Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-31

Spectacular and riotous protests
against Iowas law providing for the tu-
berculin test of cattle have aroused wide
comment, but the conflict Is charged to
a small minority of the citizens of that
State. There is only condemnation for
those responsible, and regret that 1t was
necessary to resort to arms to enforce
properly enacted law.
iowa has enjoyed . reputation
among the other States according to
the Sioux City Journal las a common
wealth of the highest standing. 1t has
the lowest percentage of illiteracy IN the
Union. It's people are counted as the
most intelligent as averages go In the
entire country. IowanS are known
everywhere as blessed with sanity and
common sense, obedient to the law,
progressive, forward-looking, fair and
lust. Il is q pity that small groups OF
men who object to statute should
resist its enforcement and thus attract
to all the people of the State so much
unfavorable attention"
Charging that those who rebel in
Sist upon ieopardizing the health ana
lives of their own people and the peo-
ple of other States" the Chattanooga
Times comments: THAT widespread OPP
position to this means of safeguarding
the health of men, women and children
should have developed in Iowa, which
prides itself upon It's progressiveneSs, Is
little short Of amazing"
With call for the display Of wise
leadership on the part of sensible
Iowans," the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader
remarks: The testing was ordered in
conformity with state law, approved
by the majority and accepted without
hesitation throughout all but an iso-
lated section Of the State. The testing
has been conducted without dlfhculty
over a wide section and tuoercuiar cat
tie have been eradicated from most OF
Iowa Yet, the one objecting area re-
mains Farmers there resist vigorously
and have used force in etecting the
testers from their premises. Threat
after threat did not induce them to
change their stand"
~
THE State will win in It's fight to
compel the tests" AYERS the Ann Arbor
Daily News. with the declaration: "Ap-
parently it's another of those cases in
volving the question of personal liberty.
Persons who oppose prohibition on such
grounds should consider the Iowa
farmers who are opposed to another
statute that happens to be contrary
to what they consider right and
proper Somehow, the idea seems to
prevail on these Iowa farms that the
law requiring tuberculosis tests works
an injustice. But by their attitude they
are not attracting much sympathy as
victims Of injustice. They are pro-
claiming, in effect, that it is their
right to keep tubercular cattle and
take q chance of feeding the disease.
in milk, 10 babies"
The picture in Iowa is seen by the
IV,sa 90
many 'contented' cows" and mot much
cud chewing beneath Autumn leaves
or soft lowing in the lane at sunset"
That paper continues: This seems TO
be q hopeless fight en- the part of the
cattlemen. The tests have been pro-
ducing steadily in spite of opposition.
Moreover, the tubercuGn test is q wise
step in preserving health. Many States
have such laws, and they have been
found beneficial Iowa farmers should
not let the cost Of this test stand be-
tween them and a reputation for
healthy cattle and dairy products"
There are many morals suggests
the Baltimore Evening Sun, which
might be drawn, the most obvious. per-
haps, being summed up In the old saw,
It depends on whose OK is gored. But
We refrain from such moraliEings and
content ourselves with saying that from
Tune h11memorfal II mas been the Gus
tom Of Anericans-only lately noted
BIZ so eminent a historian as James
Truslow Adams-to choose for them
selves which laws they shall obey and
which they shall defy. Thus Iowa, in
following the example of New Jersey
and Cshall We say?) the Maryland Free
State. is simply proving herself as
American as they"
After studying the conflict in Iowa.
the Oakland Tribune expresses salts
faction at the results of the nine-year
campaign 70 increase the average but
ter-fat production of California COWS,
and declares that it shows what may
be done with the cooperation of science
and agriculture" Declaring that lit
is not encouraging to see the National
Guard proceeding against q group of
agriculturists in any American State"
the Portland Oregon Journal states
Legislators have a very heavy Fespon-
sibility when statutes are enacted that
invite open revolt Ofncials assume q
very heavy responsibility when they re-
sort to the National Guard for enforce
ment. Oficers of the guard assume Q
heavy responsibility when they order