Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-09-06
FIGHT TO REDUCE LIVING COST
TAKES NEW TURN At
WASHINGTON.
CONGRESSMAN HAUoEN
~ AFTER TRADE DEcElvERs
Cartons and Cans Frequently Only
Partially Filied-Glass Bottles and
Containers So Constructed That They
Dsosive tho Eye az TO Sizo and Am.
cunt Of Contents.
tBy T.. @. Dougherty.l

false food containers, seen on every
grocery shelf, was struck In the fight
to reduce the high cost OF living when
Representative Haugen, OF Iowa. chair
man Of the house committee on agri-
culture, at the suggestion OF the de-
partment of agriculture, introduced his
bill in the house this week to amend
the pure food and drug act so as to
prevent false marking of food packages
and containers that are but half filled.
Acting Secretary of Agriculture
Marvin, who asked for the legislation,
informed Chairman Haugen that the
department was suggesting the amend
ments for the purpose OF reaching the
slack filled and. other forms of de-
ceptive food packages"
Chairman Haugen asserted that
every housewife has been deceived by
the manner In which certain food ar
tieles are bottled or otherwise en-
closed, and that he intended to press
the amendments for early passage on
the floor. The effect Of the amend
ments will be to prevent interstate
shipments Of deceptive packages.
Rotary Marvin wrote Chairman Hau-
gen. were based on, information de-
veloped by the department in the
course Of Its administration of the net
weight provisions of the food and drug
act. which shows that certain forms OF
package food, notably spice, condi-
ncnts. and cereals, are often market
ed in containers which are only half
filled: that certain canned foods con-
tain an excess Of liquid such as water
or syrups and deficiency Of food ma
terial. These deceptive packages af-
ford convenient vehicle for covert in
creases in the cost Of food articles to
the consumer"
Designed ., MisIead.
The first type of "slacker-filled
packages, it was shown, are those con-
tanning spices, pepper and other con-
diments. oatmeal. rice, macaroni and
like articles. These packages" ac-
cording to the statement Of the act
ing secretary. furnished Chairman
Haugen. 'aro partly filled with food,
In some instances to but one-third OF
their true capacity. They are designed
to mislead the consumer as to the
quantity Of food purchased and to ex-
act from him price based on the APP
parent. rather than, the true. quantity
of the article thus packaged."
The second type 10 that witch tends
to give the purchaser a false impress
sion az to Quantity, quality and size,
!. I'D or origin OF the food contained.
AS described by DR.. Ousley, these are:
"A tin container In the form of log
cabin for syrups other than pure ma
pie syrups designed to create the i'm
preston that tho content is pure ma
pie syrup without specifically making
false statement to fhis effect; bottles
with Inverted bottoms, designed to
falsely indicate greater quantity OF
food than Is actually present; bottles
made OF thickened glass for olives.
preserved whole cherries and straw
berries, especially designed to mag
nifty the size Of the individual olive or
fruit and to conceal. in the case Of the
olives. the interstices between each,
thus giving the consumer false in
dication both as to the quality and
amount Of the contents"
The amendments to the food act I'M
doubtedly will be passed by the house,
Chairman Haugen said, for there Is u
disposition among representatives to
ondeavor to pass legislation that Will
in any way decrease the cost OF living
and make necessities Of life cheaper to
procure by the ultimate consumer.
It was recalled today that this rnca-
sure introduced by Chairman Haugen
has similar ends to that which Repre-
sentative Sweet introduced which made
the wrapped meat package show the
net weight instead Of the gross weight,
which had the effect Of making the
consumer pay for paper wrappings as
well as the food content.