Evening star., 1916-04-30

storage meats SHppeu from tne sedteS'
Australia and Argentina. and to de-
pend. in part at least, on live stock
bought in nearby Central American
countries and slaughtered on the
isthmus. The new plan has proved
entirely successful and will be extend
can be removed from the selected
ranges.
In all. 10000 acres of land will be
set aside for the live stock operations
fort will be made for the present to
raise cattle. They viii be bought
young and held for growth and fatten-
ing.
What will be the food demands of
the crews of the endless procession Of
ships that will pass through the canal
when world trade returns to normal
cannot be even Appropriated. The
Canal Zone commissary is figuring
however, on a basis of 5000. 900 pounds
Of dressed beef annually for a starter.
What Is the likelihood of commu-
nicable diseases being transmitted
through the eating Of
Candy and candies?
This question has great
disease. ly Interested all food in
vestigators. including. specialists who
have carried on closely related food in
istry and the public health service.
Special interest has, therefore. been
taken by government food experts in
recent studies of E. H. Cummins, an in
dependent investigator, a report of
whose work has been published by the
Agricultural Department
NH I,
ingredients Of the most popular kind of
confection-those of the chocolate
covered sort. typical mixture of
chocolate, sugar and milk powder was
prepared. and after sterilization sam
pies were inoculated with cultures of
four different disease organisms to test
their powers of survival in the me-
dium. The samples We're stored at 6S
degrees Fahrenheit. the temperature
likely to exist in the average candy
shop.
At the same time experiments were
made to determine the nature of cas-
ual infection. These showed that in al
most every instance there were more
bacteria in hand dipped chocolates than
in those dipped by machine. These
studies also disclosed the fact that the
raw materials. especially chocolate, are
sources of bacteria.
From the culture experiments it ap-
peared that there is practically no dan
ger of whooping cough being trans
mitted by candies, for the organisms of
this disease survived in the sample
mixtures for only a few hours The
experiments also indicated that there is
but slight danger of the bacillus of tu-
berculosis being transmitted through
candies, though the experiments in this
regard were not considered wholly con-
elusive. Organisms of typhoid and
colon infections were both found to
survive bn the mixture for long periods,
and it was therefore concluded that
there is danger of such infections, IL
communicated to candies by workers
who are 'carriers.'i being transmitted
to consumers. The experiments are to
be carried further.
Uncle Sans statutes to discourag ge
the manufacture and sale of oleo-
margarine in the guise of butter, and
incidentally. to produce a bit of in
.ternal revenue pin-money, are giving
a strenuous time of it to the internal
revenue service of the Treasury De-
partment as well as to the Department
of Justice, which must seek to convict
dealers in FOOD fats who are relucta mt
to have their wares sold under their
own colors. So widespread is the at
tempt to eyade the oleomargHrine laws
that the commissioner of internal
revenue has reached the conclusion
that the theory of the o1eo legislation
is wrong; and he has made urgent
recommendations for sweeping changes
X
Ever since 1886 the government has
taken the stand that the sale of butter
substitutes without
Butter regulation. taxation
cA. or restriction is un-
S''A'uS' desirable. Since 1902
it has maintained that this is par
ticulariy true when itfis sought to de-
artificial compound is a simon pure
dairy product. For the past thirty
years. therefore. all oleomargarine has
been taxed. For the last fourteen years
the sort considered innocuous by the
government-that which is uncolored
and is frankly admitted to be an arti-
dcial compound-has been taxed only
one-quarter of l cent pound. That
which is colored any of the shades of
yellow of butter. on the other hand
has had tax of 10 cents pound
assessed against 1T.
It is this distinction which has caused
a host of troubles spfor the internal
revenue service; for there has been, in
effect. nine-and three quarter cents
premium on fraudulent classification
by manufacturers and dealers Much
NVioicu oicoHdERdTlne mas been sold
as butter for the evasion of all taxes,
and much has been represented to be
uncolored. Since 1902 as a conse-
quence, the government has been de-
frauded out of more than $4,000. 900
IN cases that have been discovered In
Iour cases alone the amount was nearly
$4,000, 900. -
Because the commissioner of inter-
nal revenue believes that the present
.aWs VIII continue to result in whole
sale frauds. he recommends that ALI
oleomargarine. colored and uncolored
De placed on the same footing and that
u all be taxed or cents a pound
He also would have repealed the pres
ent double license taxes on wholesale
and retail dealers in the colored and
uncolored artificial butter, ranging
from $3.50 to Sc. In place of these he
would have imposed only two fees
retailers
In addition to simplifying the en-
forcement of the law and removing
the chief stimulus toward fraud the
changes, the commissioner estimates
would add a considerable item to the
country's general income. The col
lections by the Treasury on account of
approximately $1,700.OO0. Under the
new scheme. 1t is estimated, the re-
ceipts from this source would be in
creased to between s4.500,000 and
s7,000,000.
Uncle Sam keeps close watch.
through his taxation machinery, on So
called adulterated butter and on reno
sources of revenue. however From
violations of the ten-cent-a-p pound tax
on aduHerated butter $4,000 was coll
lected last year All butter admitted