The Washington times., 1920-08-31
MILK DEALERS
TOF|CHTRA|SE
D. C. Dairymen Plan to Get
Supply From Other States
II Need Be.
NO JUSTIFICATION IN BOOST
Complaint Against Md. and Va.
Producers Filed With JUS
tice Department.

Washington milk dealers will fight
the proposed increase of four cents
a gallon ON the price OF milk shipped
from Maryland and Virginia, which
was decided upon" Saturday by the
executive committee of the Maryland
and Virginia Milk Producers Asso-
citation for the month OF September.
WILL GET NEW SOURCE.
Rather than submit to what they
term the "hold-up" methods OF the
association, more than a dozen o fthe
leading dairymsn in the District have
signiffed their intention of obtaining
their milk from other States and hav-
ing 1t shipped to Washington In re.
frtgerator cars in an effort to keep
the price of milk In Washington
down.
Matthew, e. O'Brien, attorney for
the dairymen. today filed q complaint
with the Department Of Justice
against the proposed increase decided
upon by the Milk Producers Associa-
tion, alleging a conspiracy In re-
straint OF trade and that the action
Of the Milk Producers Association In
raising the price of milk came within
the scope< Of the Sherman antitrust
law.
Although there is a rider. in the ap-
propriation bill which prohibits the
Department OF Justice from prosecut-
ing farmers for alleged violations Of
the antitrust laws. Mr.. OBrien de-
clares that the Maryland and Virginia
Milk Producers Association cannot
be considered farmers" and that
they are subject to investigation un-
der the sherman antitrust act
JUSTICE DEPT. STUDIES CASE.
Department of Justice officials
would not state today whether the
Sherman ANTITRUST law applied to the
Milk Producers Association, but 1t is
known that they are carefully study
ing the local milk situation here in
regard to the proposed increase.
At the present time. according to
Washington dairymen. approximate
ly $4,000 gallons of milk are con-
sumed here daily at cost Of 80 cents
a gallon or about $4,000 per day.
Nearly all Of this milk Is obtained
from farms in Maryland and Virginia,
and II the local milk dealers carry
out their intention OF having this
milk shipped from others states. 1t
means that the farmers in these two
States will lose an income Of more
than $SS, 900 a week or almost $780,
600 a month.
An equally large amount Of milk,
Aeontaining a much higher percentage
of cream, however. is also used in
Washington daily in the manufacture
of ice cream. so 1t can be seen that
revenue of millions of dollars will be
1ost to the Maryland and Virginia far
/ Pmers IL Washington's milk supply is
obtained from other States
VISITS MARYLAND FARMERS.
Mr.. O'Brien has just returned from
a visit to Frederick and other places
in Maryland, where he conferred with
Chamber Of Commerce members and
o. large number Of farmers whose
main source of income is from milk.
pointing out to them that II they
shipped their milk to Washington
through the association that the local
milk dealers would refuse to handle
or buy the milk.
According to Mr.. O'Brien nearly all
of them signifed their intention Of
shipping milk to Washington at the
present rate of So cents a gallon, re-
gardiess of the executive committees
decision to increase the price to 40
cents a gallon for the month Of Sep
tember.
However, should they fail to do
this. milk will be brought into WASH
ington from other places, and plans
to this extent have been practically
mpleted according to Mr.. OBrien.
The dairymen who will fight the
proposed increase by the Maryland
and Virginia Milk Producers Asso-
citation are w. A. Simpson. J. j.
Bowles, II. L. Black & Son, II. L.
Alden, ]. w. Estes, William r. Selec-
man, Storm & Sherwood, J. w. Castle
and many others, all of whom are
represented by Mr.. O'Brien.
"There is no Justification for any
raise in the price Of milk at the
present time" declared w. A. Simp-
son, one of the biggest dairymen in
Washington. The milk producers
are making this increase on the theory
reached in the early spring that 1T
would be justifiable due to a short
age of grass. which would cause a
shortage in milk.
AT the present time there is an
over-production of grass, as we'll as
en- over-production of milk and there
Is not the slightest reason in the
world why the public should stand
for an increase in milk at this time,
I'VE will do everything we can to
keep the price OF milk down In WASH
ington. even II we have to go to
other states to get II and bring II
bera in Yefriperator cars" he em-