Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1916-09-29
Dairy Run By City Is Urged By
Producers,

tAiC
District of Columbia as most wastefully
improvidently, inefficiently and uneconom
ically conducted" the committee of sever
OF the Maryland and Virginia Milk Pro
ducers Association last Saturday recon
mended a complete reform of the entir,
business from the COW up.
The report was presented at a mas,
meeting of the milk producers of the ter
rltory surrounding Washington, called to-
eether at the Raleigh Hotel, Washington
at IL O'Clock last Saturday morning.
d. H. Schlotter, president of the Mary.
land and Virginia Milk Producers Asso.
citation, presided and explained the object
OF the meeting. Judson C. Welliver, chair
man of the committee of seven appointed
to investigate the cost of production, read
the committees report.
The main features of the report are AZ
follows:
I'm all our conferences, whether with
officers of the District or the Federal Gov
eminent, or with the milk dealers. we have
discovered an impressive unanimity OF
opinion that the milk producers ought to
be paid more for their product. 1t was
recognized by all these classes of men
whose business brings them in touch with
this industry, though from many different
angles of approach. that under present
conditions milk is not bringing as hieh a
price as it should.
1T has been impossible in the time and
with the facilities afforded it, for the COM
mittee to make investigation of the cost
of milk production in the territory tribu-
tary to Washington. We are informed by
the Department of Agriculture that, recoe-
nizing the existence of nationwide crisis
in this matter of milk production. it is per-
fecting plans for series of studies in
methods and expense of milk production
covering typical areas throughout the coun-
try.
THE committees conference with the
milk dealers Of Washington developed much
that was of the greatest interest. 1t is the
old story of the wastes of excessive COM
petition. We find that some sixty-five milk
dealers are licensed by the District gov
eminent. maintaining as many establish
ments for handling and organizations for
we are assured that from One-half to
three-fourths of Washinetons milk is sold
at wholesale prices ranging from maxi
mum of 26 cents per gallon down to as
low as 20ce The dealer takes the milk,
stores, pasteurizes, bottles, and delivers it
to his customers, at wholesale. for prices
ranging down as low as 20 cents
without exception, all Of the dealers
who met the committee assured it that
even at 26 cents it was impossible to
make profit and doubtful if loss could
be avoided. In answer to the direct ques-
ton. it seemed the common belief that on
this Wholesale business the possibility of
earning any profit at all would begin at
about % cents per gallon. One dealer
inuerpOlated that even at 20 cents a profit
would only be possible if distribution routes
were highly compact and concentrated.
Zone dealer said that a margin of IL
cents per gallon must be assured to the
dealer on wholesale milk. if it we're to bear
its reasonable share of the expenses and
earns its fair proportion reasonable profit
from the entire business. So nearly as we
can calculate the average cost to the dealer.
for the entire year. per quart of milk, is
about AIS. If we assume that a 12-cent
allowance must be made in order to dis
tribute the wholesale milk. this would mean
a price of about 81 cents per gallon on milk
At wholesale. the year around
THE problems of the milk dealers are
numerous and difficult Some customers
even demand that milk be put up in half
pint bottles to be sold over the counter.
Drivers making deliveries to stores are
frequently delayed while clerk or manager
waits on customers. Residents of apart.
ment houses expect their milk to be brought
to their doors. though il may require climb
ing several flights of stairs TO leave a pint
bottle.
This subject OF bottles was discussed
at length One dealer stated that during
a period of three years he kept bottle
account. During that time he was hand
ling daily average of 1900 to 1900 gal
Ions of milk. He found that the cost of
bottles through breakaee, losses. etc.
amounted to $2l.
ut was agreed that losses of bottles
represented about / cent per gallon, and
that payroll expenses aggregate cents
per gallon.
Health Officer Woodward explained the
law and regulations regarding milk bottles,
indicating that there is a serious inefficiency
at this point.
"Dr. Woodward told the committee Of
the experience of Wichita. Kan, which
some years ago adopted a rule requiring
milk consumers to own the bottles. His
understanding was that the plan was so
well organized that it proved highly effec-
tive
ut has been said that from one half to
three quarters of the milk distributed in
Washington is classed as wholesale milk.
The other one fourth to one-half is retailed
directly to the consumer by the milkmen.
The bulk of this direct distribution sells at
Q cents per quart. So called special milk
is sold at 10 cents II cents and still higher
THE committee made a special effort to
determine what special milk is. The deal
ers were exceedingly frank about it. One
said that special milk was a good. clean,
milk with satisfactory percentage Of but
ter fat. bought just like other milk. at from
20 cents up to possibly rs cents per gal
lon and it was special simply because il
was labeled special.
"A dealer said he had at one time sold
what he called special milk. but had