The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-09-15
Government Official Acts
Against Alleged Trust
Upon Hearing Report.
ACTION IS TAKEN
AFTER PROTESTS
Some Dealers Object TO Increase
10 Ten Cents a Quart for
Seven Months.


ton, in a heated session today, were
deciding TO raise the wholesale price
CT milk, United States Attorney
Clarence E Wilson launched an in
vestigation Of an alleged Milk trust
which might come under violations OF
the law prohibiting combines N re-
straint Of trade
After a heated debate at their semi
annual convention the producers de-
cided to charge "a cents a gallon for
milk This is ? cents higher than the
hitherto unprecedented price Of p
cents demanded last winter
Upon learning the outcome Of the
producers session a mum Der Of prom
Iuent dealers this afternoon predicted
that the retail price Of milk, 70 be
rNed at the dealers convention to
morrow, viii be 10 cents a quart Tor
the next seven months
The minute this increase Is made the
grand jury may be asked 70 make q
searching investigation Of an alleged
milk trust
taken" United States Attorney Wilson.
said, We can hle bin in equity 10
dissolve any unlawful trust or combina-
ton OF milk dealers or we may take
criminal action BY presenting the mat
ter 10 the grand jury and procure iudiCt-
nIenJs against the offenders"
Mr. Wilson said he was not prepared
70 say that a milk trust exists, but III
the convention Of the Milk Dealers As
SOCiaJiOn might throw light or the case
II is understood that a representative
OF the United States Attorneys Office
has already been gathering iuforma-
uon about the supposed mis-. trust
Dealers Serve Notice.
That the dealers are planning 10
charge 10 cents q quart for milk this
winter Is considered highly probable
Dealers served notice q week ago that
any advance N the wholesale price
probably would mean that the retail
price for the best milk would be 10
cents this winter
That a raise was certainly possible
Ns-s the comment made by W r Hart
rant. President OF the Mix Dealers
ASSoCiaJlOn-
The producers cant be blamed for
asking more money for their milk under
present conditions" he said 'fThe cost
OF feed has SCARED and cows are 81 q
premium The dealers. in convention,
must determine whether the wnoIesaIe
advance juSJides a retail Increase
The action at the producers meeting
TINS morning vas not taken uu1s. a
stormy skirnlsh between faction who
demanded raise OF 3 cents, or more.
and q group Of opponents who declared
that they could not get the price SET
last winter after January.
Many Sensations.
The meeting Of the producers today
abounded in sensations
4 member Of the executive commit
tee said the price paid for milk here
was now higher than in any other city
in the countrE- This statement was
hOtly refuted BY half dozen mem
bers
What is the price Of milk in New
York; asked T. E Saunders, who
made the statement
Eight cents for milk nc one can
drink" retorted J B Diamond, vice
president of the association For
milk that IS fit for consumption they
must pay Is cents
motion to fix the price at p cents
that charged last winter was with
drawn
Following a heated argument as to
how many Of the members actually
got % cents for their milk last win
ter, producers who had received this
price OF more throughout the winter
were asked 10 raise their hands only
eight Of the fjfty-Odd members present
said they had
Urges Hold-out.
In a speech Just before adjournment
President John Thomas urged members
TO hold out for the price Of n cents,
and cries of pledge them were heard
The suggestion was followed and al
I but about half a dozen men IN Eagles
Z Hall, where The session was held. raised
their hands
4 viii keep my milk home Io- six
months and feed it to the hogs before
L viii ship il at less than 5he price, "
shouted one member
4 can't make money selling milk at
I = cents a gallon declared Y ce PTeSf-
/ dent Diamond in a speech explaining the
cause Of the raise
The price Of feed has gone up from
T s. 10 s. a ton, and I spent all day yes
{ teTday trying 10 purchase fresh COWS
+ They can't be bought at any price
Advance In Cream
! An increase Of 10 cents a gallon was
made in cream This action was taken
following reports siven to the COnveu-
tion that dealers here could no longer
afford to pay the New York price for
: cream and must depend on the local
4 dealers for their supply.
( In the discussion between the members
In the discussion between the members
l high, and the advocates OF an advance
: statements from tie Health Department
+ were quoted saying that milk served in
4 Washington was the pureSt 10 be found
+ in any large city 5n this country.
In speeches supporting the raise
member stated they made more money
selling summer milk at Is cents q
few years ago and at is cents in win
ter than they are now making at the
! present scale
1 George A. Wilson talked at length
( on the increased price OF food and
: Of the difficulty in obtaining fresh
I cows He said dairymen were being
: driven out Of business by present con-
ditions.
/ At the annual election OF officers the
I entire corps was reelected. They are
B.. President. John Thomas. u E,dnor Nd:
I vice president. J B Diamond. OF Cath
: ersburS; secretary, T. J. Jackson, OF
I Silver Springs treasurer, James W
! Roberts. OF Alexandra. Va
/ An executive committee representing
I SIX Virginia counties and four Mary
{ land counties, was chosen