The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-15

Washington, D. C., Nov. 15.-MilS
supply 10 Just now a pressing prob
lem In many cities.
Dairy farmers say that they do
not know how they are to continue
milk production at their present
rate Of profit. The children's bu-
reau has for some time been urg-
ing that children between Is months
and IL years Of age should drink a
pint and half Of milk day. This
is much more than is now being
consumed, and the mothers Of poor
families, and even those in ordinary
circumstances, say they cannot con-
tinue to buy even 30 much milk as
they do now, II the price scars high
er. And while the price and exist
ence Of the milk supply is argued
over and made subject for strikes,
health oficials are busily fighting
for greater sanitation in milk
handling.
OF all the angles of the milk prob
lem only the question Of price
seems to impress the ultimate con-
sumner. He hears that the health
department of his town banned milk
that is not subjected to the tuber-
culin test, and he is vaguely
pleased, II he reacts at all. A week
later he finds that the price OF milk
is to advance two cents quart.
and he is stirred to Indignation,
language, and occasionally, action.
The price difficulty. as in other
branches of agriculture, is that the
farmers claim that they have not
had a square deal. The daaryman
never knows, when he sends his
milk to market, exactly what he
will get in return. II the demand
for condensed milk is cut down. as
it is Qow because less is exported,
the condenseries take less milk or
shut down entirely, and dealers In
the locality have so much milk Of
fered them that the price to the
farmer is lowered. In such cases
there is often nothing for the dairy
farmer to do but take the proffered
rate. Milk is purely local COM
modify. 1t can seldom be shipped
with profit more than q hundred
miles because of its bulk and ten
dency to spoil. So that when con-
denseries in New York release SO
many gallons of milk it does not
mean that a milk. shortage in the
south is to he helped at all.
! Farmer Organizations Help.
Where the milk producers are
organized. as in the greater part
of the northeast and around the
Great Lakes, they are better able
to find an outlet for their product
in such instances, and to get fail
share of profits. They claim that
cooperative associations of dairy
farmers are the main hope for the
business. The farmer working
alone and unassisted will always
be at a disadvantage in dealing with
the middleman, and the dairy farm
ers in particular are rapidly get
ting discouraged.
jamestown, n Y, is trying in an.
other way to use cooperation q
make the farmer and milk con-
sumer contented: The milk prob.
lem has been made a political is
sue in jamestown and as a result
plans are under way to set up q
municipal milk plant-a city own
ership proposition. With duplica-
tons of effort eliminated and Ell
fcieney in full swing. jamestown
hopes to cut down the consumers
milk bill and give the farmer q
fair return.
But while the rest of the country
. waits for jamestown to show whal
a city milk plant can do. prOducers
and consumers continue to squabblt
over prices and conditions. with tins
prospect for the consumer thai
while milk is still rising in price
it has about reached peak. j
it goes much higher. sales will bt
cut down more than the business
can stand, and the dairy herds
which should be almost doubled Il
give everybody in the country &
fair share of milk. will be reduced
because Of the lighter demand fol
milk. Since milk prices began Il
rise in New York the health depart
ment announced that the total sup
ply of milk used by the city dropped
% per cent and in the tenement
districts milk consumption droppes
SO per cent.
Sanitation Costly.
With price wars going on i,
various cities It is difficult to pusl
sanitation campaigns. They mea>
more careful attention to produc
ton, and often more expense 70,
equipment and, consequently. tai
already Earrassed dairymen are no
enthusiastic. Still, health depart
ments are trying to impress thu
pubfc with the fact that while i
is desirable that milk should h