New Britain herald., 1925-06-22
IS OFTEN
 CHEATED ON MEAT
Misleading Ads and Short
 Weight Reported in Survey
INSANITARY MARKETS, TOO

New Haven Listed Among Cities In-
 spected-Foreigners Owning Mar
 kets Worst Offenders Against
 Sanitary Code, Statement Says
 Washington, June 22 P--The need of better sanitary practices in the meat industry and the elimina- ton of misleading advertising were urged by the department of agri- culture today in a report covering the study of conditions in a score of cities.
 A greater knowledge of funda- mental business principles is needed, the report said, and elimination of unwarranted competition was rec- commended.
 While the investigators found most cities had adequate sanitary regulations for retail food distribu- ton, they said few had effective enforcement.
 Good Methods Needed
 Cities named as examples where sanitary methods were lacking" were New Orleans, Birmingham, Oklahoma City. Baltimore. Wash- ington, Chicago and Detroit.
 While efficient, practical and progressive dealers take pride in following sanitary practices" the report said. there are many in the industry who have little or no re- gard for sanitation in any form. These dealers hamper effective ad- ministration of existing sanitary regulations and use every means in their power to eyade the law.
 Foreigners Are Worst
 "The greatest offenders in this re- spect are foreigners or those of re- cent foreign descent who are slow to adopt modern methods. AS rule they have no conception of the value of strict sanitation and regard its forced application to their busi- ness as interference with rights.
 Tn every large city a percentage of retail meat dealers take adyan- tage. of consumers lack of knowl- edge of quality in meats to prac- tice every conceivable means of de- ceiving the public. Such dealers are known locally as cleanup men. In all their contacts with the public they stress exceptionally high aual- ity meats handled, yet limit their purchases to meats of the most in- ferior quality
 Misleading Ads
 "A term commonly used in adver-, tisements in local daily papers and displays is prime beef yet common and medium steer beef, COW beef, and in some cases bull beef is offered the unsuspecting public.
 Short weighing and over-charg- ing are also common practices with interruptions dealers, many of them requiring their clerks to make their weekly wage by such methods"
 AS an aid to more efficient retail ing. the department recommended comparisons of business practices and exchange of information within the trade. with retailers co-operat- ing more closely with local health authorities for better sanitary con- ditions. Education of consumers to recognize qualities and cuts of meat, the report said, will improve trade conditions by eliminating unwar- ranted competition among dealers handling different qualities of meat"
 Cities Surveyed
 The investigators in their study interviewed retail meat dealers. local and state representatives of retail associations, local health au- thorities and others. Included in the survey were: New Haven, Conn: New York city; Bingham ton, N. T.; Baltimore, Md; Wash ington, D. C.; Jacksonville. Fla: Birmingham. Ala; New Orleans. La; Oklahoma City, Okla; Cleve- land, Ohio: Detroit. Mich: Mime apolis, Minn,; Chicago. Ill; Lincoln. Neh.; Denver, Colo: Salt Lake city, Utah; Seattle, Washington; Port land, Oregon San Francisco, Oak land and Los Angeles, Cslif.