HARRY W. NICE, GOVERNOR. 635

tation, processing, storage, distribution, delivery, and
sale of milk; providing for the licensing of milk dealers
and the issuing of permits to producers and the payment
of fees therefor; requiring distributors to furnish bonds
or their cash equivalent or a satisfactory financial state-
ment to secure payments to producers and all other pay-
ments authorized or required by the Commission; au-
thorizing the examination of the business, papers, and
affairs of, and requiring the filing of reports by milk
dealers and producers, and permitting with limitations
the dissemination of information obtained therefrom;
authorizing the issuance of subpoenas by the Com-
mission or its agents, and conferring jurisdiction upon
courts to punish contempts or to prohibit violations
of orders of the Commission; providing for appeals
to the courts from decisions of the Commission; author-
izing meetings and agreements between local groups of
producers and distributors and between local groups of
milk dealers; imposing penalties;. repealing all laws in-
consistent with the provisions of this Act; providing for
its termination June 1, 1937; declaring an emergency
with respect to production and marketing of milk, and
making the Act an emergency measure to take effect
from the date of its passage.

WHEREAS, Milk is a necessary article of human food and
the procurement and maintenance of an adequate supply
thereof of proper chemical and physical content, free from
contamination, is vital to the public health and welfare,
and the production, transportation, processing, storage,
distribution and sale of milk, in the State of Maryland, is
a business affecting the public health and interest;

AND WHEREAS, Serious disturbances in the industry
have demonstrated the inefficiency of health regulations
to provide proper control of the production and marketing
of milk so as to safe-guard the consuming public;

AND WHEREAS, The present economic depression,
through which we are passing, has broken down the or-
derly exchange of commodities and has seriously impaired
the agricultural assets supporting rural credit;

AND WHEREAS, It is recognized that, due to seasonal
fluctuations in milk production, and other causes, there
occurs in certain markets in the State, a surplus of fluid
milk suitable for human consumption, under the laws and
ordinances in force in such markets, in excess of the quan-
tities sold as fluid milk for human consumption, and that
such surplus varies from day to day and from season to
season; and that such surpluses must be sold for manufac-