The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-03-27

thewS yesterday, and Tn JuStlce to tHe dairymen we think that it is time that the public be given our views on this matter.
 CRITICIZES BOWLING
 "The dairymen not only never nave tried to block any movement for purer milk for Birmingham, but on every hand we have eadeavored to cooperate with the health department and are doing so new, to improve both the quantity and quality of the. milk consumed Tn BIT mingham. We are frank to say that we do not believe that Dr. Downing, clty and county health officer has acted far and just with the dairymen, m that ne has sought the indorsement of women clul,s. civic organizations and various clubs in Birmingham to secure a purer and better milk supply for Birmlnghahi' without first giving the public an ldea of what his milk ordinance will disclose, what he proposes to do to improve the situation or in any way to enlighten the public with the facts. It is quite natural for anyone to approve of a movement or an ordinance of this kind, the dairymen join in such a movement, but they do not approve of an ordinance that has never been published, nor gives the pub lie any idea of it's penalties and regula- tions
 Birmingham is now operating under an ordinance which prohibits the sale or milk containing more than ooO.ooo pae- teria to the cubic centimeter. When we heard that Dr. Dowling's proposed or dinance was to be so drastic, We went to him and offered to reduce Birmingham bacteria count to 100000 bacteria on grade A milk; 10000 on grade 'B, and ali milk running over B grade to pc pasteurized We showed him ordinances from other progressive cities making plain our willingness to cooperate, but with no avail.
 ABOUT BACTERIA
 We quote some of the cities Whlch are operating upon the same plan prac- ticany that Birmingham now follows;
 'sThe standard bacteria count for Bos- ton is 50O.OOO per c. C.; Pittsburg, 5ooWo per c. C.; Richmond, 100000 per c. C.; Montgomery, 5Oo.OOO per c. C.: Charleston ZOO. GOO per c. C.; Madison, Wis, 25o,0OO per C. C.; Little Rock, Ark, 4oo,ooo per c. C.: Shreveport, La, 100000 per C. C.; Atlanta Ga., 100000 per c. C.; Chica- go, H., 100000 per c. G.; Nashville, Tenn 100000 per c. C.; Minneapolis, Minn. 2O0.0oO per c. C.; Houston, Tex, 15O,000 ner c. C.: Memphis, Tenn. 100000 per C.. c; Evansville Ind. 5oo0Oo per C. C.; Mo billie, 100000 per c. C.; Dallas, Tex, loo,- 900 per c. c.
 eve also feel that pr. Bowling is un- fair to the dairy trade when he con demns in a wholesale manner, as he has done, the entire milk supply of Birming ham, The public should recognize the fact that Dr. Bowling has absolute con- trol of the milk supply of Birmingham the conduct of the dairymen who are producing the milk which he says is not up to the standards required by the city ordinances. and it is not only within his power, but 1t is his duty to revoke the license of such dairymen. But we do say that it is grossly unfair to condemn all dairymen because some of their number are probably not producing milk up to the standards required at present
 "If the milk sold in Birmingham is not up to the standard it is up to Dr. Dowl- ing to make it standard, it is his fault and no one else should be blamed, for it