The Washington times., 1911-01-26

sale of milk are clearly within the au-
| thority vested by law.
Referring to the contention of the
representatives of the milk dealers.
both at the hearing before the District
Commissioners and before this commit
tee, that n vast milk trust, backed py
$50 100000 of capital, was endeavoring TO
gain control of the raw milk product of
the country, the committee begs leave
to state that 1t has been unable to find
any evidence whatsoever of such a COM
bination.
Officials Not Influenced.
''As the result of its investigations, It
has not transpired that any of the Of
ficials of the Federal or District govern
ments, or others appearing in a private
capacity before the committee, have
been controlled or influenced in any
manner by the manufacturers of pas
teurizing machinery or by other COM
mercial interests"
The declarations of milk producers
and retailers, that high prices and a
milk famine would follow the enforce
ment of the tuberculin test and other
proposed regulations for purifying the
milk supply of the city, were considered
at length. After thorough investiga-
ton, the committee reached the follow
ing conclusion on this subject:
THE fear expressed by certain interests
represented before the committee, that
thefnsistence upon the tuberculin test,
paSteuriZat ton, a prescribed bacterial
count and a temperature below 90 de-
grees Fahrenheit, would have the ten
denCy to create a temporary or perman-
ent milk famine in the District, is dis
counted by the statement, on the part of
most of the authorities concerned, II the
movement be locally confined to the
jurisdiction from which milk is presently
supplied, or If the test be gradually in
frO6ncaH Thnra iS SanGiblp for
anticipating such an outcome from this
source.
Ten Cents a Good Price.
'In regard to the claim adduced by
the producers and dealers that the
proposed changes in existing regula
tions, including the insistence on the
tuberculin test, the maintenance of low
temperatures, and pasteurization. would
greatly increase the price of milk, both
in winter and in summer, rendering the
purchase of this commodity impossible
by the poorer classes, the committee is
Of the opinion that an increase beyond
10 cents a quart is not likely to ensue,
which price, in the judgment of the
committee, will not prohibit, nor even
Curtail to any considerable degree, the
liberal and abundant use of milk by
the poorer classes.
The committee is confirmed in this
belief by the fact that milk answering
all of these requirements IS now furn-
ished at less than 10 cents a quart by
at least one local concern, apparently at
a profit. and by at least two others at
that figure.
so there is no reason to believe that
a maximum price of 10 cents a quart
for milk ordinarily supplied will not
suffice to effect such an increased COM
pensation on each gallon or pound to
the farmer as will enable him to meet
the added requirements of the Health
Department, not only without loss to
himself but with a fair profit.
1T has been contended by the repre-
sentatives of the Dairymen's Associa-
tion that the attempts on the part of
the District Commissioners to issue reg
ulations governing the production and
sale of milk in and for the District of
Columbia, in the absence of specific
legislation, have been exercised without
authority of law.
THE committee believes, as the result
of its examination, that such regularity
orders as have been issued have been
entirely within the rights of the Com
misSioners, and the courts have uni
formly sustained this view.
The committee is inclined to the
opinion, however, that in order that
there may be no question as to the