Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-09-23
MILK PRODUCERS.
FOR CITY DAIRY PLAN
Nearly 1900 From Maryland,
Virginia and D. C. Meet
and Organize.
ACTION FOLLOWS REPORT
OF A SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Agree to Assess Themselves for the
Expenses Of Association-Strike
Possibility Is Discouraged.

Between fourteen and fifteen
hundred milk producers of Mary
land, Virginia and the District of
Columbia banded themselves to-
gether today in a convention at
the Raleigh Hotel, to work for a
municipal dairy in Washington,
following veiled intimation fhat
the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia are favorable to such
a project.
They agreed to assess themselves for
the expenses of an organization to
bring about a municipal dairy here,
such as it was said "is to be found
everywhere in Europe" and they
formed executive committees, commit
tees on legislative action and munic-
ipal regulation. etc. to be composed
of one member from each Maryland
and Virginia county, which shall bring
pressure to bear on members of the
House and Senate" as one dairyman
phrased it. "to see that they obey our
will or get out of Congress"
The action of the producers was
taken as the result of a report sub
mitted by a committee of seven of the
old Maryland. Virginia and the District
Of Columbia Milk Producers Associa-
ton.
This report was adopted. and resolu-
tions to carry out its recommendations
were Immediately passed. The working
organization of the producers. which
has for it's object the bringing about OF
higher prices to the dairymen. Tor
several weeks. will include the estab-
lishment of Offices in Washington, with
the. employment of high-salaried
general manager.
The dairymen. who are asking min
imum price Of "a cents a gallon as the
winter price for their product cents
a gallon more than they are now get
ting-said that they realized that this
could not be brought about at once un-
less the dealers agree to. pay more: and
because Of the fear Of the dairymen
that the antitrust laws will not allow
them to combine and fix prices. they
realise they must. go slow In making
concerted demands.
part OF the prudaes1G1ud which they
would refuse to fd6k11H milk to the
dealers, was discussed. but discouraged.
the convention confninE ITSELF to car
fyirig out the Legislative program rec
by its committee Of seven.
The convention was held in the ball
room Of the Raleigh Hotel, and an ex-
large attendance, was in
evidence. D. H. Schlatter. president of
the Organization. presided.
No Special Inquiry by q. s..
Coincidentally, the scope of the in
vestigation of the cost of milk pro-
duction in the United States by the De-
partment of Agriculture was outlined
today in a statement declaring that it
has no plans for a new investigation of
reported increases IN milk prices.
The -stetement says: The United
States Department Of. Agriculture has
in hand no plans foA new special in
vestigations OF the milk situation in
the United States, especially of report
ed high costs OF milk or efforts to in
crease the price Of milk. in any locality
For some years the department has
had under way plans for investigating
the normal cost Of milk production in
different sections OF the United States
The department is continuing its regu-
lar work in this field and contemplates
no change in the plans formulated sew
eral wears ago"