Evening star., 1918-07-20
OCEANS OF CREAM
IN COLD STORAGE
100000 Gallons on Hand,
Develops At Milk Hearing.
Safeguards Defended.
cRITIcIsE HEALTH OFFICE

CRITICISE HEALTH OFFICE
Opposition to the proposal of local
dealers that they be permitted to
buy milk from unlicensed farms de-
veloped SO strongly at hearing be-
fore the Commissioners yesterday
afternoon as to practically assure
there will be no relaxation of rules
for safeguarding washington's milk
supply.
Distributors who attended the hear
ing put forward their application as
war measure. stating that licensed
producers are unable to meet the de-
mands of the capitals increased pop
ulation and that unless the regula-
tions are modified there will be
serious milk famine here before the
summer Is out.
100000 Gallons Of Cream.
Later they admitted there are now
10O.O 900 gallons of cream in cold stor-
aae here. Under certain processes
this amount of cream can be con-
verted into practically half a million
gallons of milk. 1t Is stated.
Licensed producers. sanitarians and
representatives of agencies interested
in child welfare work were as well rep
resented at the hearing as distributors
They wHe a unit IN opposing the
suggestion of the distributors. 1t were
better that Washington be supplied
inadequately with pure milk than
plentifully furnished with milk COM
ing in from unlicensed sources, they
'nrin'1aesai The heseins wa. about the l,v.ll.,.
one that has been staged at the
municipal building in many a day,
and marked by frequent verbal Tits
between Commissioner Brownlow and
Matthew E. O'Brien. who said he rep
resented IS per cent of the distributors
doing business In Washington. Charles
w, Darr also appeared as attorney for
group of distributors.
o'Brien Would Abolish Test.
Mr.. oBrien unqualifedly recon-
mended abolition of the tuberculin
test now required by the District for
all herds furnishing milk for local
consumption. Mr.. Darr did not go to
this extreme. but thought the regula-
ttons could be amended SO that milk
could be brought in here from un-
licensed farms and inspected, which
would assure the present purity of the
milk supply being maintained.
Daniel w. Baker, former district at
torney. appeared for the Maryland
and Virginia Milk Producers Associa-
ton. TO & Mt Baker operates a dairy farm.
He said the tuberculin test is a pro-
lection to the public and that to abol-
fsh 1t would be unfair to producers
who have been complying with 1t at
a cost of thousands of dollars.
Attacking Mr. Darr's proposal for
an inspection Of milk brought in
from unlicensed farms, Mr.. Baker de-
clared this could not be done under
law. as 1t would mean two systems
of inspections-one for licensed and
one for unlicensed farms.
DR.. Harvey w. Wiley agreed with
Mr.. Baker that the law was meant to
apply alike to all, and that the Com
change the regulations. Any relaxa-
tion of the health regulations would
be a menace to the life and health of
every child in the District, DR.. Wiley
said.
Others Voice Opposition.
Walter s. Ufford, secretary of the
Association for the Prevention of
tuberculosis; Miss Jessie r. Hoover,
SCSiCtdiy VI thc SohSuLlcTS AcdBuo
Mrs. Harriet Hunt. executive secretary
of the Child's Year Committee; rep
resentatives of the Washington Diet
Kitchen and others spoke in oppose
tion to any modification Of the regu-
lations.
The 1ong-standing feud between At
torney O'Brien and District Health
Officer Woodward over the health
departments handling of the local
milk situation, broke out afresh when
Mr.. O'Brien took the floor. He charged
that milk permits had been issued and
revoked at will by the health offfcer.
without reason. He referred to the
health officers action as whims."
"Facts" Versus tsWhims."
IF it's your opinion about a matter
it's fact and IL it's the health off,
GERS opinion it's a whim, suppose"
interposed Commissioner Brownlow.
Yes" promptly responded O'Brien.
The attorney for the milk men then
going to Congress every year and
asking for law requiring the tuber-
culin test.
You know that isn't a fact, ont
you?" again interrupted the. Com
missioner. Mr.. O'Brien modified the
statement by saying that DR.. Wood
ward had been making the request
practically every year. Commission
er Brownlow said DR.. Woodward had
not been to Congress with slahy re-
quest since he had been Commissioner.
Yelled accusations that favoritism
had been shown in the issuing of per-
mits eliminated in statement by
the attorney that the permit held by
a relative Of a former chief justice
of the District Supreme Court was
withdrawn after the death Of the JUS
tice. At this point Commissioner
Brownlow told. Mr.. OBrien that the
health department was not on trial
and that he would not listen to fur
ther abuse Of its officials.
DR.. Woodward Silent.
Dr. Woodward, who is to become the
health officer of Boston Augusta, !, at
tended the hearing, but did not an
swer the criticisms. His administra-
tion Of the health department was
warmly defended by F. e. Bowman, q
producer, and others.
Mr.. Bowman said that when he en-
tered the e.milk-producing business To-
cal distributors tried to prejudice him
against DIR. woodward and his meth
DDS. but that he had found the health
officer eminently capable Of handling
the milk situation and fair in his