The Washington times., 1919-04-02
UNCLEANMIL
PROSECUTIONS
TOBEPUSHED
I-Orty-fVe Cases, Against II
Dealers, Will Be Rushed to
End Serious Evil Here:
BY BILL PRICE.

With municipal officials OF the Dis
irict and citizens Of Washington in
The regular periodical stew over un-
licensed. Unclean milk coming into the
city and the prices being charged,
Shere is at least a ray of hope in
5ehniteIy settling the former phase
"f the problem through the determin-
EtiOn Of w. H. Wahly, assistant cor
''oration counsel to steadily push
prosecutions against the dealers in
mis- city before the Police Court
vhere there are now forty-hve cases
bending.
Mr.. Wahly said today that he will
Hereafter fight all efforts of counsel
Tor the accused milk dealers to post
bone trials of these cases and that
be hopes to get action right along
sfter April 9, at which time five to
tight cases are scheduled to be tried
oefore Judge Mcmahon.
Against IL Dealers.
The forty-five cases are against
Twelve dealers, three or four Of them
tmonE the largest in Washington.
With large supplies still being re-
.eived by them from unlicensed farms,
Fome OF II so dirty that il is being
condemned, they are leading in the de-
nand for lower milk prices for Wash
ngton. This milk costs them from
o to is cents less per gallon than II
L came from dairies which submit TO
The regulations Of the health depart
nent OF the District
For three years little legal proFress
.as been made against this class Of
milk dealers, although the District
court Of Appeals ruled against them
"a the test case submitted and set
ued nearly q year ago.
various causes are given for delays
n the trial OF the cases. Counsel
,or the milk dealers are in no hurry
10 push along the trials; Mr.. Wahly
kas been ill; the influenza last win
Ter induced dismissals OF turies sum
e1oued before the Police Court; the
iudres of this court have been over
tun with bootleg and other prosecu-
ions.
BUT AT EVERY STEP DELAY.
In the meantime the recurring fer
aent about the milk laws and charges
~ the Health Department that the
unlicensed milk is dangerous.
Want Problem Solved.
Practical officials Of the District
md citizens generally want this i'm
sure milk problem to be solved Sue
sessfuI prosecutions and heavy fines
,uEht to break it up. The dealers en-
aged can not plead extenuation when
sonvicted. They know what the laws
re. They would not violate these
nrs unless their profits were large
= the courts drive them out OF busi-
;<ss, then many Of the producers sup
living them with this milk will be-
ONE licensed dealers.
The question is largely whether the
cxisting health laws as to milk are to
Eand or whether they are to fall and
new set Of laws and regulations
tdopted. II there is not to be vigorous
1ction against dealers, then the bars
night as we'll be let down and IN
licensed milk allowed to come in under
tew regulations that may protect the
DUblic-
About 26,OOO gallons OF milk and
rream come into Washington each
lay from licensed producers, who 60
% much expense TO comply with the
.ealth regulations and who can use
,nly tubercUlin tested cows. The
fuantity OF the unlicensed product
Foming in is not known. It is largee,
however. The Health Department
18th a small force Of inspectors, has
20 way of finding out Like liquor,
Unlicensed milk does not advertise its
appearance in the city.
Two Glasses of MIX.
Unless unlicesned milk can be
lriven out Of Washington, iSc Dis
,rict Commissioners must turn TO
gome other plan One suggestion
already made IS that ne wrules be
tdopted requiring that milk from
licensed farms be labeled no. l and
nat from unlicensed places designat-
d No. ?, so that the public may know
Rhat il Is getting. The products
rom both classes should be pasteur-
- zed. The Washington public today
sas no idea which class n is getting
xcept in the confidence IL places in
Iealers-
DR.. Fowler will discuss in confer
noes he will hold with producers
nd dealers the question OF lower
,riees for milk, as asked by citizens.
Production Costs Higher.
Despite the fact that the war is
gver, costs OF producing milk today
IRE higher than they were early in
ne winter, according to D. A. SlaUgh-
Ter, president Of the Maryland and
Virginia Milk Producers Associa-
ION.
..The statement made in the press
tnat dairy feeds have come down In
rrice is erroneous" he said. "As a
natter Of fact, dairy feeds are high
= today than they were last Octo-
her. when the war was at its height.
mis- will be seen from the following
tlotations. which I procured yester-
Fsy on three standard dairy feeds
T-om one OF the biggest feed dealers
Ia Washington.
Price last Oct. Price today
in car lots in car lots.
f-pion grain SCI ton sos ton
Cottonseed meal. 5S ton 60 ton
grsD 35 ton IS ton
These figures show quite clearly"
Ar. Slaughter said that feed costs
lave not come down. The other prin-
ripaI factor in milk production is Ia
Dor, and everyone knows that there