New-York tribune., 1918-12-24
Milk Situation
May Be Taken Up
BY Washington
Local Inquiry Leads 10
Recommendation by Chief
Magistrate McAdoo That
Federal Action BE Asked

Chief Magistrate McAdoo, at ycster-
days session of the John Doe inquiry
into the high cost of milk, requested
Assistant District Attorney John T.
Dooling who is acting as inQuistor
for the city, to file charges with the
proper authorities at Washington
against all persons and organizations
who have been interfering with the
public distribution of milk"
The magistrates request followed
the testimony of Charles Macarthur, a
farmer Of Millerton, Duchess County,
to the effect that the milk receiver OF
the New York Central Railroad at
Mount Rigg had refused to accept his
milk for shipment, acting under or
dcrs from the Dairymen's League. 1t
is believed that the matter will be
taken up by Mr.. Dooling with both the
Interstate Commerce Commission and
the United States railroad admins
tration.
Mr. Macarthur told of the events
which led up to the refusal of the milk.
He said that his father, not member
of the league, had been unable to sell
milk to the local creamery because of
orders from the Dairymen's League.
The letter to Macarthur, senior, mott
flying him Of the refusal of his milk
was introduced into the record. 1t was
written on the stationery of the New
York Central Railroad, dated August
%. 1918. and signed by F. A. Grinnell,
milk receiver at Mount Rgg. 1t fol-
lows:
II am very sorry to notify you that
Mr.. Bryant of Bryant and Chapman
Milk Company, came here this morning
and notified us not to accept any milk
from you.
Il informed them that you brought
good milk and were an honest man.
They will not accept the milk for rea-
sons connected with the league
1--WE are sorry, but it is something
we cannot help"
The witness testified that soon after
ward he received the farm from his
father and Immediately wrote to H. ".
Culver of the league. enclosing mem
bersnip dues. for which he received
receipt. Shortly afterwards, he testi-
fed he received another letter from
7hc league in which demand was made
FOR back dues for three years and one
cent per hundred weight for all milk
he had sold since the organization of
the league. He refused to pay this,
he said, and sold his thirty cattle,
which had been yielding gross receipts
OF from $500 to $500 month
The Bordcns Condensed Milk Com
rany was mentioned by Mr.. Macarthur.
lie stated that, as q result of his diff
terences with the Dairymen's League.
this company had notified him that it
would no longer accept his milk.
|. Elkins Nathans, secretary of the
Ne" York Milk Conference Board. was
recalled to the stand. He testified that
numerous letters from farmers. com
planning of treatment received from
the league, mad been received bv his
organization.
MI aNtkans testified that the return
OF thousands of soldiers would "unset-
tie labor conditions" and make it diff
cult to reduce the price of milk at this
tlMe. He admitted that the milk con-
terence board has advised it's members.
the distributors, not TO renew their
contracts with labor unions until fur
tner notice. The supply Of milk at the
sources at present is ample, but the
artificial price is due to the small per-
centage which reaches the points of
Glstrlbution, Mr.. Nathans said. Mr.
Doolln9 brought out from the witness
the information that large condensed ID
mllk houses have been overstocke ed
WITH their product and have made pleas
70 washington to take some of it of
their hands. The Assistant District Al.
torney declared that this shows that
large stocks Of milk are being con
densed and cvaporated in order to
MAINTAIN the high prices under the plea
OF = short market