NEW CRIMES FOR OLD
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—In his interesting article in your issue of August 27th Viscount Astor makes a serious attack upon the Milk Marketing Scheme at present under consideration by the Secretary of State for Scotland. Lord Astor foresees some actions by the Milk Marketing Board which are quite beyond its powers under the scheme, while other actions he mentions could only be possible if the dairy farmers of Scotland were to elect a Board quite devoid of common sense.
We assume that the House of Commons we elect will not make laws to compel us to stand on our heads, and similarly I think we must assume that the Milk Marketing Board will have not only the immediate but the ultimate interests of its constituents in view, and will do nothing so foolish as Lord Astor suggests.
The interests of clean milk production have certainly not been neglected: Three of the ten members of the sub_ committee which drafted the scheme, and three of the eight members of the proposed Provisional Board, are themselves certified milk producers.
It is not within the powers of the Board to limit the produc- tion of certified or any other grade of milk, and that they will encourage high-grade production seems much more likely.
We have in Scotland an organization of producers whose object is propaganda in favour of the use of clean milk. At first it advertised, with some success, by poster and otherwise. New producers arose who would not support the organization and the members no longer feel justified in expending money for the benefit of others who do not subscribe. Another organization had in view a "drink more " campaign, but it has insufficient funds. Dairy farmers will not subscribe for propaganda purposes unless their neighbours will do so too.
The Milk Marketing Board will be judged by results, and nothing would yield better results than a successful campaign to persuade the public to use more liquid milk. It seems ob- vious that a Board having the support of all producers is in a position to launch such a scheme where others have failed.
Undoubtedly the different branches of farming are inter- dependent, and were dairy farming to become over-prosperous —an unlikely event—others would turn to it from stock rais- ing, &c. Surely this should not deter us from trying to improve the position of at least one branch of the industry.—! am,
Sir, &c., F. A. BELL. Chapelbank, Auchterarder, Perthshire.
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