The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-13
MILK IS BOOSTED
CENT MORE AQUART
New Retail Prices, Fixed by
Z. S. Officials, Effective To-
morrow Morning.
DUE TO HIGHER WAGES
Farmers Arc Said to Be Re-
ceiving Less Than Cost
of Production.

| The retail price of milk. which was
boosted on November half cent a
! quart over October prices, will be In
creased still another cent a quart to-
morrow morning for the remainder OF
the month. Grade II bottled. delivered
! the milk of the great bulk Of the homes
will be u cents a quart and II cents
a pint. Grade A bbttled. delivered milk
which physicians and health authorities
! have long advised for babies. will be
10 cents n quart and 12 cents pint.
The prices were fixed, as have been
the prices Of milk in recent months. by
the Federal Food Administration. The
revision came direct from Washington,
and was announced by the Federal
Food Board OF New York.
The boost was authorized 10 cover the
! increased cost in the operating expenses
OF the distributing companies as re-
suit of recent raises in wages to their
employees. Drivers of milk wagons. who
| were receiving $24 a week and l per
cent commissions on collections. are
now getting s33 week and / per cent
| on collections ChauffeurS. who were
getting $50 week, are receiving $40
Result of Federal Action.
| Representatives of milk concerns in
eist that they eere in no way responsible
! for the second rise in milk prices In one
! month, declaring that-the increases In
their employees wages were the results
| Of Federal mediation and that the ac-
tual raising OF milk prices was the act
of the Federal Food Administration.
That certain distributors knew the
| boost was coming In evident from the
fact that at least one big company sent
out few days ago notices TO big con-
| sumers that an advance in prices would
| take place in brief time.
II heard that something of the kind
was coming" said Albert Manning, sec
RETRY of the Dairymen's League. the
milk producers organization. when told
| of the revised prices last evening. but
couldn't believe It, ! presume that in
view OF the fact there is a shortage OF
milk now they will be able to get the
price
Farmers are receiving from distrbu-
ters the Food Administration price of
1881 per 100 pounds of per cent
milk which officials of the league have
declared is % cents less than 1t actually
costs TO produce that quantity of milk.
They dema nded more for their Novem-
her milk. and National Food Admins
traitor Hoover aent r. II. Cooper. presi-
dent of the league, telegram in which
he said:
Your demands. which will result in
II cent milk. consider are based upon
an attempt to profiteer. and will react
upon dairymen by decreased consump-
ton. This decrease In consumption will
come from the poor children of the
city to whom milk is vital"
+ Agreement with Hoover.
Seventeen cent milk CGrade b is here
and there are many folks. so more than
one farmer said last night, who will
agree with Mr.. Hoover that much of the
decreased consumption of milk. because
of high prices. will come from the
babies OF the tenements;
THE Federal Food Board announced
to-day" read a formal statement by
that organization last night, that
owing to circumstances over which II
had no control the Food Administration
felt obliged to make public the follow
ing revised prices for milk TO be
effective November II
Cents
Grade A bottled milk retail quarts. 10
Grade A bottled milk, retail, pints ...... u
Grade B bottled milk, retail, quarts ...., y
Grade r bottled milk retail. pin,s 80. II
Grade B bottled milk. 10 stores. quarts. 1871
Grade B bottled milk, by stores. quarts, u
koose milf TO stores quarts Grade b. ~.
Loose milk. wholesale Grade RI. 10
gallons or over, TO restaurants. hotels.
ire cream parlors, clubs Solo,. 1871
Loose milk, wholesale tGraic B. under
10 gallons l3Ss
Each item shows an increase OF one
cent per quart. or one cent per pint. eX-
cept in the prices Of loose milk TO
stores" and loose milk wholesale. -
where the, margin of increase is only
three-quarters of a cent a quart.
Included in the Federal Food Board
announcement was statement by DR..
- 1
Administration setting forth the reasons
for the increased prices at this time
DR.. Kings Statement.
"WhenNhc milk prices to the con-
. sumer for November We're under con-
sideration,' Or. King said. tho milk
dealers stated 20 the Food AdmlnstrH-
tion that starting November they
would undoubtedly have substantial in
, creases In labor costs. The Food 40
mnistration replied that it could not
agree to increase the spread to tho
dealer to care for labor costs until those
| labor costs were finally agreed upon.
I This wage schedule was finally ad-
justed November g. to become effective
November |. Following its completion
w. L. McGee. the milk accountant for
! the Food Administration, who had pre-
vously been over the books of the milk
dealers, made an analysis to ma out u
what extent the present costs Of dis
, tribution were increased by these in
. creased labor costs. Mr.. Niece finds
that the added labor costs are prac-
ticaly one cent a quart
! 1.-The Food Administration takes the
position that the milk distributors in the
!, city can reasonably he asked to dis
tribute milk without profit during a
= short period OF nigh prices. hut that
they ought not to he asked to distribute
milk without getting back their ont OF
pocket costs
1.-THE cost records NOW available show
that the dealers have made no profits IL
: October Due to the added labor costs
they will make no profits in November
, with another cent added to the consum.
er's price. The dealers for the first
twelve days OF the month have had sub
, stantial losses. This increased spread
does not include any costs due to other
wage increases that have been made
, since August or may have TO he made
TO other employees, nor any increases IL
material costs since August"
W. !. MCGEE. accountant for the Fooc
/ Administration, figured from an invest
CATION of composite figures obtained
from Rorden's sheffield Farms EVpir,
: State Dairy, Levy Dairy and STANDARD
Dairy Companies that including wag,
: increases the companies viii lose .00l6t
: on each quart of Grade r milk in No
vember. His items arc Operating COS
per quart, S.ill milk cost, 905i tota
cost. l7.lee; selling price, II.
, Under the revised prices a pint bottl,
of Grade u will cost II cents, or at tn,