The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-03-23
From Other
Editorial Pages
THE TAX ON OLEO-
MARGARINS.

true meaning OF food problems and
foreu nderyalued factors in the ra-
tioning OF the American people.
to the magnitude OF many hereto
The growing scarcity OF milk has
dawned on us along with a pro-
founder realization OF the indispen-
stability OF certain quota OF milk
in the daily diet OF children. In ad-
dition to what may be termed a
physiological requirement in the
case OF the adolescent, culinary GUS
toms have created a further demand
for milk, which plays part in mod
ern cookery in almost innumerable
ways Without milk in the kitchen,
the American housewife would be
confronted with unanticipated dif-
ficulties in the technic of food prep
aration. For this reason the dairy
man is urged to speed up the pro-
duction OF milk, the housewife, on
the other hand, is warned to be con-
servatiye in the use OF a food com
modify on which our children
should have first claim.
The use OF butter. which has un-
questionably grown in popularity in
this country in recent years until
the per capita consumption approx
mates nearly an ounce a day, is
closely bound up with the problems
OF milk supply. 1t requires many
quarts OF milk to produce a pound
OF butter, and so long as skim milk,
which is the chief by-product in the
manufacture Of butter, remains so
greatly undervalued in human
dietary practice, it may truly be said
that butter making diverts enor-
nous quantities OF milk into chan
nels in which all OF its nutrients eX-
cept the fats are lost for human con-
sumption. The need OF fats in the
dietary is beyond dispute. To de-
priye any nation OF a reasonable
quota OF edible fats is to institute
a national calamity OF the direst sort
No one will gainsay that butter has
won a deserved place OF excellence
in the dietary OF man. The ineXora-
bic law OF supply and demand has
increased the price OF butter to a
point at which its cost is almost
prohibitive for the poorer classes;
and incidentally the high price
serves to divert more milk than
ever before into the churning room.
Guided by the experience OF other
countries, as we'll as by the COM
mon sense OF which science is mere
ly an organized expression, Amer
lean housewives have long since
learned that there is no monopoly
OF usefulness pertaining to any one
OF a considerable number OF fats OF
both vegetable and animal origin.
Technology furnished successful
means OF varying the texture OF nat
urally occurring fats 50 that desired
or supposedly advantageous degrees
OF hardness or softnesS could be Sc
cured. The history of these endeav-
story OF the technical pro-
duction OF butter substitutes and
so-called artificial buffers, oleomar-
garins, hydrogenated fats, etc
need not be reviewed here. 1t in
cludes chapters OF bitter contro-
versies that have lost their early
through the demonstra-
ton, repeatedly verified, that these
newer types of fats are alike digesti-
bic and wholesome, and that today
they reach the markets in excellent
sanitary condition. The sale OF many
edible fat mixtures has, however,
been so greatly hampered by legal
restrictions that the public has had
little opportunity or inducement to
become acquainted with the newer
food possibilities.
The national and international sit
uation as regards edible fats and but
ter in particular has forced attention
to the hiterto deprecated products
until candor compels an honest in
yestigaton OF the merits and effects
OF the legislation at present in force,
The modern oleomargarin laws date
from 1886, when oleo oils, lard and
cottonseed oils alone competed to
any extent for recognition as butter
substitutes. At present this list IS
by increased production
of peanut oil, copra and cocoanut
oils, SOY bean oil, maize oil and high
" refined cottonseed oil. These lend
to a great variety OF
combinations and transformations
to produce edible fats. The govern
ment imposes large tax on dealers
and manufacturers OF oleomargarin,
with large fines for failure to com
ply with the legal restrictions. Col
ored oleamargarin pays tax OF III
cents a pound; the uncolored lat
pays quarter cent. Butter Is
colored to initiate the golden yellow
shade OF the summer variety at all
times of the year without any in
terierence by an almost prohibitory
tax on a much desired food.
The New York Times, comment
ing on the obvious unfairness OF the
present situation, stated editorially
not long ago:
The only imaginable reason why
even the white oleomargarin that
next to nobody will buy is taxed and
can be sold only under an elaborate
system of licenses, and why, ii it be
colored exactly as is all except a
very little Of the very best butter
and so made largely salable, the
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