The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-12-12
THE TUGWELL BILL

Manufacturers of foods, drugs ana cos
,oatics throughout the country, are up IN
arms. in opposition to the Tugwell, otnef-
wise Senate Bill 1914, sponsored anC sup
ported bv Prof Tugwell, assistant Secre-
tary of Agriculture. The bill, If passed IN
it's. proposed form, will give autocratlc
power to the Secretary of Agriculture or
some person designated by him. 1t will ere
ate a one man dictatorship in the business
of manufacturing and advertising foods,
drugs and cosmetics. In the enforcement
of the law the Secretary of Agriculture, o.
his appointee, would act as prosecuting at
torney, jury and Judge, and a citizen con-
victed under the law would have no appeal
to. the courts for trial of his case or for re-
dress.
This law is so written that no manufac-
timer or advertiser, no matter how honest
or intelligent, would feel safe in carrying
on business under it. A manufacturer or
merchant might be made the victim Of the
malice of competitor or enemy and his
business destroyed by the arbitrary ruling
of an appointed government official or his
subordinate The law would not apply
definite rules to the manufacturing and
advertising of commodities in the lines
named, but is so indefinite as to make anv
Interpretation placed upon it by the Secre-
tary of Agriculture, or his appOintee, the
law of the country; and under that law
any manufacturer producing foods, drugs
or cosmetics, or any merchant selling these
lines and advertising them, could be put
out of business by the whim of a bureau
crat in Washington, who would not be re-
sponsible in any way to the people or the
laws of the country.
Prof Tugwell's plea in support of this
proposed law is, of course, that he wants
to protect the public from the Vaccinations
of the dirty crooks who are engaged IN
manufacturing foods, drugs and cosmetics.
1t is not on record as to whether Prof. Tug
we'll takes the position that all these manu-
facturerS are crooks or admits that some
of them are honest citizens. 1t is certain
that some of them are crooks The public
knows that. But the public has the idea
that what is known as the pure Foods and
Drugs Act" of the United States is rather
drastic measure that is still operating
throughout the country; and the public
cannot understand why this law fails to fill
the BILL or if it does, why it cannot be
amended in necessary particulars to make
it effective.
The public would like to hear Prof. Tug
we'll on the subject of setting aside the
Constitution and statutes of the country,
and giving autOcratic authority to a mere
appOintee of the President, or an appointee
of an appointee. Granting that what Prof.
Tugwell proposes is in the public's inter-
est, and is necessary to the welfare of the
country, why not embody the principles of
the proposal in statute subject to review
by the courts and under which a citizen
against. whom charges are preferred can
have access to the courts? Shall the right
of trial by jury and appeal to the courts BIZ
abrogated by giving the power of life ant
death over large section of the business
of the country into the keeping of politi
cal appointee who is not responsible to tn
courts?
The proposal looks like one of hundred
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