The Washington times., 1918-08-30
ACTION ON MILK
i PRICE IN PROSPECT
tcOut,nued from First Page.)

NS06unueo from FlTSI EA6o-g
and labor cost him more, he is still
making some profit and can live
Now, the producers or dairymen
zee that the Washington dealers are
taking good care of themselves, and
they are fixing to get what Is com
ing to them" (P. S.-Note what the
public Is getting all the time.)
II Mr.. Producer, now receiving
something like 81 cents for his best
grade of milk, goes up to 3S or ~
cents per gallon, as he threatens,
then Mr.. Consumer again has some
thing sharp injected under his ribs,
and the retail price is presumed to
again advance to possibly is cents
Der quart
wide Margin Of Profit.
The average cost to wholesalers In
Washington today is about "a Genus
Der gallon; retail price is 81 cents,
or nearly 100 per cent profit for
handling and distributing.
The farmer Is not getting exactly 81
cents. Health inspectors at surround
tng dairy farms find that the dairyman
ls getting 80 cents for absolutely the
Eanciest milk Freight and drayaGe
make up the other 2 cents. The whole
Esler bottles and sells to the retailer for
g cents per gallon.
This, It must be borne in mind, is for
Top grade Of milk. Health onice figures
nhow that much milk being brought in
from unlicensed, uninspected farms Is
not costing over "A cents. Thousands OF
gallons OF this sort are sold here every
day. The District is now prosecuting
some Of these dealers, who are willing
Down huge profits.
How MILK Has Advanced
The advance in milk prices in
Washington is shown in these terse
facts:
August 81, 1916, . to 10 cents per
quart
October /, 1917. II cents.
August 81. 1918, 16 cents.
At this time last year the farmer
was getting for best grades of milk
20 to "a cents per gallon Owing to
advancing cost OF production he or
Kanized, and October l last the price
went up to 80 cents. Readjustments
since then, Increased freight and
other charges, have made the cost TO
the wholesaler s5l4 to IS cents.
This, 1t again should be repeated,
has been for best grades. Hundreds
of thousand6 of gallons Of milk from
unlicensed farms has cost some
wholesalers and distributors as little
as "a cents per gallon, depending on
the kind OF dealers they are. All the
time the public has been paying IL
cents q quart for it
4 The 80 cents a gallon the dairyman
has received has included a bonus
paid him by high-class dealers who
appreciate the fact that the farm is
rated high by milk inspectors in sani-
- nd
grade of milk.
Facts As To Farmer.
Mr.. Wilson ought to and probably
Will call upon the farmer to show
N-hy he proposes TO increase his
charges to Washington dealers. The
investigation should determine par
Scu@arly whether any increase is
Sustlned before November 1, in view
of the general admission that the up
keep OF dairy stock has/been cheaper
this summer than in many years be-
fore, due to splendid pasturage con-
nitions all around Washington.
Western pastures have been badly
hit by droughts, but pasturage in the
District, Maryland, and Virginia has
been green and nourishing all sum-
Ener.
The farmer has not been forced to
gul growing crops TOT green FOOD and
he has not been compelled to buy
dairy food at high prices. His labor
may be costing him more. Pastur-
age should be good until November 1
next The dairymen propose to raise
prices beginning October 1.
TheTe are no real killing frosts to
damage pasture in this section until
well after the middle of October and
these do not totally prevent pasturing
~ -oTN al T.
freezing weather begins.
This is n war of equipment Men
ire essentiaI, but without CONTINENT