity the human system can stand. It is admitted by all that benzoate of soda is harmful, but some of these scientists say that it IS not harm ful in the quantities used in food prod ucts; but even these men do not tell us what the effect would be on the con- sumer if there was a little of this pre- servative, or some other like preserva- tive, in most of the foods we are obliged to eat. If ten chemists swear that ben zoate of soda poisons the child that eats it. and five ten, or even 20 others swear that he can manage to eat it and live, why should the risk be taken anyhow? Is it not dangerous to open the door to the use of these harmful preserva- tives, and thus go back to the awful con dition that existed prior to the enact ment of the national food law?
 Why should any manufacturer desire to use these adulterants when it is shown by the product of many other manufac- turers that their use Is absolutely un- necessary to successful food preservation? In the answer to this question lies the meat of the whole subject. It is be- cause by the use of this drug, the un- scrupulous manufacturer is enabled to realize large profits by employing in his product raw materials that are unfit and unwholesome to the point of exciting ex- treme disgust at their mere mention. Tomato ketchup is being made from the waste of canneries-ill cared for skins, cores and rotten tomatoes-rhat are no better than the vilest garbage. Half-rot- l ten and fostering fresh fruits, old, yer