New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-04-05
Hcaltl, Commissioner Is
Charged With Doing More
10 Comrlicatc Milk Situa-
ton Than Any One Else
He Replies to Attack
Declares the Farmers Are
Being Misled by Off
cials Of the Organization

alton.
"Although he has profcsscd to be
eager to help solve this most trouble
some problem,' says the statement O.
the Dairymen's League speaking of the
Health Commissioner. "there is prob
ably no person in this city who has
done SO much to confuse and compl:-
cate it,
"Dr. Copeland started his campa en
for cheaper milk on the theory that
both farmers and dealers we're chare-
ing too much"
1t then goes on to say that DR.. Cope
land referred to the officers Of the
Nairymens League as men "who would
rather see milk spilled on the ground
and fed to pigs than see it ut lower
price than they demanded" It says
tFat since the INVESTIGATION by the Fair
t1ice MIX Committee Or. Copeland nas
rosed as the friend os the farmer
DIR. Copeland Quoted
Quotations follow in which DR.. Cope
land had linked officials of the Dairy
part of the milk trust, and then it says:
When the dealers dealt directly
with the farmers the farmer had moth
ing whatever to say about tho price he
should get for his commOditv. The
farmer was obliged to accept the price
offered or he could not sell his milk.
ut is difficult sometimes to under
stand exactly what Dr.. Copeland does
want. He called milk producers prof
ltocrs IN the lives of children in July,
1919, when the producers price adj
vanccd one quarter of cent, and rails
because the producers price is reduced
IL cents quart in April, 1920. He &C
cuscs the farmers representatives of
being in league with milk dealers in
price fixing agreements and apparently
IS Indignant when he learns they get a
higher price than the dealers wanted
to give them.
1T is true that farmers will receive
a low price for April. Market condi-
tlons are such that they could not get
any more without a long and expensive
fight: In the interest of the general
pubic, the league worked to prevent q
strike. In january, 1919, when the
dealers refused to buy milk at the
ment Of Health regulations were low
cred and all kinds of milk entered the
New York market from far distant
points. DR.. Copeland placed al the
blame on the farmers at that time
and Joined with the dealers in trying
to break up the league
State Commission Fight
OR. Copeland was RESPONSIBLE in
part. for the Thompson Pellet bill
designed to create state milk com
mission TO control milk production and
milk distribution ard to fix prices for
producers and consumers.
"Ofiicers of the Dairymen's League
are glad that DR.. Copeland no Longer
lavors state control FOR the milk pro-
ducers. However, if his position is
right now, why did he stand for un-
American state control of the dairy
industry in the first place? Why was
ne SO insistent that farmers should
and stand for this bill p"
In reply, Dr. Copeland said last
night: "Earmcrs have been mislcd by
the officials Of the Dairymen's League.
They were down and out and tried
various methods Of collective dealing
With no great success. They then took
to the D2irymen's League, officials of
which represent the increased prices
to tho farmer as part of their doing,
when because Of existing conditions
every one was getting higher prices for
everything. The prosperity of the
I farmer, therefore, is not in any sense
due to the officials of the league.
"The league officials have objected to
state regulation affecting the price Of
milk to tho producer. They would not
tolerate state officials fixing the price
OF milk. Yet some one has fixed it. 1t
was fixed by officials Of the league and
the distributors
81 contend it should be fixed by an
official body-an honest state commits
sion-some. of them members of the
Dairymen's League, if you will, but free
from any influence Of it's officers.
Costs 100000 Yearly
Farmers are taxed 100000 year
to support the officers Of the league
This is too expensive n way Of doing
what the state can and should do for
the farmer at less than one-fourth OF
that cost and in way which would
insure the farmer his cost Of produc-
ton plus fair profit.
The April price to the farmers is
not enough. They should not be get
: ting only or cents for their milk
/ while the distributors receive Is and T
for it. The fault is in distribution
two wagons whore one would suffice
lost and broken bottles.
81 do favor state control of milk
am wiling 10 waive that part Of the
proposed legislation which regulates
the price to the producer Right now
1t does not matter much to the dis
tributor what the farmers get for
their milk. He doesn't lose By state
control of distribution milk could be
delivered cheaper and the farmers
would get more for their product.
"Whcn | said, while negotiations
were under way for the April prices
that milk strike threatened and s
milk famine was imminent, the stu
alton looked like that in January, 1919
when officials OF the league would not
permit milk to be shipped to the city
Dodge it as they may, they had the mill
here. Such power Is too great to ~ re- e
pose in the hands Of a few mon.
"rhe power Of the league officials is
shown in the stat" Legislature Bills
dealing with the milk situation hav,
gone TO the Committee on Agriculture
and been buried, when they shoult
have gone to the Committee on Cities
! he Assembly has not even had pub
lie hearing ON these bills
81 have just wired Speaker Swcc
asking If an adjournment Of the Legis
lhturc IS to come without considc rat iot
Of an issue second in importance onl,
TO the rent problcm."
For.y-shrcc States Plan
"Amcr;can DAY" Celebration
The National Security League nm
nounccd yesterday that its plan for M