The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-10-06

C John J. Dillon, commissioner of the New York State Department of Foods and Markets. in a recent article in the New York Sun, relating to the ' solution of the city's food problem said.
 "Proper distribution and standard ixation in the marketing, of food sup { plieS in this state and especially in the city of New York. where the means of conveying supplies to the consumer are primitive and inadequate, are at the bottom of any solution of the con- tinuous problem of the high cost of living.
 z ..The plan of this department for diving to the farmer a proper return { for the production of milk has been criticized as radical It differs in no essential particulars from other pro- jects of this department to insure the distribution of fruits and vegetables and articles of food generally in ac- cordance with sound enconomic prin- z ctples. ' In view of the wide public ! E1iscussion which has been caused by y tho proposals to aid the milk pro- ducer, would call attention to the ( basic facts.
 .aThe low price of money is at the Foundation of the situation which con- fronts the farmer who has milk for 6ale. The enormous trade which we have had with Europe has brought < into this country a surplus of gold. The more money the cheaper 1t ts.. I Hence the advances of prices all along X the line.
 I The milk producer must pay more esfor his feed. for his implements, for I 3overything connected with his busi- \ ness and necessarily he must be able to meet these conditions or bankrupt Icy stare him in the face. It Is cer- fAinly within the province of the state < to aid him in every way, for the well being of the Commonwealth depends i. much upon the production of food ax reasonable prices. < \ s'The first concern of tho consumer { q to get a plentiful and regular sup ply of wholesome milk at the lowest < possdhle cost. MIX is virtually a ne- \ 6easity to the city family. The farmer T is second in concern, because he is 4 not obliged to keep up a dairy. The production of milk Is a business with z him which if 1t proves unpfofitable z he is obliged to abandon.
 s1t Is to the Interest of the farmer < to get the milk to the consumer at . reasonable price for if the price is tbo high consumption is curtailed. Be- tween the farmer who is the producer and the consumer comes that neces- { sary agency, the middleman or dis 4 tributer. When midd1emen multiply E needlees1y and become merely mani a pnlators or specu1ators. they become m economic burden.
 The distributors control the mak- ing of prices at both ends. They tell < the consumer what he is to pay; and Inc has the choice of. either giving the price or going without the milk. The diSributers say that the volume of milk produced influences the prices, but the consumer, whether in winter nor summer. pays the same high level
 The farmer must have more money lt for his milk because as it has been 4 definitely proved by investigations made by both the Federal and the state authorities if is costing him more \ to produce 1t than he is getting for "Again should say that he was | Justified in the demand for a higher
 
 intrinsic food value of this commod- z ity. [ "A quart of milk in actual food z value is equal to three-quarters of a pound of beef, which costs approxi- ], mate1y 24 cents. It is equivalent in < food value to eight eggs, for which = we give 30 cents. It has as much nourishment as two pounds of chick en. costing 60 cents. It represents in food value a pound of ham at IS cents.
 Today the farmer is obliged to exchange ten quarts of milk for a | pound of beef; fifteen quarts for a dozen fresh eggs; eighteen for two pounds of chicken and nearly nine quarts for a pound of ham. He must | give nine quarts of milk for a gallon { of gasoline. A ton of the good hay which he feeds to his cattle will, un- der present conditions, bring about the same money as a ton of milk
 "Producers cannot and will not con- itfnue to produce any article at a loss Indefinitely. Unless the producers can get not only the cost of produc- ing milk but a reasonable profit as well, production will decrease and the short supply will result in a higher price being obtained for what pro- . ducers are able to remain in business. Increased hardships will therefore come to the city consumer.
 ''If present conditions continue, the state will lose in volume of business and in the value of its farm lands New York will lose not only prestige as dairy state but revenue, as we'll
 Tt becomes, therefore public as well as personal duty to maintain this important milk industry by a proper and legitimate regard for those en- gagged in it. Thorough organization a we'll defined business system, the
 stanch support of the producers are
 necessary for the furthering or these
 reforms.
 "Our plan calls for the formation o1 local associations of milk producers in every part of the state.
 Each local association may be le-
 gaI1y appointed as the agent for the
 sale of the milk. The local organiza-
 ton would then proceed to recover the implements of distribution which had passed out of the hands of the pro.
 ducer, for the big companies have in
 recent years owned even the cans fir
 which the milk is, brought to thei1
 depots. The local association must supply cans and pasteurizers and con.
 trol the shipping stations.
 'The local associations can then be federated into one central agency for
 the sale of milk. This organization