Bisbee daily review., 1911-08-13
Probe Now on Before Special Committee of the House Expected 10 Reveal
 Dope Influence
REMSEN FINDINGS NOT
 TRUTHFULLY SET FORTH
Never Decided That Rotten Tomatoes Should Be Treated With Benzoate
 10 Disguise Nature
CBy Victor Elliott.)


 WASSHnNGTON, Aug. 12.-Before the house committee on expenditures in the department of agriculture con cludes its inquiry into the circum- stances behind the recent attempt to oust pr. HaHryey W. Wiley, chief ol the bureau of chemistry, in the de partment of agriculture. and the facts concerning the appointment of the Remsen board of consulting scientific experts, the hand of the food doopers win be clearly revealed. That is the prediction made by close friends of the pure food champion who insists that the attempt to deprive pr. Wiley of his position is but one of many similar attempts made by food manu- lecturers who wished to continue the use Of chemical conservatives, popular ly knowns as dope in defiance of the pure food law.
 The campaign against pr. Wiley began almost immediately after the passage of the food and drugs act; to be more accurate, as soon as he handed down his decision condemning the use Of benzoate of soda as a pre- servative of foods. At that time Dr. Wiley was in the hey-day of Eis glory. He had been heralded to the world as the great pure food champion, and as the climax of his efforts for near ly twenty years congress has just passed pure food bill which pTactic ally placed the enforcement Of the law in the hands of the bureau Oi chemistry
 6enzoste Decision.
 rrf fnf wa lfnn1rn as a .-naisnn snnad" for nnHa- Der of months. and, as the result of his observations declared against ben zoate of soda. Secretary Wilson, to- gether with the secretaries of the treasury, and Of commerce and labor, approved Dr. Wley's work, and, along in 1907 issued a bulletin prohibiting the sale Of foods preserved with ben zoate of soda after January 1, 1908.
 At once there was a tremendous outcrv from manufacturers who wish ed to continue the use of the coal tar product in their foods. At that time they did not dare to attack Dr Wiley openly, but brought tremendous political pressure to bear upon the then President Roosevelt and Secre- tary Wilson, which resulted in the or ganization of the Remsen board, con- posed of pr. Ira Remsen president of Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore and four other distinguished chem ists from as many great universities. with pr. Remsen acting at presi- dent.
 Renlsen Status Questioned
 Congress never contemplated the organfzation of such a board and its legal status has been frequently ques- tioned. It was necessary for the ''ln- terests" to have some such agency, and through the Remsen board they achieved their purpose which was the overturning of pr. Wiley's ruling against benzoate of soda. The high character of pr. Remsen and his associates precludsd the possibiE ity that they were in any way undu- lv influenced in reaching their deci- sion. pr. Wiley found against ben zoate of soda, first, because it's indi- gestion in small doses, if repeated daily was likely to be injurious to health. and second because lt was such a powerful chemical preservative that with 1t filthy and cecomposed vegetable substances could be used in the preparation of foods, the de cav being arrested by the benzoate Of soda
 When the matter was referred to the Remsen board, that body was call ed gpon to pass only on the question of whether doses Of benzOate of soda were injurious to health. That ques- lion they investigated carefully, and reported that small doses were not in- iurious. but as the question Of the nse of benzoate of soda as a preserF- ative in foods was never referred 70 fhem. the Remsen board never passed uDon 1t. and has never either favored or condemned it's use as food pre- servative. pr. Remsen was careful to ,oint this out on the stand before the 1nvesffeation committee. because ms hoard has been repeatedly placed m tbe attitude of commenting benboate of soda as a food pTeservauYe Dy tEe manufacturers who still use 1t.
 Helps the "Dopers."
 The findings of the Remsen board, though not in any way, touching upon fbe question of the preservative ID soods was sufficient for the purpose Inf the manufacturers. who wanted 10 use ii and who have such poWerla ,-oIfsical influence with the last admin isfration. and consequently Secretaries Wilson. corteIyou and Strauss issued n, order in which the manufacturers v,ere neruitted to use any quantity