410 



Regulate the Marketing of Economic Poisons and Devices, and for 

 Other Purposes." The bill had been drafted by the committee, with 

 the assistance of the Department of Agriculture and various members 

 of the trade and industry. In 4 days of hearings, (84 pages of testi- 

 mony) the committee heard 16 witnesses, including five representa- 

 tives of trade associations of manufacturers of pesticides, one industrial 

 groducer, four associations of agriculturists, one representative of 

 tate government departments of agriculture, and one professional 

 association (the American Association of Economic Entomologists). 

 No controversy of consequence developed during the hearings. The 

 various representatives of manufacturers generally supported the bill, 

 and suggested only minor technical changes in its provisions. The lead- 

 off witness was S. R. Newell, Assistant Director of the Livestock 

 Branch, Production and Marketing Division, Department of Agricul- 

 ture. He described its purpose and indicated that it was not drastic and 

 controversial: 



It is my impression, Mr. Chairman, that the trade has desired a new bill. They 

 have gone along on the general principles of this bill, and most of its provisions. 

 There may be some points to which they would wish to take exception, but gener- 

 ally I think we have a bill here for which there is general acceptance all the way 

 around." 



Other Government witnesses were Dr. E. L. Griffin, Assistant Chief 

 of the Insecticide Division, Production and Marketing Administra- 

 tion, and two spokesmen for the Fish and Wildlife Service, Depart- 

 ment of the Interior. Dr. Griffin urged that only preparations con- 

 taining substantial proportions of poisonous materials should be 

 reached by the law.^^ Donald J. Chaney, chief counsel of the Fish and 

 Wildlife Service, testified as to the difficulty in establishing standards 

 of effectiveness (i.e., toxicity) of poisons; he was accompanied by F. E. 

 Garlough, senior biologist, who testified merely that the rodenticide 

 known as red squill "varies tremendously in toxicity." ^* 



Speaking for the American Association of Economic Entomologists, 

 A. Edison Badertscher, chairman of the association's legislative com- 

 mittee, suggested that the authority given to the Secretary of Agri- 

 culture under the bill to define "pests" for purposes of the bill, be 

 enlarged to include organisms tliat injured articles or substances (e.g., 

 clothing and upholstered furniture) as well as plants, man, and do- 

 mestic animals. 



Although the bill, H.R. 4851, was reported favorably, no action was 

 taken and the bill was reintroduced in 1947 as H.R. 1237, by Repre- 

 sentative John W. Flannagan, Jr., who had also introduced the pre- 

 ceding bill. 



Hearings on H.R. 1237, the 1H7 pesticide hill 



Committee consideration in 1947 under the chairmanship of Repre- 

 sentative Andresen of a subcommittee of the House Committee on 

 Agriculture, occupied only 1 day, April 11 (55 pages of testimony, 

 communications, and text of the bill). There were 14 witnesses, in- 

 cluding three from the Production and Marketing Administration, 



12IT.S Conjrrpss. House. Committee on AsrioTiUnre. Federal Inseeticirle, Fiinjrieide. and 

 Rodenticide Act. Hearings before * * • on H.R. 4851. (H.R. 5645 reported), A bill to 

 regrulate the marketinj;: of economie poisons and devices, and for other purposes. Feb. 5, 

 fi. 7. and 21, 1946. Serial J. 79th Cong. 2d sess. (Washington, U.S. Government Printing 

 Office. 1946), p. 6. 



13 Ibid., p. 11. 



" Ibid., pp. 9-10, 30. 73-75. 



