New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-09-30
DAIRYMEN FORCE
HIGH MILK PRICE
Will Cut Off Supply to
Dealers Who Refuse
Advance.
1900 OF LEAGUE
ISSUE ULTIMATUM
Call Advance Reasonable
and Fair, Due to Cost
of Production.

The Dairymen's League, controlling
with its 1000 members so per cent OF
New York's milk supply. issued an ulti-
matum last night which leaves only
one way out of its deadlock with the
big middleman companies.
Either the companies must appear to-
day in the Office of John Dillon, State
Commissioner Of Foods and Markets
and appear prepared to sign contracts
at the advanced price demanded and
covering full half yesr-or they will
get no milk from members Of the league
after tomorrow.
In a statement last night the ex-
ecutive committee Of the league, which
will wait with Mr. Dillon for the COM
panies' answer. said the price Of milk
20 the consumer was TO concern of the
producer.
The price asked is fair and reason
able, due 10 the cost OF production and
in proportion 70 the price Of milk in
all parts of the United States" the
committee pointed out The farmer
cannot longer continue TO sell milk at
a loss.
AL dealers buying their milk in
Commissioner Dillon's Office tomorrow
Will continue 20 receive it as usual.
Dealers not making such arrangements
and at the uniform league price will
find their supply very short from Oc-
tober !.
Dairymen Defend Move.
The dairymen have found by expert
ence that Their Is no other method Of
securing a fair or living price for their
milk, as the dealers will not consider
production costs or negotiate in any
way with the farms. They have always
paid Us what they chase, and sold our
milk at prices which they also have set"
Commissioner Dillon, as on, 'ial hand
Ter for league and consumers, said he
was having no trouble in selling all the
milk he could get into the city. He
may lind stumbling block in the
Health Department. however. for Com
missioner Haven Emerson says he will
insist that every requirement for the
protection Of the milk supply be lived
up 20, regardless OF who serves as dis
tributer.
Launching another attack on the
companies, Commissioner Dillon &C
cused them OF having practised for
years coercive methods 20 control milk
supply and distribution, as exempltied
by the dead wagon
Dead Wagon for Small Dealers.
"The practice Of using the dead
wagon 20 punish recalcitrant small
dealers has been in force for years"
he said. III a small Independent dealer
attempted 20 sell milk az a lower price
than the big fellows Or tried 10 buy his
milk elsewhere than from the big re-
ceivers this dead wagon would 90
around 70 the small mans customers
and offer a further price cut. II this
wasn't successful attempts would be
made TO cut off mis- supply by threats,
influence and coercion exerted az the
source OF supply. Sometimes $500 has
been offered to a supplier TO break his
contract with dealer who wanted 20
be independent or else 20 send him
sour milk for few days"
Although reports from the dairy dis
tiicts of New York and New Jersey in
dicsted that the league producers
would pour their mill on the ground
rather than accept less than the league
price, II. y. Hallock, vice-pres dent 0t
the Borden Condensed Mix Company,
said the distributors are not anticIpa--
ing serious difficulty in getting all tho
milk they want. II there is a short
age, he said, hospitals. invalids in PR
vate homes and homes where there are
babies would De supplied first