Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-10
Milk Producers Association
Will Go to the Courts.
THEIR BUSINESS At STAKE
Say Condemnation of Cows Would
Force Them to Quit.
MILK SHORTAGE EXPLAINED
Producers Say Small Profits Are
Driving Farmers Into Other Lines.
Complain of Unfairness.

The Milk Producers Association of
Maryland and Virginia will fight in the
courts the tuberculin test proposed to
be applied to mich cows on dairy
farms In the two states 10y the Dis
trict's health department.
At a meeting today at 516 9th street
the milkmen decided to employ Attor-
neys d. w. Baker and Eugene II.
Waters to make the legal fight. and il
is probable that test case will be
made in the District courts in order TO
ascertain the authority of the health
officer in the matter.
The meeting was called to order by
John Thomas, president of the associa-
ton. but before any business was trans
acted ali persons not members OF the as
sociation were excluded from the hall.
This action did not meet with the APP
prevail of q majority of the forty or more
members present and it was later de-
cided to have an open session. but the re-
porters and others had by that time left
the building
Statement Is Given Out.
After the meeting Mr.. Baker. formerly
United States district attorney. who is
member Of the Milk Producers Asso-
citation, at the request of President Thorn
THAT it was decided by the members
of the association that it was a dis
elimination against farmers in Maryland
and Virginia to require the tuberculin
test, as it is an unreasonable regula ton
and 1t is not required of the farmers of
the District or Columbia, except when
the government pays for the cattle de-
stroyed, and not required of the whole
| salers In New York, who now ship milk
here.
The executive committee is authorized
TO employ attorneys to look into the mat
ter and to file test case in the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, tC
question the regulation and to have the
court say whether or not, Independent OF
statute, the Commissioners and health
department of the District Of Columbia
can make this regulation. The Commits
sioners and health department have for
years been trying to get Congress to COM
pei a tubercuIin test and they have failed
to do so. They are now attempting tc
do what they could not get Congress to
consent to.
General Meeting Not Called
1t is stated that 1t was not the inten-
ton of the officials of the association tc
have general meeting of its members
today, but only to call together the mem.
bers OF the executive committee to dis
cuss the matter. 1t having been stated in
the newspapers that the meeting was a
general one, there was large turnout
of the milk producers from the surround
ing country and they were unanimous for
fighting against the proposed tuberculin
test of the health department.
No representative of the District at
torney's Office was present at the meet
ing and no one was sent from the Office
to make any investigation as to a cOrnbi-
nation among the farmers to keep up the
price of milk.
Going Out of Business.
Several Of the dairy farmers in attend
ance at the meeting today state that If
the tuburculin test is applied to their
cattle and any Of them are condemned
they will be forced to go out of business,
as there is now no profit in it, and the
farmers are disposing of their cows as
rapidly as possible and turning to other
branches of farming. This they say is
largely the cause of the unusual short
age of milk at this season. and they see
no indications of any immediate improve
ment.
The local milk situation today is I'M
changed from that of last week. The
receipts from local sources still fall Tar
short Of the demand. High-prlce milk
from New York is being brought In to
make up the deficiency. The rains, 1t is
stated. have as yet benefited the grass
fields but little. but the water shortage
has been relieved to q considerable ex-
tent.