New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-02
Milk Famine
Threatens as
Reserve Drops
Yesterdays Receipts Only
Half of Normal; Short.
age Acute by FRIDAY
L. S. Attorney Will Act
Distributors in Deadlock
With Dairymen's League
Over Price for January

The city received only so per cent ~
It's normal daily milk supply this morn.
ing, dealers declare, as a result Of the
deadlock between the distributors and
members OF the Dairymen's League
over the January price schedule. The
leagues members carried out their do.
termination. announced yesterday. 70
refuse to make shipments unless the
price they demand, an average of ga
cents quart, is paid by the distribl
uters. Only few Of the latter, includ.
ing none of the larger firms, have ac-
ceded TO the demands of the dairymen.
The public will not feel the reduced
milk receipts until tomorrow or Fri
day, according to statements made ves
terday by distributors. They declared
that in view of yesterdays normal shin.
ments there is large enough surplus
on hand to make up for any. shortage in
o-day's and perhaps o-morrow's re-
ceipts.
Assistant District Attorney John r..
Dooling asserted fatty last night that
he would do everything in his power
and utilize every available agency to
prevent serious milk famine in New
York City. He said that the United
States Attorney for this district, +. G..
Caitey, will undoubtedly take steps, on
Federal statutes, to break uD anv en-
barge on milk shipments TO the city.
Government Officials Watching
Il don't believe there Will be milk
famine Mr.. Dooling said. Il don't
believe any law abiding persons would
be parties to causing such a famine.
But, If anybody attempts to bring one
about, he must be prepared to take
grave consequences. The Federal Off
Gals are wide awake, and if my Office
cannot act, there are Federal statutes
on which the malefactor can be prose-
cuted."
Albert Manning, secretary of the
Dairymen's League, said yesterday that
neither the Sheffield Farms-S lawson-
Decker Company. the Bordens Farm
PRODUCTS Company nor the Empire
State Dairy Company, the three largest
distributing firms in the city. have
signed contracts with the league to
receive milk from any OF It's 10000
members. He declared that the league
members supply New York City with
about 100000 quarts OF milk daily.
Contracts for considerably less than
90 per cent of this have been renewed
for January, ne announced.
1t is estimated that the larger con-
Germs obtain almost SO per cent of
their milk from dailymen connected
with the league. Distributors spent a
wildly busy holiday yesterday, commu-
nlcating with their agents and with
o 0Ov~ 49,.
endeavor to persuade league members
and Independent dairymen to accept
their price of $3.50 a hundredweight.
they reported varying successes.
Only so Per Cent of Supply To-day
I'VE expect to have about 30 per cert
OF our normal supply reach the city to-
day" said L. A. Van Bomel. OF the
managerial staff of the Sheffield Farms.
Slawson- Decker Company, of 524 Vest
Fifty seventh Street, yesterday about
80 per cent of the farmers who supply
US are members Of the Dairymen :
League. But almost so per cent Of
these Will continue to make shipyneut s
to US at the price we accept. which
MAKES 1t possible to offer grade mix
at 10 cents and grade A at is cents a
quart to the consumer.
we are willing TO give the farmers
$3.50 for 100 pounds of milk contain
ing per cent Of butter fat As The
average butter fat in the milk Of New
York State is 80 per cent and We nay
TOUR cents additional per hundred
weight for each one tenth Of a per cent
OF butter fat over the required PER
cent, we viii really pay an average Of
$500 per hundredweight."
Executives of the Borden's Farm
Products Company held a conferences
Yesterday afternoon. but no resultant
OF II reached the Offices of the Dairr-
mems League, at sos Fifth Avenue.
where the complete Office force wss
present and working, ready to write ~
any contracts calling for S4.01 for 100
pounds of milk
Dooling to Conduct Inquiry
The milk receipts of the Borden
company were given out as practically
normal" yesterday, as the dairvmen
were still being paid the December
price. A few smtlier distributors VIII
receive their normal supply to-day,
having little surplus on hand and be-
ing practically compelled to accept the
league s price or give up deliveries
incidentally, District Attorney Dool-
ing has revised whatever plan he might
previously have had of conducting the
john Doe inquiry into the high cost Of
milk in General Sessions TO-DAY. He
decided last night to recall Mr.. Man
nlng TO the stand, presumably 10 cues
ton him regarding the proposed cm-
barge