EEPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. 37 



INSPECTION OF ESTABLISHMENTS. 



I have also recommended in the estimates that the department 

 be given authority to inspect establishments producing foods or 

 drugs intended for shipment in interstate or foreign commerce. 

 No specific authority exists at the present time. While many manu- 

 facturers do not object to inspection of their factories, the lack of 

 definite authority has caused considerable embarrassment in the en- 

 forcement of the Food and Drugs Act. There are many forms 

 of adulteration which are exceedingly difficult to detect without 

 inspection of the place of manufacture. This is particularly true of 

 foods produced under insanitary conditions. In many instances it 

 is impossible to determine from a chemical or bacteriological exami- 

 nation the conditions under which a particular food or drug was 

 produced. It is unnecessary to emphasize the importance of sanita- 

 tion in the preparation of food products. If the suggested authority 

 be granted, the department should be able to improve the quality of 

 food products, both by bringing to the attention of manufacturers 

 any insanitary conditions that may be discovered and by securing 

 evidence of production under insanitary conditions. 



ROAD DEVELOPMENT. 



The Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering has extended 

 its work of giving assistance in road and farm engineering problems 

 to individuals or local communities in every State of the Union. 

 There also has been placed upon it the burden of administering the 

 Federal Aid Road Act. Immediately after the approval of the act 

 plans were formulated for its administration. The appropriation 

 of $5,000,000 for the fiscal year 1917, after deducting an amount suffi- 

 cient for administrative expenses, was apportioned among the various 

 States on the basis of three factors — population, area, and mileage 

 of rural delivery and star routes — each factor having a weight of 

 one-third. Rules and regulations were promulgated on September 1, 

 1916. 



Thirty-two States have indicated their intention to assent to the 

 provisions of the act — one through its legislature and the others 

 through their governors. Before the department can undertake 

 cooperation in any State, it is necessary to determine (1) whether 

 the State has a legally constituted highway department within the 



