The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1921-02-14
NEGRO SURPRISES WAYS
AND MEANS COMMITTEE
On knowledge Of Peanuts and
Their Products

testimony before the ways ane
means committee during the hear
ings on the tariff at this session wa!
given a few days ago by George w
Carver, professor Of Tuskegee In
stitute, Ala, in behalf Of the peanut
with incidental observations on the
sweet potato.
Carver is a colored man. To say
that he made the ways and means
committee "sit up and take notice
is to put it mildly. He showed in a
few minutes that he probably kne"
more abou the peanut and its pos
sibilities than anybody else in the
world.
President P. D. Balm of the United
Peanut Associations and other per-
sons engaged in the various peanut
industries, had made their state
ments to the committee showing
why a tariff duty of cents pound
on peanuts is asked in the perma-
nent tariff bill now being formula
ted. Chairman Fordney said that the
committee had been asked to hear
Carver.
When the latter took the stand
the chairman addressed him in this
"hurry up" fashion:
GAIL right; we will give you ten
minutes"
When the witness had talked for
ten minutes the chairman voluntari-
ly said :'"Go ahead; your time is un-
limited"
Starting off with the proposition
thai the peanut and the sweet pota-
to constitute together "a perfectly
balanced ration" for humanity, and
that if all the other vegetable food
stuffs were destroyed all the nutri-
ment in them could be supplied with
these two products of the soil, the
Tuskegee specialist proceeded to as
tonish the committee and the specta
tors by exhibiting peanut deriva-
tiyes which thew had never dreamed
of. For instances:
Carver: /" A short time ago we
found how to extract milk from pea
nuts. Here is a bottle of peanut
milk. 1t is absolutely impossible to
tell that from cows milk in looks; +;
the cream rises on it the same as on
cows milk, and in fact it has much
the same composition. This speci-
men is made especially for ice
cream making. 1t makes the most
delicious ice cream that I have ever
eaten."-
Congressman Carew: 'How does
it 60 in a punch?"
Carver. "Well, I will show you
some punches" (Laughter.) "Here
is one with orange and here is one
with lemon, and here is one with
cherry"
Carew: "Do these violate the
Volstead law?"
Carver: ''No sir. l heard some
one ask what kind of a box this is.
1t is Pandora's box I guess; it nev-
er gets empty. Here is bottle Of
buttermilk, very rich in fats and
very delightful"
Congressman Hawley: "Is that
made from the peanut"
Carver: "Made from the peanut
milk; yes, sir. And here is another
very attractive product of the pea
nut-an instant coffee. And this is
bottle of Worcestershire sauce
from peanutts.'
Chairman Fordney here called for
order in the committeeroom. Com
mitteemen and spectators were all
amused as we'll as interestd. They
wondered what was coming next. 1t
is safe to say that the committee
will never think of the peanut here
after as small proposition.
Carver, (proceeding): Snow, the
peanut milk has about the same
amount of curds that cows milk has
and the curds can be taken out and
made into the various fancy cheeses
such as the Neufchatel and Edam.
Now, this is pomade-a face
cream, just as soft and just as fine
as the famous almond cream and it