The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-04-12
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

to start an argument that would bring out, vast differences of opinion, and that the question, What is whisky?' ha t engaged the attention of both hoI Itses of Congress and been put uI to the supreme court.
 Hut until recently I did not know that milk could get up such a hubbun as lit has caused in Birmingham. Not being a milk drinker, I never gave verJ mush attention to the subject. l do not mean that I drank whisky and theEefore was interested in finding out just. what it was made of, but, to be tru, ,.hful, once during an illness l did mix milk and whiskey. and I thought it a, mighty fine drink and was bit sorl'y that recovered so rapidly. l
 This reminds me of a joke that the late Dr. James B. Hawthorn, the fam ous Baptist preacher, told me on him. self It was during his pastorate in NeWE York city. Now. be it remem- bertd, that he was one of the first and greatest temperance advocates ia the south. He told me how he stopped in Ut a fount and ordered a milk shalle and that it was so good that he stot in the habit of getting at least one every time he passed.
 Hh always believed in sharing his 1 good fortune with his preacher breth- ren. for he was one of the most gen. erous men I have ever known. one ! day. after the ministers conference ad- jour ned, he invited several of the pas 1 tors to go with him and get the pest l noiIkshake in the city Several ac- lcentnd hut one of the number had beeu | a wurIdling before he joined the mln- | istry, and the minute he took sWai- low he smacked his lips and. turning to Ir. Hawthorne, said, "No wonder you think it's good, it's spiked. Ths vene -able Hawthorne, with rare l smile, said to me in telling the mel dent Frank, I made Q mistake in ask ing 100 many to share my find, for l was drinking, in my innocence out' oi course after learned the truth hSd to give up my favorite milkshake' Being interested in the milk contro- l versy and having kept up with 1t Ill the newspapers, I went down to the city hall where the fight was staged IT fou nd the council chamber packed. Every seat was taken, there was nc standing room in the aisles. and even around the door on the outside was jam. Knowing about the private en- trance of the commissioners, I went 10 it and managed to get inside and found a. good place to watch the proceed ings
 Now, this account is not to enter into the merits .of the merry war. which has been going on between the health department and the dairymen. for it, brings up questions upon which I do not at this moment feel able to pass upon. only know that l hops the p;'Lrties to the fight will make it finish ed one and in that way bring out all the facts so that the public may be able to size up the situation anl demarJd it's rights.
 Scudder Ryall was kind enough to give inc his seat, as he said he had some work in his office to get out l sat down and picked up the ordinance and road it, and I give you my word, I had Ao idea that apparently sim pie matter as milk could give so much trouble I, of course, understood the phraseology used in the drafting of the ordinance. but where I got wool gathered was when I ran across such words as "tuberculin" bacteria and such c! !her technical terms
 then got my eyes wide open when the ordinance began to define the diff tferent [knds of milk. l never dreamed that there was such wide classified tion possible. I will not here enumer- ate them. I am ready, however, to ac- cept the statement of one of the dairy men that the dairy business is very in- tricate and demands brains and hard work 1o get by in it.
 Both sides had made ample prep aration for the hearing, pr. Bowling had some elaborate charts on the wall which (he explained. Sid Bowie, who represented the dairymen, had ordi- nances from many cities in evidence. As the argument by both sides l. vanced it was interesting to study the audience. At the front on one side was ar small group of well known l women, who had come either to speak or to show their hands in favor ot the ordinance as drafted; but the main body of the crowd was made up Of dairymAn many of whom stood dur ing the two hours or more that the sessonA lasted.
 had, expected some acrimonious de- bate. bat was glad to find that both sides remained cool and observed q courteous bearing towards one another, l although there was no hiding of facts or mincing of words here were sharp differences of opinions, but no personal clashes Two of the ladies present went orl record as favorng the efforts of pr. Bowling, pr. Ross c. Snyder | spoke unequivocally for the better safegua rding of the milk situation and thought that it had been framed too liberally in the interest of the dairy
 men.