Evening star., 1943-08-26
Keech Studies
Bigger Fines
In Food Cases
SIS Is Maximum
For All Handlers
Except Restaurants
BY JOSEPH YOUNG.

regulations which permit grocers
bakers and food professors convicted
of health violations to escape with
maximum $25 fines was foreseen to-
day by Corporation Counsel Rich
mond B. Keech.
Although convicted restaurateurs
may be fined maximum $500 under
a new health regulations enacted
April /, 1942, the other food op-
orators are being prosecuted under
an act of 1871, which provides only
q maximum s25 penalty, The new
act covered only restaurants and
did not include other food handlers.
Mr.. Keechasaid that the inequities
In the fines are now being studied
by the District Regulations Com
n1ittee with view to making pos
sible recommendation to the Com
nissioners.
Covers Only Restaurants.
Assistant Corporation Counsel
Edward w. Thomas, who is in
charge of prosecution of health
cases in Municipal Court, said to-
day he called the attention of off,
cials on March 19 to the fact that
the new act covered only restau-
rants.
tInsanitary groceries, bakeries
and other food handlers are poten-
TALLY 10 times a greater menace
than unclean restaurants" Mr..
Thomas said. He declared that the
purchase of food in a grocery or
bakery might menace the health of
an entire family il insanitary con-
ditions existed in the store.
Besides groceries and bakeries.
other establishments included in the
old act are bottling plants and food
Gamers.
THE prevalence of reaches and
rats and other filth in many stores
is grave menace to the health of
the community" Mr.. Thomas said.
He added that only in the case of
stores selling decomposed meats can
they be assessed higher fines under
the Wholesome Food Act.
Other Dangers Cited.
Mr.. Thomas pointed out, however.
that the danger of unwholesome
food did not especially come from
decomposed food which usually can
be discerned by the customer, but
from foods exposed to rats, insects
and general filth.
cAnd in these cases people NAV
become i'll and never know the
cause" he said.
Health Officer George C. Rhuland,
when informed of the present regu-
lations, declared.
Il can see no reason why food
operators, no matter what their type
of business, should not face the
same penalties if convicted on
health violation charges"
The policy of S25 fines for con-
victions on health violation charges
was continued in Municipal Court
yesterday with the conviction of
two grocers and one restaurateur on
charges of maintaining insanitary
conditions. Three other defendants
forfeited collateral of $25 and $50
when they failed to appear for trial.
Meanwhile, it was indicated that
decisions in the cases of the first
group of restaurant owners called
before the District License Revoca-
tion Board to defend their right
to continue in business will be given
sometime next week
John O'Dea. board chairman. said
the plan was to hear all of the first
nine cases before adopting recon-
mendations to be sent to the Com
missioners. So far the board has
heard testimony in six cases in
which the Health Department rec
commended license revocations.
One other case is scheduled for
hearing at pm. tomorrow, and
the last two cases on the present
docket Of the board are to be con-
sidered Monday.
Judge Assesses Fines.
Food operators fined in Num-
cipal Court yesterday by Judge
John P. Mcmahon and the charges
were: Stokes Jones, 1901 Seventh
street Sc, restaurant, dirty uten-
sils, shelves, counters, exposed food.
box OF mixed trash and garbage
under counter, no garbage con-
tainers, premises infested with rats
and vermin."
Austin Fraley, Farmer Market,
Fifth and Neal streets NE, "sau-
sage in case with dead flies on
casing and flies on smoked meat
In box"
Harry Fischer, 1869 C street NE,
grocery, glass broken in door of
meat case, rat feces on shelves and
floors of store. with evidence of
rats eating stock on shelves; dirty
case, fish and meat in ice cream
cabinet decomposed meat in meat
grinder"
Bakery Operator Forfeits.
Those forfeiting were: Paul C.
Corcoran. lot F street NV, bakery.
s25 collateral; reaches about
wrapping machines and walls in
bread wrapping room, many
reaches, cakes and cookies on
floors, broken windows, dirty seal
ing machine"
Willis Kicks, 460 P street NV.
restaurant. s25 collateral; dirty
drinking utensils"
1saodre Feldman, 3400 o street
NV, grocery, $50 collateral; de
composed meat on slicing machine
guard, reaches, ham green and
moldy, sausage and liver unfit for
human consumption, dirty meat
block, rear floor infested with
rats"
F.lI T.l