Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-07-01

barns and we know that an honest
scoring would place most of our
dairy plants considerably below that
figure. Our farmers know that they
cannot meet that requirement. The
men who pay the bills know that
they cannot make the required
changes with the returns now re-
ceived from the industry" There
Is considerably more along the same
line. Who wouldn't be scared
Well, that is what it was intended
for. But what is the rock bottom
truth? Were the men who drafted
the bill defining what Grade A milk
should be bunch of ignoramuses
who never MIXED a cow or washed
milk can? You who are interest.
ed just look up the men who were
on the agricultural committee of the
last legislature and judge for your.
selves as to whether they would pu,
their stamp of approval on a bill
that is so grossly unreasonable as
DR.. Potter would have you believe
His statement that an honest score
would put most of our dairy barns
below that figure is, without the
slightest doubt, correct, but most Of
our farmers are not expecting tC
sell Grade A milk, so why bother
our heads with this large majority
No one need be alarmed, or even
interested except the very few who
want to put Grade A cap on their
milk bottles.
"Dr. Potter says he has had ex-
perience in judging dairy barns and,
suppose, considers himself in posi-
ton to qualify as an expert but lust
now Mr.. r. S. Smith, at the head of
the market milk division of the
Dairy Bureau at Washington is in
Portland by request to Investigate
conditions there. In answer to a
direct question from the writer he
stated that an eighty per cent score
on dairy barns and equipment. as
specified in this much discussed and
! much damned Maine law, is the
score required on Grade A. milk in
nearly all places where such grade
Is DENIED and in the opinion is not
too high. 1t would seem that the
statement from Mr.. Smith, who was
a Maine boy and former State milk
inspector, and who has been con-
nected with the Federal Bureau
since l9l1, ought to have some
weight with Maine dairymen. 1t
would not appear from this that the
authors of this bill or the committee
that signed it, the legislature. that
passed it, or the Governor who af-
fixed his signature We're such a
bunch of idiots as DIR. Potter would
have you believe when he says "the
question involved is not merely one
of local regulations and their en-
forcement. 1t is, rather, that ILL
considered and hastily enacted laws
detrimental to important industries
shall not stand" If the above law
was ill-considered and hastily con-
structed then all laws are. The law
in question went through the same
channels, was given the same time
and the same publicity as any and
all bills that became law.
What About the Referendum?
Suppose. those who oppose the
law In the vicinity of Portland (and
that is where all the opposition is)
do succeed in getting signers enough
to get a referendum, what then? Is
that going to help matters any? If
l am correctly informed they will
have to conform to the requirements
to the Portland board of health, and
again, If I am correctly informed,
they have no intention of making
the score less than 80 points regard
less of what becomes of the State
law. Consequently, 1t looks as
though they would not be out of the
frying pan even though they sue
ceeded In making change in cooks.
The regulations regarding milk may
be rather drastic in Portland COM
pared with some other cities but the
health department is. believe, striv-
ing to look after the health of Port
land. people, especially the children.
Milk Is without doubt the very best
food for growing children and its use
should be encouraged, yet, we must
also remember that milk causes
more deaths in children than any
other food because of it's readiness
to take and carry germs of disease.
Because this is so, can we criticize
a board Of health for being eau
tious? / honestly believe that, If