The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-02-02
PEOPLES FORUM
ANENT BURTNESS BILL
Washington, ID. c.,
February I. 1927.

Editor Tribune:
! am very DESTROYS that theNorth-
west generally consider during the
next few months the merits of the
bill which have recently introduced
providing for the licensing and cs-
tablishing Of laboratories for making
determinations Of the content of pro-
tcin in wheat and Of oil in flax with
view that If the proposals are found
merit0rious concerted drive be
made to secure enactment thereof at
the next session Of Congress. The
bill is H..R. 1916.
Our people generally are thor
oughly familiar with the Importance
Of marketing our hard spring wheat
upon its protein content. Private
and some state laboratories have
been established for the determina-
ton Of such content. Some dissatis-
faction and confSsion has arisen
among farmers, farmers elevator
companies and others due.to the fact
that various, ,laboratorie1 have at
times reported different, Conclusions
on what was presumably similar sam
pies Of grain. My investigation leads
me to believe that this has been
caused in part by the fact that the
samples may have been treated some-
what differently before the test has
been made and by the fact that the
solution used by the various chem
lists may not have been identical.
There Is now no final tribunal to
tween buyers and sellers Of wheat as
to protein content. s
Briefly my, bill provides. that the
Department Of Agriculture shall IL
copse persons shown competent to
make such tests under rules and reg
.ulations to be established by the De-
partment. The various laboratories
would then. become agencies Of the
Federal Government in the same
sense that federal inspectors Of grain
are agencies thereof. The tests
would be uniform. made pursuant to
similar regulations. all over the coun-
try. These tests would be made at
the expense of the person requiring
them, so the only expense to the Fed
eral Government in connection with
the initial test would be that Of pro-
viding for the licensing system.
The bill further pro sidss for ap-
peals somewhat similar to appeals
from decisions Of grain inspectors.
to enable the department to pass on
such appeals the bill authorizes the
Department Of Agriculture to estab-
fish and maintain testing laboratories
at such points ~ may be deemed
necessary for the purpose Of making
such determinations. "A reasonable
fee would be collected 70 reach ap-
peal and it Is believed that such fees
would cover the cost Of operating the
laboratories: Initial appropriations
would b needed for equipment and
other expense connected with the es.
tablishment thereof. The decision on
appeal would become final and
conclusive one upon which all parties
could rely, and tho certificate issued
on such appeai u made admissible in
the courts Is prima facie evidence 81
the protein content.
The question Of determining the
amount Of oil In flax may prove to
be Of grentsr Importance 70 the pro-
Queer Of flax than the .question uf
protein In wheat 4s to the producer
Of that grain. The former eoes 10
the question Of quantity of the de-
sired product sold while the latter
rather involves the quality OF the
product. This matter, however, has
ut sheEet0fqre bssn giyaa ssnerai
considerati Hon. - st6WG N0YthWest.
! fhd that N average oil content
Of Northwestern flax IN the sversgs