The Washington times., 1919-04-07
FOWLER LAYS
PROFITEERING
TO MILKMEN
Says Dealers Forced Down
Price to Farmers, But Didn't
Lower Charge to Public.

Charges that several District milk
dealers forced down the wholasals
price OF milk, while maintaining the
retail prices al the old level. were
made IN a statement issued today by
DR., William c. Fowler, District health
officer /.
DR.. Fowler also charged that o.
lection was made 70 the recent re-
duction In the price OF milk, ~bs-
cause the people of washington were
perfectly willing 70 pay n cents q
quart for it, and that some milk
dealers IN washington sold dried
milk products for fresh milk.
seven More warrants.
The charges preferred by DR.. FoW-
Ter came coincident with a statement
BY the health department that seven
more warrants had been lEsned
against dealers accused Of selling un-
licensed milk. The warrants are now
in the hands OF Assistant COrpOration
Counsel W. ". Wahly, and will oe
served Immediately, according to DF.
Fowler
DR.. Fowler's charges were made as
result OF a statement By W A
Simpson, president and manager oe
the Walker-HiIl Dairy. which appear
ed In advertisements on Sunday.
Dr.. FOWier's Charges.
DR.. FOwler's statement, including
the charges. follows:
"In the daily public press OF the
9Th instant, certain statements were
made by Mr.. W. A. Simpson. president
and manager OF the walker Hill
Dairy. relative TO unlicensed milk
In this Advertisement. among other
things. Mr.. Slmpson makes the follow
ing statements: It has been the
policy OF the Maryland and Virginia
milk producers to antagOnize the ship
Ping OF milk from Pennsylvania and
New YORK, In order to secure for
themselves a monopoly in supplying
Washington with milk at their price.
and II r. largely due TO this tendency
that milk prices are still higher On
Washington than in other Eastern
eitfest aa-fpPther states that had
81 not been ifor milk from Pennsvf-
vania and New York during the In
fiuenza epidemic last fall the city
would have been shortly fully 80 cent
- its needed supply
The Health Department does not
know what efforts have been made
BY the Maryland and Virginia pro-
ducer to prevent the shipment OF milk
from Pennsylvania and New York In
TO Washington, nor does 'it know
what efforts they have made 70 in
crease the price OF milk in this eitys
Il does know, however. that certain
dairymen In washington nntified
their producers in the frst part OF
March OF this year that the price or
milk from the producer to the dairy
man would be 4 cents less per gallon
than previously paid; that this
cents per gallon was actually deduct
ID from the amount paid by the dairy
men to the producers, but the price
10 the consumer was still maintained
It the former price OF II cents per
luart- From this statement IL VIII 30
'een that while the dairy farmer re-
;eived cents less a gallon for his
product, the daiTyman in this city
added an additional 4 cents prodt on
he milk sold to the consumer.
"WInInE % Pay.S
The Health Department is also IN
'ormed that at a meeting recently
leld in Frederick City objection was
made TO reducing the price OF milk
n Wa hington on the ground that
he people Of Washington we're ber-
ectly willing to pay II cents per
IuaTt for Il. As TO the statement
hat during the influenza epidemic
ast fall the city would have been
mort fully so per cent OF its needed
upply, / can say that during the
'et'iOd mentioned q representative OF
me OF the largest dairies Of this city
.dmitted to the health officer that his
was shipping eco gall
ons OF milk each day from its dairy
n Washington to Norfolk, Va
The department Is also in posses
ion Of information to show that one
{ the other large dairies was also
hHnntnur NnRra
rom Washington to Norfolk or
Va The department. also
nows, while not in possession OF in
ormation that would enable il to
sgally prosecute the dairymen en-
aged in the practice, that several OF
he large dairies in this city were
sing dried milk powder in the manu-
acture Of their milk product and
elling II to their customers as fresh
iiIk
''Afr. Simpson states that the pres
Mt agitation seems principally di-
ected against six OF the large milk
callers in the city, while to my per-
onal knowledge about ali the dealers
any size have received unlicensed
lilk or cream during the shortage OF
lpply. and asks why this discrim-
iatton" In reply to this statement
ne record OF the Health DeaprfmsnE
hows that prosecutions are now
ending against thirteen different
callers and not six. as stated by Mp.
lmpSOn.
Working For Public.
Il wish TO state, as I have on a
'rmer occasion, that the Health Of
GER 10 endeavoring to secure for the
sople OF Washington the very best
nd cleanest milk supply az the low
Il possible price with fair prOht to
le producer. and Is not particularly
Iterested in the producer or the dis
ibuter. His whole thought in every
,tion taken by him In this matter Is
fth a view TO benehting the public"