Document 50gMBN5wQOzqBp6waVp5Lrj8

KH' 000 8 4 8 7 N9726 News and Comment, Espedally ,'Bound About Cen trai Washington and The Great Northwest By RUFUS WOODS ~ -- 7-n-- r% '--- :-- In an article "In Our Own World" column the food and drug administration crowd was charged with needlessly wrecking or near wrecking an entire community over a residue which has never even injured anybody. It charged that j this group of attempted face- j j savers constitute the most con temptible of any in the entire government-- that it had never been able to substantiate its posi tion, that some of the gang came near, very near, paying personal damages for action brought against one legitimate concern in Wash ington. The comment further stated thaii they constitued a bunch of no-) gooders, that the U. S. Health Bureau's thorough study showed the absolute falsity of the f & d position, and the article suggested that the latter, as a group, ought to be. investigated by congress. ' Some correspondence has come , in on the subject which should be , of interest to all of us. L E tlE Il FROM CONGRESSMAN W HITE ^-- Jan. 10, 1942 shipped, and no one lias eve Editor, W enatchee Daily W orld: . been known to suffer from spra Thanks for your thoughtful residue in this state. Less dan ness in supplying me w ith a copy age would have resulted froi of your Jan u ary 2nd issue of the th e consumption of these tw W enatchee World. I am taking cars of apples than from smol advantage of this 'opportunity to ing two cartons of cigarettes c call the m atter directly to the at the drinking o f a gallon o tention of the Secretary of Agri United States approved whisk; culture. The arbitrary action of this If we accept the rep o rt of til U nited S tates Public H ealth Sei branch, of the been the cause departm ent has of much distress f vice ate on the effect of lead arsei exposure on orchardists an to ty the to apple the grow ers several and difficul congressional ] i consumers lie H ealth of sprayed fruit, B ulletin 267, w Pul mus offices representing the apple pro j conclude th a t there is very litth ducing districts in the Northwest. ;if any danger in eating spraye In fact, it is tone of the first problems th at confronted me on i fruit that has not been . washe a t all. On. P ag e X I of tho sun: ta k in g up m y w ork In W ashing mai-y of th is rep o rt ,we find tli ton. I had thought th a t the modi following language: fication ^hat we were successful in obtaining a t th a t tim e had taken care of the m atter and it was disappointing to learn a t this late, date th a t the apple growers are still being: unfairly d ealt with. " Special attention was given t medical exam ination of chtldre because, in this district! wher orchards surround tho com muni ties or the houses in whfchxtha -jive, th e re are u n u su al 'o pporlu Act's hope th a t th e le tte r to the rtities for children to bo expose: . Secretary will get results. to lead arsenate insecticide spray tH oping ,to have tho pleasure of and spray residues on branches m eeting you personally when you leaves, and grass, in addition are next in the Capital. the lead arsenate spray rsidu 0008488 a n o p e j$ n a t t h e le t t e r ' t o t h e iMties.-fpr., ch ild ren to*2>e Se cr eta r y,# ill ge t resu lts., ^ ^ to lead arsenate Insectlf ' ` have the pleasure.oj 'and 1.sprSvresiducs on -'-^meeting jm'personally, when .yin le a v e s ,..,a ^ . grass, in i ^ S/areinext^hK-the Capital.5, - th e ;lead;tafsinte sp raj ' yours," ; . th ey in g e s t oil."apples. V'd only ; one';':resj0ect in w h i ^ l <,il H ^ ^ ^ FTON.1, WHITE' M.O.?|| ch ild ren m :have differl ^l children^ in ptfier ;districts; I ' `J- .# W ^ G R E S S A N '' W H IT E ' TO ' ^ u rin ary l a d 'a n d u rin ary arseni *%^SECRETARY AVICKARD ` values w ere higher than the- coi ; ' : ' . ' < , "Honorable, Claude R. W icka Secrtary of Agriculture, . D epartm ent ef Agriculture, 'W ashington, D. C. V . Jan.-10, 1942: . ' rd , f' H ' " responding values IS children living ton, D. C. known usual exposure to ic. - - r :fo r a group, c near Washing to have.no us lead or. 'arson . My dear Mr. W ickard: " T here was no indication of ad verse effects of lead arsenate es A situ atio n h as developed inf po su re on th e h e a lth o f th s the apple producing district of children." ' W ashington effecting the m arket IT IS UNTHINKABLE TH' of; apples th a t X am convinced THE PUBLIC HEALTH SER should be brought to your per-, V I C E W O U L D N O T HAVI sonal attention. ; ,f W ARNED TH E ORCHARDIST! T h a t you m ay have an expres OF THIS D ISTRICT AGAINSr. sion of the views of the editor of T H E DANGER OF THE EXPOS the influential' W enatchee Daily URE OF TH EIR CHILDREN T( W orld in an editorial appearing LEAD ARSENATE IF IT HAI on the front page of the January FOUND EVIDENCE OF AN! 2nd issue, I enclose a tear sheet DANGER FROM EATING UN from the W orld containing Mr. WASHED FRU IT. And if un R ufus Woods editorial on the washed fru it is n o t dangerous t( restrictive practices of - the De our children here where m on partm ent of Agriculture. spray is applied per tree thar As you m ay know from th e :any o th e r place in th e world records of your dep artm en t, the ,w hat .ju stificatio n can be found m a tte r of ru les th a t have been (for condem ning w ashed apples made by-the D epartm ent of Agrl- -which . carry a little greater culture on spray residue on apples amount of spray residue than was has been the cause of much dis arbitrarily set as a tolerance un tress to the apple growers and less there is some proof of de friction with your departm ent of leterious affect? agriculture, both in the State of W ashington and the State of Idaho. I am sure you will appreciate the adverse effect of the arbitrary course being followed by your de partm ent in dealing w i t h the apple growers on the good will towards the present adm inistra tion and particularly the mem bers in the legislative branch of the government. . I tru st th at some constructive plan will be worked out to elimi nate this cause of distress and the unfavorable public opinion concerning the activities of this branch of your department. ?.. The stu d y of th e U nited States Public H ealth Service made here confirmed our charge th at spray residue tolerance was a legal fic tion imposed by im perial ukase upon a " free" people w hose con stitution guarantees to them the jright of tria l by ju ry and th a t their property shall not be con fiscated by the government with out cause. To m aintain this legal fiction by ukase after its, iniquity has been exposed by the Public H ealth Service is such near kin to fifth column activity as to subject the food and drug `d ep artm en t to severe criticism , and our government to ridicule. Sincerely yours, Also a g reater degree of loyalty COMPTON I. W H ITE, M.C. could be expected from fru it growers were they extended the PAUL M cNUTI TO . J. H. AUVIL full benefits of our Bill of Rights. | Your letter gives me great hope th a t the fruit industry is on the Federal Security Agency, threshold of a new era. : If, as - - . ' W ashington - you say, "no exactions will be Office of the A dm inistration Imposed upon, it w hich are n o t Dec. 27, 1941 . . .. . defin itely dem o n strated to be es ED ear Mr. A uvil: . -. I have your letter of December 10. Ceytainly-no one can question the patriotism of the American farm er aud the vital character of the service he is .rendering this country Xn, th is tim e of n atio n al sential for the protection of the ublic halth," then it w ill-be up j1 the government to d e m o n stra te ' definitely that a certain tolerance is essential, and th e |egal fic tio n :'o f a toleran co by ukase w ill be dissolved^- Since the-: Public Health, Service1in its . em ergency. V' *'. '' intensive 2 two; year : stddy here 'iV he'jfj^t'grow erM s `an'1iriipdir" tant and essential part of - this agricultural industry. I think I have a realym derstanding'of the problems ofjtho fruit grower, and it will belfmy purpose to deal with then;with the most complete sympathy in so fa r as my respon sibility under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act permits. .CertainJy,!nP-Bxagttong-gi-lLbe Ipi- p o se c l^ j^ failed to ' `defin itely d em o n strate" the" need of an y tolerance, it seems.-tliat a more extended sur vey-will-'be necessary ito arrive at ^ tolerance fair to the industry land n ot inim ical to the public. (This is an o th er good reason : to [follow, th e suggestion in my to r`m e r . le tte r an d certain ly u n til H `has been dem onstrated th a t : t h e am ount of residue on the seized -fruit is deleterious to health m 4n,uit? g rea ter culture on spray residue on apples amount of spray residue than was has been the cause of much dis arbitrarily set as a tolerance un tress to the apple growers and less there is some proof of de friction with your departm ent of leterious affect? agriculture, both in the State of W ashington and the State of Idaho. I am sure you will appreciate the adverse effect of the arbitrary course being followed by your de partm ent in dealing w i t h the apple growers on the good will towards the present adm inistra tion and particularly the mem bers in the legislative branch of the government. . X tru st that some constructive plan w ill be w'orked out to elim i nate this cause of distress and the unfavorable public opinion concerning the activities of this branch of your department. ; The study of the United States Public H ealth Service made here confirmed our charge th at spray residue tolerance was a legal fic tion imposed by im perial ukase upon a " free" people whose con stitution guarantees to them the right of trial by jury and that their property shall not be con- Xiscated by the governm ent w ith out cause. To m aintain this legal fiction by ukase after its niquity has been exposed by the Public H ealth Service is such near kin to fifth column activity as to subject the food and drug departm ent to severe criticism, and our government to ridicule. Sincerely yours, Also a g re a te r degree of loyalty COMPTON X. W H ITE, M.C. could be expected from - fru it growers were they extended the PAUL MeNUTT TO i . IX. AUVU, full benefits of our Bill of Rights. Your letter gives me great hope that the fruit .industry is on the Federal Security Agency, threshold, of a new era. If, as W ashington you say, "no exactions will be Office of the A dm inistration imposed upon, it w hich ar not Dec. 27, 1341 - definitely demonstrated to be es D ear Mr. Anvil: ' sential for the protection of the public health," then it will be up I have your le tte r of December to the governm ent to d e m on- 10. Certainly no one can question strate definitely th a t a certain: the patriotism farm er and the the service he of the American vital character of is rendering this tolerance is. essential, and th e legal fiction of a tolerance by' ukase w ill be dissolved. Since rco u n try in- this tim e of national .em ergency," ' i _ ' ;.y* The frifitgrow O r is ati impoi'- the Public H ealth Service in its intensive two year study here failed to "definitely dem onstrate" ,'4ta n t and* essential p a rt agricultural industry. I of this^ think f the need seems that of a any more tolerance, it extended sur have a real understanding of the; vey will be necessary to arrive at problem s of the fru it grower, and. a tolerance fair to the industry it will be my purpose to deal| and not inim ical to the public. w ith them w ith the m ost complete^, This is an o th e r good reason to sym pathy in so far as my respond follow the suggestion in my fo r sibllity under the Federal FoodB mer letter and certainly until it Drug, and Cosmetic Act permits^ > rla in lv no .exaction s w ill be ijn-: lias been dem onstrated th at the am ount of residue on the seized posecniltILqPU-lJXfl--todUS-tix35pC& fru it is deleterious to health. Give the fru it grower this break bo ^ ^ n t|a X .Jg .r_ tJ}c_pro tceD oa^af. as ag ain st th e very liberal a tti fifcTpublic health. ' ' tude of th e governm ent tow ard Sincerely yours, the m anufacturers of tobacco, PAUL V. McNUTT. beer, -wine and w hisky. i - - v r Administrator Respectfully ygurs, J. H. AUVIL, chairm an, J . H. ADVIL TO PAUL V. McNUTT W ashington State Grange Spray Residue Committee. Ja n u ary 1942, P. S. Enclosed is an o th er clip- Hon. P au l V. M cNutt, A dm inistrator, Pin g from th e W enatchee Daily \Yo rld ju s t received. Federal Security Agency, W ashington, D. C. Dear Mr. McNutt: I have your letter of Decern-: ber 27th and am greatly encou-j raged by your promise th a t "cer-, tainly no exactions will be im-i posed upon the industry w hich! are not definitely dem onstrated to; be essential for the protection of j the public health." I B ut we have reports th a t ex actions are now being imposed upon th e indu stry Tvhich have not been dem onstrated to be es sential for th protection of the public health. The enclosed clip ping from the W enatchee Daily W orld, December 30, reports two cars , seized and destroyed. These ' apples had been washed to meet `the W ashington S tate tolerance KE" 0008439 else they_ ccruld. not bava been