AMERICAN BEEF IN BRITAIN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 146, 14 March 1908, Page 3

AMERICAN BEEF IN BRITAIN.

• NEW REVELATIONS. ' WHAT THE BRITISH WORKER • EATS, i Horo is a nice little sensation in American - heef, 'according to the London' correspondent ; of the Melbourne " Age "• , " While' the War OlSce continues to show a preference for American 'meat, and leaves -• Australian tenderers; (as the Victorian' Agent- : General pointed out' to Mr. Haldane re-; • cently), at-, a; disadvantage by making con 1 tracts in unnecessary hurry, Mr. John Burns, in ; another f dspartriient, is proposing to ihtroduco' further ' restrictive regulations . specially designed for the protection of the . general consumer . in this; country against tho Cheaper AmericaiL.supplies. As a -pro- ' liminary' to this action ;he publishes 'a. re- • port- prepared 'by .one of his inspectors, Dr; G. Sj; Buchanan,who has been collecting /,■ data ;on the subject' during; the last three ' years.\ i ; '- ; ■> "l)r. Buchanan shows that no reliance can ' be. placed upon.,the 'American inspection of . boneless -beef, .pork- in ■ pieces, tongues, kidr' neys, and. sausage meat, which; find a. ready sale in the working class districts." The boneless beef is l a by-product of the canning factories—from which ' tlie .British army is 1 . supplied—and therefore comes' at best . from inferior carcases. '; : 'lt :is one of the ' ' characteristics' of >' chucks,' as" th'ey ' are called,; that they go bad soon ' after thoy , are allowed- to thaw. The British working man makes their acquaintance in sausages; .' pies,and collops. Dr. Buchanan has been,so • disturbed ;■ by ■ what' he ; has seen ; that lie '- would prohibit- tho importation of boneless, scrap jneati' He, recommends'that pork ' should bo admittcd only: in. wholo carcases,'.which • can .be properly inspected in ' England; otie '.class of imported pork" may; . consistently' with ' Atnerican ■ moat inspection . regulations, have" been derived from' tubercu- , lous; animals.' f Arid :it appears • that other kinds jof cheap''American meat sent over , to ' test', tho' iron British digestion are 'heavily . dosed' -mth 1 boron' and similar piresorvatives. • '. . • . ;•" The ; American meat; packers have been ;;declaring ; fefvLMitly'-for some time that tlicir ■ . British customers'heed have, no further fear . of : boing iibisoricd;; Dr.' Bucharian is by no, ' means a,-,rabid;critic.' ;He. states that recent legislation'-'bis the -official ; staff*of 'ihsocctors, ,aiid extended, their super-' vision l to all-.parts of the packers', premises; On the-whole,"-he'thinks'the British public have 'deriyed benefit from /this ,show • of But^his'own" reservatidhs as to -. meat sont er '-.iii''pieces would.. seem ■to • indicate that the army of liow inspectors' . are exigent on their part would 'be roadily < detected.,,. Thus there rei mains the- old suspicion' that ' 4 tho inspection is not intended to'bo thorough—that it'is only :meant i.s,a demonstration calculated to restoro'public confidence."* ''; -. Mr/Upton Sinclair assisted 'in making an investigation at ' the Chicago stockyards only last, summer, 'when - ho - says ■ the -'conditions - . wero .very -?<ad indeed. /His latest.statement, supplied to / ,the ."Daily Telegraph," is as follows:—|L recently ; submitted.' an outline ; of; the : 'discoveries- we made to President Ro.osevelt, but he did not, care to follow the " matter; up.'rAll 'the reports which come to me .from 'working..men and others- in Chicago; indicate that- the whitewash >which was put upon tho )v'alls of, tho Chicago meat factories a orHv'o :ago-is now worn'off, and I greatly wish, that some English; newspaper", which has..no.; motive -for:tsuppressing the help >the American people by an ! investigation.-. There-is' ho power at present ; existing.in the ,; United S States"/ capable of .- : controlling a monopoly-so'ruthless and des- ' , potic;-.as ,ihe Beef Trust. I do not'believe '■ • that/either-.America'or'Europe will be safe ] from-.:diseased meat while . tho Beef Trust , continues to exist," -J I