The Washington herald., 1918-05-27
ANOTHER BEEF
SCANDAL MAY
Be IMMINENT
Federal Trade Commission
Accuses Two Big Chi
cago Packers.
CAMP TRAVIS INVOLVED
CAMP TRAVIS INVOLVED
Hoover Says the Law Gives
Only Moral Power
Over Pro6teers.

Charges that beef unit for human
consumption" has been sold to the
United states troops in Texas by
Wilson & Company and Morris &
Company. two Of the largest packers
in the country. were made today by
the Federal Trade Commission.
More than 10000 pounds of meat
shipped to Camp Travis, Texas. has
been destroyed, by order Of the
Food Administration. This was all
fresh beef. shipped in refrigerator
cars and supposedly in good condi-
tion. Twenty-six carloads have
been condemned in various sections
of the country within the last few
weeks. according to Herbert Hoover
the Food Administrator.
No full prosecutions have result
ed: no licenses have been revoked.
Prosecution undertaken by the
Texas authorities failed because the
action was brought under a section
of the Food Law that provides no
penalties and makes IL incumben mt
upon the government to prove will
full waste or destruction. The Fed
eral Trade Commission, having no
criminal power. now can obtain only
a moral conviction" IL its action is
successful.
Hoover Orders Inquiry.
Mr.. Hoover announced yesterday
that he had ordered an immediate
survey of the entire case by z. A.
Peden. the Texas administrator. He
expects a report on Tuesday.
While all the meats were fresh and
not OF the 'embalmed beef" variety
that caused such q scandal I'm the
Spanish-American war, the announce
ment by the Federal Trade Commits
sion yesterday is the first open official
hint that soldiers of the army were
getting inferior beef. The commits
sion's open charge reads:
Complaints have been issued by
the Federal Trade Commission MAX
ing the serious charge against Wilson
& Company and Morris & Company,
that they have sold and offered to sell
meat and other food products to the
government with the knowledge that
these products were to be used as
food for American soldiers, and that
these products were spoiled and 'un-
fit for human consumption
Much UNIT for Use.
Thousands of pounds of UNIT
meat were offered for sale to Camp
Travis. Texas, according to the in
formation on which the complaints
are based. Indictments were re-
turned against the two packing con-
Germs by a grand jury in the United
States District Court for the West
ern district of Texas, chaging vio-
1ation of the fourth section of the
food law. but these indictments fail
ed. 1t was found that no penalty
for violating this section of the food
law had been provided.
The Federal Trade Commission
has been informed that in addition
to spoiled and unfit beef, the Ma
tional Army cantonment at Camp
Travis was offered chickens for sale
which were unfit for human con-
sumption.
The commission has decided that
selling meat products carried with
it the implied representation that
such meats are wholesome and suit
able for such use"
Reports Months AGO.
Official Washington. having to 90
with the enforcement of the food
avs was SOIuc"Ildl lne dark YeS-
terday over the action Of the Federal
Trade Commission. Mr.. Hoover, when
asked whether the Federal Food Ad-
ministration had taken action in re-
gard to the situation, said that the
only thing that had come to them was
months ago. Then reports were re-
ceived that some of the beef going
into Texas was bad. The administra-
tion ordered about 1000 pounds de-
stroyed, because, from all the infor-
nation at hand, it had deteriorated
after it had been shipped to the
Southern camps
Mr.. Hoover said that as nearly as he
could analyZe the situation the trouble
seems to be that Texas has too
much beef" The anxiety of the army
to have supplies in a hurry, the diff
culties of transportation and the more
important and increasing problems of
icing and refrigeration in Texas,
played their parts.
Cold Storage Taxed.
Thousands of pounds of beef, all
fresh. was moved by the shortest
routes. When this large quantity
arrived. the cold storage houses
were taxed to their limit and many
of the refrigeration cars were COM
PEELED to stand on sidings. The
icing and refrigeration facilities
were overtaxed. with the result that
some OF the beef spoiled. 1t was all
fresh meat: no canned beef was
shipped. Mr.. Hoover said further
that the railroad time schedules had
been slowed up in the southwest as
the result of the general rail difficul-
ties. and this also had increased
the burden Of moving the refrigera-
uon cars as fast as desired.
subsequent to the action of the
Food Administration in ordering the !
spoiled beef destroyed. the Texas !
began prosecution under I
section four of the. Food Laws. |
which provided:
Penalties In Law.
That II is made unlawful for
any person wilfully to destroy any
caEies for the purpose Of en-
ng the price or restricting the
ap9+y thereof; knowingly to com
init waste or wilfully to permit
oosr1suzD on rAas rwo