Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-20
BEVERAGE S|RUPS
UNDER i. S. TEST
Government Turns Attention
to Industry With View
to Regulation.
BY JOHN y. SINCLAIR.


NEW YORK, August 20.-The United
States Government does not use highly
! inflammable hydrogen in its dirigtbles,
but heliun, which Is non-indanmable
Before the war, heliun, produced in the
laboratory, cost about $4,000 q cubic
foot.
Now helium bearing gases have been
found in Texas in sufficient quantities
for large-scale production. AS result
production costs have been brought
down to approximately 2 cents a cubic
foot.
The Government has established
helium plant at Soncy, near Amarillo,
Tex. This plant produced in July 648,-
600 cubic feet of helium Of an average
purity OF approximately xi,n Iy. 81 per cent nI;
thought that helium can be produced
for $22 per thousand cubic feet. This
Is the lowest cost yet recorded.
At the Fort Worth Plant In 1925
helium cost $34 a thousand produced.
So the largest figures show that a saw
ing Of about $4,000 In the helium re-
quired for O single filling Of the Los
Angeles will be effected.
No other nation has found this gas
in sufiicient quantities to manufacture.
It Is extracted from natural gas having
an average helium content OF about ia
per cent. Helium, being non -indam-
mable. one can light match inside the
gas balloon without danger. On the
Graf Zeppelin 1t is forbidden.
Losses from fire in the cities are
growing, although more money is be-
ing spent each year per capita Tor nre
department equipment and personnel,
and fire insurance companies Coop
crate in a much more practical way
than 10 years ago.
Last month the estimated loss In
the United States and Canada was
$31 ,528, 900. This compares with $l1,-
LOG 900 the previous July, an increase
Of more than 80 per cent.
Insurance companies are disturbed,
for the figures show a serious trend.
Two factors responsible, in part. are
the unusually dry condition through
out the United States and Canada dur.
ing June and July, and carelessness OF
some industrial plants in disposing OF
their waste.
The present loss record not only sur
passes that of last year, but Is almost
on a par with the extremely bad record
Of 1927. Seven months loss, to August
/, in 1929. Is $i95, 100000.
Several insurance companies, puzzled
by the situation. have started surveys
in different sections to find the exact
causes back Of the increase.
The United states Government.
through the Department Of Agriculture,
is busy Analysing the beverage industry.
So far there has been no Standardiza.
ton except by the large corporations,
In handling their own products.
Beverage sirups and concentrates,
which form the basis of bottled bev-
erages. constitute the large share OF
interstate trafic in these products.
Meet ~ tha h0ttlad driy,ks are nre.
pared for distribution locally. State
control inspection is often weak, and
local food officials slack. Ginger ale,
near-beer and certain fruit juices are
the exception.
Government investigation has re-
vealed that many so-called fruit bev-
erages contain little fruit juice. Many
Of them contain synthetic havors which
add acid and artificial color without
taking the trouble to label them prop
erly, as required under the Federal law.
/ Bottled grape juice is made in New
York, Ohio, Michigan. Arkansas, Mis-
souri, and on the Pacific Coast. Cherry
juice is produced in a small way at GER
tain canneries in the Middle West from
pitting machines. Citrus fruit juices
come from California and Florida.
Pure fruit juices are more expensive
than those comprised wholly or in part
Of synthetic substances" say the food
and drug officials. LAS such they can
not compete on an equal basis with syn
thetic products, when these are incor-
rectly labeled"
So the United States Federal officials
aim to protect the consumer by having
the products correctly labeled.
Prof. E. L. Rhoades, University of
Chicago. does not believe the outlook
for the independent retail meat dealers
in their competition with chain stores
Is as dark as often painted.
There are probably from 10000 to
10000 meat markets now operated by
chain grocery companies" he said.
About 1000 belong to straight meat
chains"
In the United States as a whole there
are about 100000 complete meat mar
kets So 10 to Is per cent belong to
chains.
Prof. Rhoades has just completed a
study Of the question and believes indie
pendentS can succeed against the keen
est kind Of chain competition. But they
must adopt many Of the practices in
use by the chains-an attractive front,
well classified stock easy to get at and
the use of leaders" The value of CO.
operative enterprise on the part Of in
dependent dealers also is, stressed.
Appeals to Legislatures and to courts
to protect the old, disorganized system,
with its jealousies, misunderstanding
and lneficiencies. are likely to fall on
deaf ears" says Prof Rhoades. The
language of organized retailers must be
economic language, of goods and serv-
ice, not legislative oratories of public
recrimination.''
Thousands Of organized" independ-
ents will agree.
copyright, 1929, by North American News
paper Alliance)