The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-06-19
A Sweeping Extension by
the Present Admin
istration
TO PREVENT
ADULTERATION
Attorney-General Renders
Opinion-Inspection Law
Also Stands

Washington, June l9.-Through ae.
ton by the Wilson administration a
long step has been taken toward in
surfing American consumers absolutely
pure and wholesome meat and meat
bod products. The action consisted in
the extension by executive order of the
pure food and drug act so as to include
meat in its food products. This was
accomplished through the revocation of
a regulation adopted shortly after the
passage OF the act which exempted these
items from its operation. The extern
sion of the governments activities UNI
der the act is the most radical and far
reaching yet made. The department of
agriculture will have full jurisdiction
over meat and meat products. Man
ufacturers of meat foods will be re-
quired to comply with the food and
drug act as well as the meat inspee-
ton laws. and il will be possible for
government inspectors to seize meat, in
both retail and wholesale markets,
which may be unwholesome. Those re-
sponsible for food being adulterated or
unwholesome are liable to prosecution.
The secretary OF agriculture has APP
pointed committee to adopt and car
ry into effect suitable regulations for
the extension Of the scope of the gov
ernment's activities.
Officials of the department of agricul
ture say the new regulation may BAN
ISL from the market many potted meat
delicacies which would pass muster un
der the meat inspection law, but may
not be able TO meet the requirements |
of the pure food and drug acts. The |
department of agriculture has been ef
feetually prevented from proceeding !
against manufacturers of meat foods /
under the pure food law or ordering I
seizuers and prosecutions for misbrand-
ing or adulteration OF domestic meat,
Secretary Of Agriculture Houston
could not understand why meat and
meat food products were not food in
the sense OF the food and drug act,
or why the department OF agriculture
could not seize bad meat or adultera-
ted or msbranded meat once it had en-
tered interstate commerce He re-
luested an opinion from the attorney
general on the meat inspection and pure
food laws. Attorney General Mercy
nolds said in reply that the acts are
supplementary to each other and both
ipply to the same articles OF food
wherever their wording so indicates"
statement issued by the department
II agriculture says:
The revocation of regulation 80 in
10 way interferes with the powers of |
he department Of agriculture conducted i
lnder the meat inspection law. II sim !
'ly brings meat under the food act as
veil as under the meat inspection law I
nd thus gives the government control (
ver meat foods not only in the feder- Z
] inspection establishments but after
he meat product has left such estab-
on an interstate jour
ey The department of agri-
ulture can now seize and prevent c
he sale of bad or aduterated meat
amains in interstate commerce. Under :
he new decision the government can
Dntrol meat foods in interstate COM
lerce from the hoof to the retailer.
"Section s of the food and drug act,
, which manufacturers of meat must
ow conform, provides that the term
shall apply to all articles
food or articles which enter into the
imposition of food the package or
bel of which shall bear any statement,
ssign or device regarding such article
the ingredients or substances con
lined therein which shall be false or
isIeading in any particular, and to
~ food product which is falsely
'anded as to the state, territory or
untry in which it is manufactured or
.oduced' A committee has been APP
,inted by the secretary of agriculture
provide an effective plan for cooper
ion between the bureau of chemistry
ID the bureau of animal industry to
ercise control to the fun extent au
orized by law over domestic meats
ID meat products. With effective CO.
,eration between these two bureaus
G seizure arm of the food and drug
t. it is believed. will be powerful
cans OF regulating traffic in unsound
eats"