New-York tribune., 1919-01-08
COvernorHOlds
Conference on
Milk Strike
Meets Representatives of
Dairymen and Distrib-
uters at Hotel Biltmore
He Expects to Get Results
On Leaving Meeting He Says
There Is No Possibility
of Failure to Agree

crisis in The milk situation, so
lar as it pertains to New York City,
may be reached within the next few
hours
At a late hour last night Governor
Smith, accompanied by Senator James
A. Foley, his counsel, Joseph A. Kel-
iogg, and George Van Nance, his sec
retary, went into conference at the
Biltmore Hotel with Assistant District
Attorney John 7. Dooling and repre-
sentatives of the Dairyman's League
and the milk distributors. 1t was
hoped that, before the conference ended
solution to the troubles of the milk
producers and distributors would be
reached
The Dairyman's League was repre-
scented by Roswell D. Cooper, John D.
Miller and Albert Manning The dis
trlbuters were represented by C. A.
Welant and Isaac van Bomel
Governor Smith came to New York
primarily to attend the funeral of
Colonel Roosevelt to-day. On his ar
rival last night, however, the milk
situation had grown so acute that he
determined to act at once in an effort
to bring about settlement between
the warning fections.
Dairymen Talk Fight
Just before going into the confer
ence Mr.. Manning, who acted as spokes-
man for the other members of the
Dalrymen's League, declared the farm
ers OF the state were reused to point
where they were determined to force
the issue for all time, by the action of
Health Commissioner Copeland in ac-
cepting milk from outside sources.
The farmers, Mr.. Manning said, re-
sented their being forced to compete
with other milk producers operating in
territory not subject to the same strict
supervision as is exercised over New
York State farmers.
Mr.. Manning added that the action
OF DR.. Copeland laid the city open to
the dangers always present in milk
that is not properly handled. He de-
was reached at once the Dairymen's
League, which is now supplying about
100000 quarts Of milk daily to the city.
would stop its supply entirely.
1t is to decide this question. Mr..
Manning said, that meeting of the
League had been called for tomorrow
in Utica, N. Y.
Governor Expects Results
Shortly after midnight Governor
Smith left the conference. He said on
coming from the room that there were
two representatives of the Dairymen's
League, two of the distributors and two
persons looking after the interests of
the city going over the situation. He
expressed confidence they would find a
way out OF the tangle, and declared
hnr Il h.
their failing to agree on a plan of
action.
Yesterdays receipts in New York city
were 1,1S3,74O quarts, about Sc per
cent of the normal supply, but enough
to assure a full quota to the babv
health stations and families with chill
dren. according to Health Commission
er Copeland
Some of the days developments
were:
l.. Introduction of two resolutions
IN the Board Of Aldermen. The first,
introduced by Alderman Collins. urges
governor Smith to send message to
the Legislature asking for the repeal
or an amendment exemptng dairymen
from the provisions of the Donnel]v
antitrust act and also providing for
the appropriation of sum the Health
Commissioner might deem necessary to
remedy the situation. The other. in
troduced by Alderman Wolf, Socialist,
recommends that the milk shortage be
called public nuisance; that a com
mission be appointed to mediate the
difference, and that if necessary the
distributors plants be seized by the
city. Both were referred to the Com
mittee on General Welfare.
Dairymen to Meet
2. r. D. Cooper, president of the
league, and John Miller, general coun-
sci, visited Governor Smith at Albany
and put the side of the dairymen before
him. The visit was made at the Gov
ernor's request.
3. Complaint against the tactics of
Assistant District Attorney John T.
Dooling "in conducting the John Doe