The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1920-09-30


cheese from refusing to pay cheese fac
tories for quarter and half pounds, the
Division of Markets Monday issued an
order, effective at once, directing every
cheese buyer in Wisconsin to pay for
not less than the full amount which
the cheese weighs at the time of weigh
ing at the buyers warehouse.
The practice existing for years in
Wisconsin, under which approximately
one million dollars are estimated to
have been absorbed annually, was for
the cheese buyers at producing centers,
such as Plymouth and MarShfield, to
pay for only even pounds and to either
take the fractions of pounds without
payment or make a fiat deduction of
fiye-eighthS pound or seyen-eighths
pound upon every box.
Public hearing to determine the rea-
son for this practice, was held in Mil
waukee on Sept. 10 before Alvin c.
Refs, counsel for the Division of Mar
kets. Cheese buyers, comprising both
Independent and meat packer dealers,
appeared at this hearing and testified
being represented by George Mooney,
attorney for the Wisconsin Cheese EX-
chang of Plymouth. Leo Nohl, Mil
waukee lawyer, interviewed in behalf of
the Wisconsin Dairy Protective asso-
citation.
The cheese dealers maintained that
the justification for failing to pay for
fractions is the fact that cheese fac
tories are marketing cheese which, be-
cause it is shipped too soon after max
ing, shrinks in weight while in the
hands of the dealer. The position of
the Division of Markets, however, is
that this loss should be offset by the
payment of a lower price for such
green" cheese and that it is unfair to
take fractions from every producer of
cheese without regard to whether or
not his cheese is in green condition.
The order, as issued, applies to all
persons buying American cheese from
the producers and to all selling agents
of American cheese for the producers.
Violation of the order, unless it has
been set aside by the courts, is punish
able by fine or Imprisonment and-in
addton-gives the party suffering loss
from such violation the right to lay his
case before the Division of Markets
and recover twice the amount of his
loss.
The text of the recent order fol
lows:
Under authority of Section 1852,
Wisconsin Statutes, it is hereby or
dered
/. Every person, partnership, cor
pOration and association engaged in
the business of buying American cheese
from the producers shall forthwith
cease and desiSt from the practice of
paying for less than the full amount
which such cheese (without parafiine)
weighs at the time of weighing by the
buyer, "full amount" meaning the fol-
lowing: All even pounds plus the "a
pound, where the fractional weight is
"a or above "a and below 1a; plus the
v pound, where the fractional weight
is 1a or above " and below "a; plus
the q pound, where the fractional
weight is "a or above q and below the
next even pound
2. Every person, partnership, cor
poration and association acting as
agent to sell American cheese for pro
ducers shall forthwith cease and desist
from the practice of making remit
lance to its principal for less than the
full amount which such cheese with
out parafilne) weighs at the time Of
weighing by the agent, "full amount
meaning the following; All even
pounds plus the "a pound, where the
fractional weight is "A or above "a and
below 1a plus the 1a pound, where the
fractional weight is " or above 1a and
below "a, plus the q pound, where the
fractional weight is q or above q and
II Ala raxI auap ,,nttn1