The Detroit times., 1915-11-12

all friends Of pure food. food ON
cials. and food interests! Awake
and grid on your armors and train
yourselves for eternal vigilance. The
clouds are gathering and trade
nshts are on. The reactionary In
terests are thirsting to see q return
to the conditions that exised prior
to the passage and enforcement OF
the National Food Law. The pure
food interests may slumber and lose
q beat on watch. but the reactionary
interests, never. Thus must we pre-
pare ourselves for . light In order
not 10 lose what we have gained.
The food law 10 good Law the
way II stands and while II 10 largely
q labelling law, II Ia being enforced
by our officials together with the aid
Of the food industry itself to protect
the people. Any amendment to this
important law should be offered by
true friends TO the cause and not by
the reactionaries who would set
back the clock OF modernism. II Is
up to the friends Of pure food and
not It's enemies to guard against any
weakening Of the law. Make II. your
duty, American citizen. to study the
law az II now stands and make up
your mind as TO needed amendments
to the law. Under our present en-
forcement of the food law and or
our various state laws by our able
food officials. together with the aid
of the great legitimate food industry
we are being protected against giar-
ing food frauds. But signs show
that we are about TO fight the great
fgh. all over again.
All over the country we see EVIL
dences OF the renewed struggle; in
dications are that II will be more
bitterly fought than the former great
contest which extended over q
period of 20 years and culminaed In
the enactment of the National Food
Law
The opposing sides are known In
the trade as the "Legitimates." and
the "Reactionsries." The former
are the manufacturers OF pure foods
who would force all other manufac-
turers TO observe the same strict
regulations that govern their meth
DDS so as to do away with the unfair
competition. TIE "Reao tionaries'
are the makers of adulterated foods
who are trying to break down all
the food regulations, bring about a
return 10 conditions that existed be-
fore the National Food Law was
enacted and the government stepped
in TO call halt on the wholesale
pollution Of the country's food sup
ply. The present conflict is much
like the former. IL hinges mainly on
the employment Of chemical preserv-
atives and coloring., and the use OF
ethereal favors. But there are
many new bones OF contention. as
for instance egg albumen In baking
powders, and several new kinds OF
chemical adultcrants.
The consuming public. which Ii
most vitality concerned. is not being
called into the conflict as formerly,
the present struggle being mainly
between the great manufacturing In.
terests. Therefore. the people are
largely in the dark as to the facts
and are liable to be made innocent
victims OF tho varying fortunes OF
the war unless they are more on the
alert
With which side will You ally
yourself? There are certain amend
ments, which. fatbered and put
through by pure food patriots would
make the task OF protecting our
food supply easier
There are also. an experience
teaches us. Jokers in all food legisla-
ton. Cunning attempts 20 weaken
the law may succeed in the forth
coming legisla lion as they have sue.
ceeded in the past. Therefore the
watchword is; Awake and man the
watch towers, all friends Of pure
food Do not let the enemy In the
shape OF the reactionary interests
steal a march on you.
Give careful study to the follow
ing questions OF probable amend
ments to the food law and having
decided in your own mind what you
desire 70 see carried through. deter
mine TO play no mean part in seeing
that these amendments are not de-
feated.
Shall the addition Of poisons anc
deleterious matter TO foods be abso-
lutely prohibited?
Shall provisions be made for ex-
tensive sanitary inspection OF foods
which enter into interstate COM
merce, extending the definition Of
adulteration to include foods manu-
featured. prepared, stored or trans
ported under unsanitary condt
lions?
Should an amendment be made
embodying proper legal standards?
Should IN amendment be made
preventing false advertisement as to
the quality Of foods or the thera-
peutic effect of medicines In news
papers or pamphlets AZ well as on
the label?
Should an amendment be made 10
as TO require that compounds, imita-