New-York tribune., 1920-03-14
Philadelphia
Policy Reduces
Price of Milk
sss Duplication in Plants
and Wagons Gives Con-
I su,ner Quart for 4 Cents
! Below New York Charge
r Fixing of Prices
S-operation Of Newspapers
~aud Women's Clubs Also
Keeps Farmers Profit I'm

PHILADELPHIA. March 1S.-"Phila-
x;et;a pays four cents quart less
M its milk than New York and vet
a farmer shipping his milk here gets
Mmuch as the farmer shipping to
Ii York
Or. Clyde L. King. Pennsylvania Milk
ss;ce Arbitrator and Economist, of the
ssiyersity of Pennsylvania, to-day
ssnie this statement in a discussion of
.3 upward trend of prices. His fig
Ms are based on series or scientific
sestigations.
sThe price of milk within phila-
jeiphia Is from two to four cents 8
ssrt below the present price of SINH
81 grades Of milk delivered to tho
Sasumer in any other large Eastern
a." said DR.. King. "In New York
"a Washington the price is 1S cents a
ogsrt, compared with IA cents for
9Riladelphia. Throughout the war
,eriod the Philadelphia consumer has
hid a price below that prevailing in
my other large city.
@sMorc important still. throughout
he war period milk did not increase
m rapidly in price in Philadelphia "a
lther commodities. In food value it
las been q good buy.
"By what principles and methods
Mye the dealers in Philadelphia ac-
.omplshed this result:
Reasons for Lower Price
"The following are among the princi-
pies and methods responsible:
81. There is less duplication in
plants and of retail wagons on the
streets in Philadelphia than in most
cities.
80. Milk distributors in the citv
file monthly financial statements ex-
amlned by an auditor working under
the direction OF the milk arbitrator
'''3. No attempts have been made to
fix prices by government agents.
J. Policies that increase the loads
On and shorten the hauls for retail
wagons have been encouraged.
3. Milk plants OF the city are
well planned and carefully managed
from the viewpoint of low costs.
It. Newspapers and representatives
of consumers have cooperated to
maintain ard increase milk consump-
ton because Of q fair price. and milk
herds supplying the city have not
been killed off.
Z. The price 10 the consumer has
been stabilized the year round.
"Se Wages to milk drivers have
oeeh IN large on commission basis.
'9. Milk in Philadelphia is sold
froT retail wagons
10. The Philadelphia dealers have
cooperated with public representa-
fises to keep costs low.
Same Price to Farmer
"'n 1919 the consumer in Philadel-
mia paid an average of one and 3 half
'ents quart below the average paid
Y consumers in New York City. Pitts
ensh aand Chicago. At the Same
line the milk dealer in Philadelnb;a
paid as much TO the farmer for his mill,
IS did the dealers in these other cities
In the period before the war when
milk In Philadelphia was selling at
cents quart about cents of the
Nsrage went TO the producer and 4
Gnts to the deakr. Such was the SIT
uation in 1914. BY 1919 the farmer
vas receiving 9 cents a quart and the
@s'fioutor D cents. The price to the
soducer mas increased 125 per cent.
thle the share taken by the distribu-
''r has increased 25 per cent. In
Nher words, out Of cents increase
n n the price Of milk to the consumer in
fmladelphia during the war period. s
cents went to The farmer and / cent
10 the distributor.
The price level last year for all
increased about IS ner
se!nnt, while the spread taken by the
MIX dealer here did not increase after
npfll. ~. Bottled milk averages above the
fgal requirements.
Less Duplication i'm Handlin1
-. mere is no section of the city with
~. Wv ,compet'tion. But in the city as a
.aole there is less duplication in