New-York tribune., 1920-04-26
Milk Famine
Menaces City
In Price War
Dalrymen's League and Dis
trlbutors Are Deadlocked
and Hope of Settlement
Now Seems To Be Remote
Strike Is Due Saturday
Entire Supply of State Is
Considered in Danger
by New York Officials

NEW 1orh IS threatened with milk
famine unless the dispute between the
milk distributors and the State Dairv-
mems League over the May wholesale
price for milk is settled before next
Saturday. The distributors offer $3.50
a hundred pounds. The league is
holding out for $3.50. Both parties to
the squabble have so far refused to
compromise and the dairymen threaten
to turn their entire milk production
into butter unless their terms are met.
The situation is so grave that the
city authorities are beginning to show
alarm. The general rule is that milk
prices for any month are agreed upon
by the goth of the preceding month
April rate agreements end at midnight
on Friday and the May rate is still in
dispute.
Orange County Is Center
At present the battle centers in the
action of the dairy farmers of Orange
County, but it was indicated yester erday
that the entire Dairymen's League
membership would join in the strike,
II 1T were called.
l.. II. Putnam. of Watertown, N. Y,
president. of the jefferson County
u oheh VI tne league, VINO is also d.
rector in Jefferson and Lewis counties,
said yesterday that the dairymen had
addressed communication to the dis
trlbutors which amounted to an ulti-
matum, declaring that unless the milk
producers terms were met q strike
would be called to take effect on Sat-
urday next. At Middletown, N. Y,
Saturday night, following meeting
of the Orange County branch of the
a. %oto
"it looked very much like strike'
1t is estimated that 8 per cent of the
milk which comes into the city from
New York State comes from the three
counties which have thus gone on
record for strike.
The dairymen claim that the S2.55
hundred, for which they are holding
out, is still 81 below the actual cost
of production at present prices for
feed and labor. By turning their milk
into the creameries, they say, they can
get better than $2.55 for it.
Farmers Disgusted'
foolish to let the league call strike
for a matter of twenty-five cents a
hundred pounds" jefferson County
dairyman said yesterday. "At the
present cost of production the dairy
men are entitled to that price and
more. If the efforts TO beat down the
farmers price are kept up by the
New York dealers as they have been
in the last few months it is soon going
to have serious effect on the whole
milk industry and may endanger the
supply of milk in this state.
Farmers are getting disgusted with
the monthly quibbling over prices and
some are already talking of going out
Of the milk business. Such action by
any considerable number of farmers
would create a scarcity of milk that
could not be relieved for a long time"
Dr. Royal S. Copeland. Health Com
missioner of New EorK, yesterday
blamed Speaker Sweet for causing the
failure of the proposed milk legisla-
ton at the recent Assembly session,
Smith would call a special session of
the Legislature in order that the milk
bill might be considered on its merits
at was pigeon-holed by Speaker Sweet
and his political cohorts" DR.. Cope
land said
Should strike occur" he contin-
ued, "it would be a calamity for the
City Of New York. and the officials of
the Dairymen's League would be re-
sponsible. In such an event the
Health Department would attempt to
valids.
Blames League officials
"The farmers are paying the penal
ty for the bull-headedness of the Of
ficials Of the Dairymen's League. If
these officials had kept their hands
off the Legislature and if they had
not spread propaganda among the
farmers creating opposition to the
milk legislation that was defeated in
Albany, the farme- would not now be
in the position VI being asked to take
less for his milk than the actual cost
of production.
"The time will come when the rank
and file of the producers will realize
they have on the executive committee
of the Dairymen's League short-sighted
officials who have betrayed the farmer,
imposed on the public and created
situation that will make for much
suffering"