The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-07-14
RAYMOND W. PULLMAN.
Times Washington Bureau, No 70
Metropolitan Bank Building.

metropolitan Bank building.
WASHINGTON July When is
barrel not barrel?" IL will inter
est the average
Apple person who is not
Barrel. familiar with the
y Inconsistencies OF
the laws passed by congress TO know
that the answer 10 this puzzling ques,
zion Is that barrel may not be a
barrel measure when IL contains any
other commodity than apples Al
though the apple barrel is a measure
fixed by law there is defect in the
LAW because the adoption of the stand.
ard is not made compulsory, and a
person cannot always be sure he is
gettiug an honest barrel even when
he is buying apples.
Nearly two years ago congress pass
ed an act TO establish standard bar.
rel for apples The same Law estab-
lishef standard grades for apples
when packed in barrels, The legisla-
uon Went into effect July / 1913, and
although the use OF the standard APP
pie barrel was not made compulsory,
the establishment of the standard was
strongly Endorsed by the international
Apple shippers association. and the
size fixed by congress has been gen
orally adopted during the past year
The standard apple barrel contains
100 dry quarts, which is the size of
the flour barrel most commonly in
use Al the present time, however
many commodities are sold in barrels
OF much less than l05 quarts, some
times even less than 100 The cram
berry barrel is only SO quarts mea-
sure To the average person a short
age OF only five quarts in a barrel OF
any ordinary commodity sold in bulk
may not seem TO be large enough an
item OF loss 10 cause much worry.
Five quarts of apples or potatoes.
for instance, would not be missed by
these products IL Is in the Wholesale
business, however, that the shortage
makes itself felt and weight and mea-
sure experts point our that when il is
remembered that shortage OF five
quarts in p barrels makes loss OF
one whole barrel. the reasons for
adopting a standard barrel may tlen
be readily understood.
Why congress enacted law estab.
fishing standard sized barrel in
which 20 pack apples and did not
standardize the barrel measure for all
other dry commodities is more than
any one has attempted 10 answer The
principal reason. perhaps, is that both
the apple shippers and the purchasing
public wanted standard sized apple
barrel Congress was given the
authority 10 fix the standard Of
weights and measures in the same sec
ton OF the constitution OF the United
states which provides for the coinage
of money. yet the first law fixing a
standard measure for commercial pro
ducts TO be placed on American stat
ute books was the apple barrel law
enacted two years ago.
a law which establishes standard
barrel for all dry commodities is now
pending in the house OF representa-.
tives after having passed the senate.
The bill was introduced in the senate
by Senator John w Weeks, OF Massa-
chusetts. and in the house by Rep.
William r futile OF New Jersey II
fixes a compulsory standard barrel
measure Tor all dry commodities, and
prescribes a penalty for the use OF
any. other barrel 1t Is generally ad.
mitted that there is no doubt about
the constitutionality of the pending
law, because ample authority is given
congress providing for the fixing OF
standards OF weights and measures.
The need for standard sized bar.
rel IS urged by weights and measures
experts in all parts of the country and
By commission merchants and pur.
chasers OF food products and other
dry commodities which are shipped
in barrels At the present time a
number OF states have barrel measure
laws These laws are not uniform,
and in some cases a short barrel of
100 quarts or less has been adopted
Virginia, for instance, has adopted a
short barrel standard and when her
products are shipped 10 New York or
TO other markets the purchase is al
ways bewildered in trying 10 find out
whether he Is buying full or short
measure Speaking OF the needs OF a
standard barrel law, L. A. Fischer,