New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-02-14
MILK CONFERENCE IMPORTANT
Committee Denies That Results were
Indefinite.
of The Tribune.

To the Editor OF inc lfIDune'
Sir: Last week delegates apposated py
the Governors Of eight New England anu
Middle States met in this city ana tooN
action Of far-reachins Importance po'h
10 milk consumers and milk producers
Nv attention has been called 10 the iact
that owing to the technical nature OF
the discussion the purposes and outcome
OF the conference have been misuhoei
stood IN some quarters. Even on the 'u'
torial page of one newspaper nave just
seen the results OF the meeting chat-
acter.zed as nothing definite. peg
leave 70 clear up this misapprehehsioii.
In the first place. the resolutions OIL
the conference have been considered der
mite" enough so that the committee mas
already received assurances from nve
states that the findings Will be made the
basis Of legislation in the immediate Tut
ure. In fact, in one state a ieslsiatNe
commission having the drafting or mix
bill in hand suspended It's hearings uh''
after the conference in order To nave
available the information and suggestions
brought out by it.
Briefly stated. the conference Noted
10 recommend uniform laws in the vari-
Gus states. so far ms local conditions per-
nit Nmphasizng the following points:
That responsibility for inspection OF tue
entire business OF milk production ne
placed with the state.
That herds, buildings and equipment
and methods OF prediction be registered
classified and graded 10y the state authori-
ties.
That TO local authorities should be lett
the r.sponsibility for inspecting and reg
ulating the distribution Of milk after II
reaches their Jurisdiction. and that mix
should be classified and graded by local
authorities
That only such tubcrculous cattle
should be destroyed as show physical
signs Of general tuberculosis. and that
only the original owners should be reim-
b,irsed by the state for cattle DESTROYED
by il.
That tuberculous cattie should De
branded at the discretion Of the state au-
,horities. and means taken to quaran-
tine those not DESTROYED and regulate
their trausfcrencG AZ vel as 70 make
iheir products safe for use
The resolutions - passed provided Cor
the details % these recommendations.
Now, those resolutions are definite
and important 10 the extent that they
Will undoubtedly come mp for debate IN
tho legislatures in eight states during
tho coming year. and. We hope. VIII IN
substance be incorporated into laws by
them.
The men who drafted these resolutions
were. IL IN fair 10 assume from the man
nrr o.. selection. considered authorities
by their states boY from the point oil
view OF public health and the commercial
Interests back of. milk production. They
wcrc sent by their Governors with in
structions TO CLEAN information for use
IN drafting legislation.
The recommendations adopted wcgc
based on the findings of the National
commission Oh MIN Standards. which
were considered "dchnito' enough and
of enough importance for the Congress
Il the United states % order 1J.op copies
printed and distributed 10y the govern
mcni This commission was appointed fol-
York MIX Committee IN 1910. 1T which "A
prominent member OF the MIX Commit
tor pointed out the utter inadsquacy OF
present state inspection. In three Of
these states--Veimont, Connecticut and
Pennsylvania supplying nearly one-tcnth
OF New York City's milk supply, there
was at that tim. 30 state inspection at all.
These resolutions are IN 10 way a
criticism OF local health regulations. They
merely aim 10 supp!ant city control Of
distribution. Uniform state laws based
on these provisions would eventually rid
communities like New. York city OF the
vast expense of inspecting diaries AMI
farms In half dozen states. They would
protect smaller communities from becom-
ing a dumping ground Tor inferior milk
turned away b. larger cities. They would
free the mix, producers from the annoy
ancc oi the present duplication ana ifrcg-
ularity of Inspection and eventually raise
the standard Of our dairy herds.
submit. therefore. that IT H. great
mistake 10 can indefinite and "uuim-
portant" these findings. which for the
hrst tune lay open the way 10 uniform
state control OF the milk supply. which
leading authorities agree is the best ulti-
mate solution OF the problem.
THE NEW YORK MILK COMMITTEE,
PAUL l.. TAYLOR. Secretary