Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-12-05
VOTE ON MONDAY

Voting at referendum elections
would seem essential to mainten-
ance of respect for them and for the
law under which they are held
That being so 1t is in order to go 10
the polls on Monday and register an
opinion respecting Grade A milk
and whether municipality should
enjoy the privilege of setting the
town clock ahead one hour.
Viewed from another angle we've
got to pay for that referendum quite
a bill taken as whole. so why not
get the value of our money by going
to the polls whether or not we may
be interested in the questions at Is
sue or really know all we suspect
might be known about them?
1t would seem unnecessary to COM
ment on the pros and cons Oh Gay
light saving, in view OF all the DIS
cussion there has been. Many
farmers appear to be convinced that
daylight saving in their vicinity IN
terferes with the hours OF labor on
the land which are essential TO the
needs. On the other hand many by
means of daylight saving do get
more Of enjoyment from the out-ot-
doors than they otherwise might
They do not get it by artificial light
or at the pictures. The theory OF
the greatest good to the greatest
number should apply.
With regard to the Act to define
certain grades of milk as sold within
the state" there may not be so clear
an opinion among many OF the vol
ers. The Journals readers have mad
presented to them in our columns
the plea of the Maine Public Heaith
Association, the explanatory state
ment of the State commissioner OF
agriculture also that of Mr.. Leslie L.
McIntire, who is opposed to the DILL
and others.
Commissioner Washburn stated
that the law was proposed in order
to meet and relieve an unfair anu
unsatisfactory situation IN which q
lew milk producers and distributors
had assumed the right to bottle d
Iroduct of only ordinary quality ana
dispose of it under the marketing
Grade A. at an advanced price,
since the use of the letter "A usually
CONVEYS to the consumer an i'm
preston of superior merit.
It was also found that a consider
able number of dairymen desired 10
market a bona fide Grade A milk
and were demanding that the stand
ing of their product be established Dy
law.
"The act provides that milk that Is
marked Grade A shall contain not
less than four per cent butter tat
and twelve and fifty-one hundrsfths
per cent solids. 1t shall come --om
cows that have been tested and
found free from tuberculosis and the
bacterial count shall not exceed fifty
thousand per cubic centimeter.
Again it must be produced in estab-
lishments that score at least eighty
points out of a possible one hundred
as provided on the score card ap-
proved by the U. S. Bureau OF
Animal Industry, and a penalty Is
in cases where milk not
complying with these standards is
marked and offered for sale as Grade
~. Section two of the act provides
that establishments selling Grade A
milk may also distribute milk of
lower butter fat and solid content
provided 1t comes UP to Grade A. re-
quirements as to bacteria count and
score. -
/ understand the law. the pro-
visions of Section two with regard to
other milk apply only to establish
ments where Grade A. is produced
and have no general application as
many inquirers seem to fear. In this
connection our office has sought and
received the views of the Attorney
Generals Department and the con-
GLIDING statement in the Deputy At
torney Generals reply is of interest.
Tt is my opinion that Section two ap-
plies only to the person who is the
producer and distributor of Grade A
Milk"
1t may be recalled that Mr.. Nc
Intire contended. that while he be-
Eeved in some kind of milk bill, he
''eAAeSes ohc iail uOlii " pTOuuCerS,
and to consumers and that this
particular bill is not fair. Among
the reasons he advanced were that
two breeds of cattle in this state pro-
ducing three quarters of the milk
would not produce the required
amount of butter fat, an amount not
needed and in some instances not
as good for infants and children. He
declared that he was mot in favor
of any discrimination which will
raise the amount of butter-fat and
solids and thus cut out certain
grades of cattle and certain pro-
ducers OF milk at the present time at
the expense Of those producers and
undoubtedly at the expense of the
consumers"
AS appeared in the discussion in
the statement Of the Maine Public
Health Association:
we believe that Maine milk
producers and Maine citizens gener-
ally will agree that no Maine milk
should be sold which is labeled
Grade A milk unless such milk
meets the accepted standards fo,.
such mix as fixed by the United
Slates standard and the butter fat
STANDARDS and freedom from tubercu-
iosis, covered by the standards Of the
american Public Health Associations
una accepted generally throughout
the country"
AS some have questioned respect
ing the cost of enforcement of the
proposed law, and as the State com
missioner. in his statement remark
cd that the departments equipment