The Washington herald., 1912-05-09
PACKERS CHARGED
WITH VIOLATIONS
OF FEDERAL LAW
Mrs. Caroline B. Crane Tells
House Committee Of Lax
ity Of Inspectors.
cRITIeIsEs DR.. MELVIN

anaEoo, Mich, yesterday told the
House COMMITTEES on Expenditures IN
the Department Of Agriculture that the
department oficlals are under constant
pressure from the beef packers for
lowering of the requirement relative 10
the enforcement of the Federal statute
for the inspection OF meats and meat
products She declared. however, that
she does not believe that there Is a
conspiracy between the packers and the.
department officials. but she intimated
that the department has been respon-
Eive 70 this question and that rules
and regulations have been promulgated
which tend to nulltfy both the letter
and the spirit OF the inspection law.
Mrs. Crane appeared before the COM
Ynittee In response to e subpoena, to
helm the committee determine whether
Il VIII recommend TO the House
sweeping investigation OF alleged re-
lations between packers and the De-
partment OF Agriculture and pagrant
violations Of the meat inspection law.
Such an investigation Is proposed In
the resolution introduced by Repre-
sentative Nelson Of Wisconsin, who de-
clares that the inquiry, II ordered, VIII
reveal a startling condition whereby
makers have influenced the administra-
ton Of the law and practically dictated
the regulations prescribed for slaughter
ana for the inspection Of meats and
meat products
Following the introduction Of the Nell
son resolution, Secretary Of Agriculture
Wilson issued a statement. characterizing
the charges as a "skillful blending of
half-truth and falsehood. apparently for
the purpose, constituting a wanton and
uujustffable attack on the department"
He intimated that Representative Nelson
was seeking to make political capital out
Of his proposed inquiry. The morning
session was devoted to the hearing of
Representative Nelson's preliminary
statement, and 1t became apparent from
the attitude Of the committee that the
charges win be closely scrutinized before
the inquiry is finally ordered.
Mrs. Crane Takes stand.
f, Mrs. Crane was called to the stand and
sworn yesterday afternoon after Repre-
sentative Nelson had completed his sum-
mary.
7 do not believe there is a conspiracy
between officials OF the Department of
Agriculture and the packers" said Mrs.
Crane, but I do think that the depart
ment is under constant pressure from
the packers and other interests to lower
the requirements relative TO the inspec-
tion Of meats. There has been no cor
responding pressure from the consumers.
and the rules and regulations adopted
by the department have been gradually
slowered. There has been no letting down
of the bar. The meat inspection service
has deteriorated. and the Federal law
has been nulIt1ed in many Instances.
It is this notification OF the law by
the means OF lax rules and regulations
against which 1 complain"
Mrs. Crane asserted that the ante
mortem inspection of cattle Is inefficient
almost a joke, and charged that DR..
A D. Melvin. Chief Of the Bureau OF
Animal Industry, had deceived the peo-
pie into believing that this inspection
Is thorough and painstaking. She char
acterized DR.. Melvin's writings on the
subject as the best boost the packers
have ever had. and declared that his
words are being circulated in pamphlet
form by the packers as advertisements
for their business.
Mrs. Crane told the committee that
Federal seals on cars OF beef that had
been inspected by the government had
been broken with impunity by employees
Of the packers in violation Of the law.
She called attention to the fact that DR..
Melvin knew OF these violations, but
there had never been any prosecutions.
She quoted from letter written by DR..
Melvin, In which he directed inspectors
to be more vigilant in enforcing this
section of the law, and then she read
from a speech made by Secretary Wilson,
IN which he said that the packers had
never violated the law and were CO.
operating with the department in living
up to its letter.
Liable to Seizure.
Were not the shipments of meats un-
der broken seals liable TO seizure?' asked
Representative Floyd.
Yes; but none Of It was ever seized, "
replied Mrs. Crane.
At this point Representative Floyd
asked Mrs. Crane about the alleged con-
spiracy which. he said. was charged in
the Nelson resolution. and Mrs. Crane
disclaimed that she believed or had said
that there was conspiracy.
Mrs Crane attempted to construe the
resolution as she understood II, but Chair
man Moss cut her on with the statement
that the committee would place its own
construction on It Representative Nell
son. author OF the resolution, interrupted
TO say that be stood responsible for
everything It contained. Mrs. Crane de-
clared that she recently visited the Ar
Enour packing houses in Chicago. in COM
pany with DR.. s. Z. Bennett the in
spector In charge. She said that DR..
Bennett told her that many Of the Fed
eral employees were formerly employed
by the packing houses. She asserted that
while most of the inspectors were men
Of intelligence and integrity, that the
grade Of employees under them had been
lowered.
Containers Stamped Beforehand.
It was the contention Of Mrs. Crane
that the provision Of the meat inspection
law with reference to containers was
violated by the packers While the law
provides that the legion "U. S. inspect
ed and Passed" shall not be placed on
q contsiner before It Is filled with the
meat product, Mrs. Crane asserted that
many Of the leading packers had these
words embossed on the containers which
they themselves manufactured. She ex-
hibited a can which bore the Trademark
Of Armour's Simon Pure Leaf Lard,
and on this label, she pointed out, was
embossed the words ~. s. Inspected and
Passed" and Of necessity they must have
been placed there before the can was
dIled with lard. she said.
Mrs. Crane opened the can and asked
the members OF the committee II they
would Ike 10 sample its contents. They
passed Il hurriedly around the table.
When II reached Mrs. Crane she took
out piece OF homemade candy wrapped
In green tissue paper and ate Il. The
members OF the committee enjoyed the
Joke on themselves, and each OF them
Joined Mrs. Crane In her treat
she charged that many OF the branch
houses Of these big establishments had
been furnished with stickers containing
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