The Washington herald., 1916-08-12
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER

New York, Aug II.-Commissioner John J.
Dillon, of the State Department Of Foods and
Markets, believes that hens have rights and he
is going to see to it that they get them. He has
just issued an order that and after September
every cold-storage egg offered for sale in other
than the original unbrokcn packages must have
cold storage" stamped its shell in plain
letters at least eighth Of an inch high.
Hens that are busy laying fresh eggs will
thus be protected in their laudable efforts, and
will not be obliged to compete with cheap and
stale limitations.
OF course Commissioner Dillon is too mod
est man to want the real reason for his order
to be known. He shrinks from posing the
public benefactor of hens. He is of too retir-
ing nature to allow himself to be placed on
this pedestal of poultry philanthropy, where by
rights he should be for mankind to admire,
animal lovers to adore and roosters to crow at.
So he seeks to hide his big-hearted action
under a cloak of sordid business reasons. He
doesn't say a word in his order about the in
justice that has been done hens, but dwells at
length on the injustice that has been done the
patrons OF grocers and delicatessen stores
He says that last winter his department
had much trouble with this class Of shopkeep-
ers who by cunning arrangement OF their cold
storage signs fooled customers into buying
cold-storage eggs which they believed were
fresh laid.
The practice got to be so widespread he
says, that city people swindled in that
way out of more than $Ioo,ooo
Mrs. Grace Humiston is lawyer and so
lis her husband. Mrs Humston does not prac-
tce however, except to defend somebody she
believes to be innocent whom the state is pros
ccutng and then only when the defendant is
unable to hire able counsel.
This charity on her part has suggested to
Mrs. Humiston idea which embodies
the creating OF new office.
1--WE need a public defender here in New
York" said she. who shall be just as mpor-
tant as the district attorney and just as eager
to defend the district attorney is to
prosecute him.
"The Legal Aid Society is doing splendid
work for the very poor and the rich can OBJ
tain the best legal assistance to be had, but
it is the great middle class OF people who can
not pay the enormous fees OF the big men in
the profession, but who do not wish and are
not entitled to charity that need public de-
fender. Those who can only pay a modest
amount ought to be able to get just careful
attention the rich or the penniles.
"A state public defender with staff Of as
sistants who could investigate thoroughly the
details OF the cases brought to them. would
indeed be blessing to the great middle class,
What l want them to have is St. Regis law at
Mills Hotel prices.
81 do wish body OF women who are
interested in those who have very small in
comes would start a society to raise money
to open such office. l believe il would
work we'll that it might be possible to get
bill through the next legislature providing
for a public defender Don't think that | want
the guilty to get off Ali | want is to be sure
that an innocent person is not punished for a
crime he did not commit"