The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-20
FOR KANSAS MAN
w. Il. Bigelow Gets Place Food
and Drug Board.
Appointed by Alsberg, fure
Food Chief.
IN SERVICE TWENTY YEARS
Parcel Post and the Cost OF
Living.
Not Expected to Reduce That
Cost Much.
in SERVICE TWENTY YEARS

Washington, Jan. 20--Dr- carr H.
Alsberg. chief of the United states
bureau of chemistry, has appointed
William ID. Bigelow of Gardner Johh-
son county, Kansas, a nle1Ilpea .. Inc rs,
board of food and drug Inspection, tc
succeed DIR. H. f. tDoolittIe- me lal-
ter voluntarily retired to resume hts
former position as head OF the iood
and drug inspection laboratory In Ne"
nr BigeIow has been connected
with tbe bureau of chemistry, depart
ment of agriculture, FOR twenty years,
the first ten of which were served as
assistant chief Under DIR. Wiley. FOL
Loving his retirkment, DIR. Wiley urged
Secretary Wilson and President Tart
10 appoint Dr. Bigelow as his success
sor.
have been nahled chief chemist had it
NOT been for frong opposition brought
10 hear bv Sslicitor McCabe and other
Wiley enemes. The controversy be-
came so actte within the department
ranks thatIthe president decided 10
appoint Dp Alsberg-
In making his announcement of the
appointmeht of DR.. Bigelow, Dr. AIS
berg STATED that it is the first step in
increasing the efficiency of the bureau
of chemytry in enforcing the pure
food and drugs act.
The oAner members of the food and
drug Inspection board are DR. AIS
berg Chairman, and A H. Mitchell,
formerly chief of the ST. Paul food
and ding laboratory.
''Thj board of food and drug in
spectDn has the function OF weighing
the eFidence presented against FOODS
and fugs collected by inspectors anG
invesigators of the bureau, and con-
sideing the arguments of the manu-
facurers,'' said DR.. Alsberg to the
correspondent of the Topeka state
To1tnaI 'sIn cases in which, in the
onhion of the board, warrant legal
nIJcedure the board recommends
int the secretary of agriculture trans
nit the evidence to the department
" justice.
Artment of justice to act on all sucn
Recommendations. Last year 1,495 of
hese violations were reported to the
department of justice for action.
To say the parcel post will have dis
small effect on cost Of
living, is not to diSparage the new
service. 1t is important that the pup
lie should be fortified against a grave
and the way to for
tify it is to make clear that 1T must
not expect too much
The passage of the parcel post lazy
was made possible because OF the
widespread belief that II would bring
the farm producer and town con-
sumner closer together. Such articles
as butter and eggs were used most
commonly as illustrations. The prices
of these have long been very high.
The parcel post was going to make il
possible to eliminate Intermediates
and their profits, and bring these
necessaries directly to the consumer
1t is worth while coOlly to examine
this proposition. The parcel post reg
ulations permit shipment of butter,
lard and periShable articles such as
fish, fresh meats. vegetables, fruits,
berries and other articles which decay
quickly; when so packed as not to in
Jure other mail matter" Thus pack
ed, they may be mailed for local de-
livery at the pOstoffice of mailing, or
at any rural route starting there
from. Further, the regulations say
that-when enclosed in an inner COW
er and strong outer cover of wood,
metal heavy corrugated paSteboard,
or other suitable material, or wrapped
so that nothing can escape from the
package, they may be accepted for
to all offices within the first
zone. The first zone is fifty miles dis
tance. Under no circumstances may
such articles as these be mailed more
than fifty miles; and then, only when
packed in expensive manner.
How much butter, lard, fresh poul-
try, etc, will be delivered direct from
farm to city consumer at any large
city. under that regulation? Manifest
~, not enough TO affect the market or
prices. No considerable city gets any
fraction of these supplies
from within such a radius.
Eggs. under the regulations, may
be shipped as far as one pleases. in
light corrugated pasteboard contain
ers- The postage on one of the con-
tainers, with a dozen eggs in it, will
be 10 cents for points inside the $50
mile zone. Add the cost of the con-
tainer and make allowance for the
trouble involved, and it is very doubt
full if there will be any saving as
against old marketing conditions
Farm produce in general cannot be
moved from farm to town because of
the weight limit. \ peck of potatoes
weighs more than IL pounds, so it
be handled, even if it could
be shipped without a container. AL
lowing for the containers weight.
about a half peck of potatoes could be
shipped up to fifty miles; but the pos