Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-03-29
Both Producers and Consumers Prof
it Through Protection Which Many
New Acts Make Possible. Nation
wide Common Language" Stand
ards Now.
Written Specially for The Leader
An Interview With
HENRY c. WALLACE
Secretary of Agriculture
OONICtdIy OI 115 TICuItUIt
(Through AutOCaster Service)

CThrough Autocaster Service)
WASHINGTON, D. c., March %
-"Ordinarily, regulation carries the
idea OF some sort of police work. In
the regulatory work of the Depart
mGpt OF Agriculture, the term has
much broader meaning. 1t seeks not
on ly to punish the offender, but to
bring about better practices. 1t stands
as the friend of better business meth
DDS. Unlike most kinds of regulation,
that of the Agricultural Department
requires the highest scientific knowl-
edge. The regulatory work grew out
of research work.
In this manner Secretary Wallace
briefly outlined the policy behind the
regulatory work OF the department
From small beginning the number OF
laws administered by this branch of
the Government has steadily grown
from year to year until it now consti-
tutes one Of the important lines of
work.
A close study of thu different
regulatory activities shows that lit
gets the various groups together on
terms of equality. In some in
stances, it gives to the different
groups what might be called a com
mon language" This is so in the
establishment of standards such as
under the Grain Standards Act.
When the Department took hold of
the work each section of the country
had its own grain standards which
meant nothing to the average man
IN another section. (There were as
may grain grades as there are dia-
lccts in China.) After exhaustive
fund. A permanent prosperous bust
grades was drawn up, giving each
name that would he common through
out the country 1t prescribed the re-
quirements that grain would have to
meet in order to be put into commerce
as grain of that particular grade. For
instance, the requirements for No.
wheat were to be the same the coun-
try over, and man lin Nebraska
would be speaking common lang
uage with man in New York when he
spoke of No. l grade and the buyer
would know just what he was buy
ing.
Through the administration of the
Food and Drugs Act by the Bureau
OF Chemistry, the food industry is
or a higher plane than ever before.
Most manufacturers of food en-
deavor to put out good product
1T is good business to do so, they
fond. A permanent. prosperous bust
ness cannot be built upon sophisti
cation and fa1sehood," saws Secr~-
tary Wallace,
A survey of any butcher shop re-
veals evidences of the regulatory
work of the Department. One OF
these is the little purple stamp of
the meat inspector which reads, "U.
). Inspected and Passed. It is the
evidence that the meat is from a
healthy animal and was prepared in
a sanitary slaughter house and that
II is wholesome for human consump-
ton
The most recent regulatory of the
Department is the Packers and Stock
yards Act. This act brings under the
supervision Of the Department the
packing business, the important stock
wards, and the commission men, order
buyers, and others engaged in the live
stock business. 1t was through the
administration Of this law that lSecre-
tary Wallace recently issued com
plant against the proposed merger OF
the Armour and Morris meat packing
companies.
The major agricultural crops of the
country are guarded against diseases
and insects. This work is performed
by the Federal Horticultural Board.
The Secretary has wide authority in
laying down regulations to protect your
agricultural crops against pests and
diseases in this country and against
the entry of others from foreign coun-
tries.
Through the Insecticide and Fun
cicide Board the Department sees
that no fake remedies enter into in
terstate commerce. Samples of in
secticides and fungicides are gather
ed by the Board and carefully analv
zed and tested by skillful chemists.
Among the activities of the De-
partp1"nt, which have a humane fea-
tur. as their primary object. is the
e hour law. This is designed to
prevent cruelty TO cattle, sheep,
SWINE. and other animals while in
interstate commtrS, The DEPART
mcnt IS also charged with the task
Ct preventing the spread of animal
diseases. In this it regulates the
movements Of domestic animals in in
terstate and foreign commerce
Under treaty with Great Britain,
the United States is obligated. to-
gcther with Canada, to protect i'm
igrating between the two countries.
Among other important laws admin
ministered by the Department may
be mentioned the Virus Serum Toxin
Act, the Warehouse Act, and other
acts governing the importation of
hides and skins, the importation of
cattle, sheep and other animals, seed
importation, and process or renovated
butter.