Evening star., 1921-10-31
M|LKMEN ACCUSED
Of DUMPING THEIR
PRODUCT IN SEWER
Large Portion, If Not All, OF
1000 Gallons Destroyed
in Day, Say Lawyers.
DIVERTED FROM DISTRICT,
HOUSE COMMITTEE HEARS
Attorneys for Distributors Make
Charge Against Maryland
Virginia Association.

Virginia Association.
Charges that large portion. if not
all, Of 1000 gallons of milk diverted
from Washington distributors on
october 81, the day on which the milk
war started in the District, was
thrown into the sewers by the Mary
land-Virginia Milk Producers Asso-
citation were made by Charles w. Darr
and NJ. Z. O'Brien. representing dis
tributors of 65 per cent of the milk
consumed in Washington. before a
subcommittee of the House District
committee today.
That a large part of this diverted
supply is still being destroyed. so that
the law of supply and demand Is not
operative to reduce the cost to con-
sumers in the District. Mr.. Darr told
the subcommittee headed by Repre-
sentative Lampert of Wisconsin.
That acts of the distributors as well
as OF the producers will be thorough
ly Investigated was indicated by prac-
tically every member of the Subcom-
mittee conducting the hearing. En-
phas;s was laid on the fact that the
reduction in the price OF milk from
the peak price of IS cents a quart to
consumer has come in the price paid
to the producers, which has fallen
from "A cents gallon to 81 cents,
while the price to the distributor has
remained fixed at IS cents.
Letter Put In Record.
The hearing today centered around
n letter put into the record by At
torneys Darr and O'Brien. They said
it was sent to members of the Pro-
ducers' Association. as follows:
Upon receipt of this letter you
of all your milk or cream until fur
ther notice, If you are now shipping
to Oyster, Wise, Thompson Dairy,
Corbin, Thompson or Simpson. which
dairies have been notified that this
is being done.
beginning this morning, over 1000
gallons of milk have been diverted
to our plant from Black, Bowles,
Gregg, Storm & Sherwood, Homer
Brothers. Estes. Selectman, Alden
and Hefiin. -.-.....
'.This action was made necessary
by the fact that these dealers, with
whom we are fighting, absolutely re-
fused to cooperate with us and have
in many ways attempted to dtscredtt
your association and to bring to
naught its efforts to protect our MEM
bers. This is a crucial time in the
life of our association, and the well
fare of your industry Is at stake
Mr.. Darr. also put into the record
a letter from H. E. Maxwell, Hern-
don, Va, in which he wrote to a dis
tributor that he was compelled to
comply with the order or pay f1ne.
Representative Millspaugh of Mis-
souri, put fire into the hearing when
he asked Mr.. Darr, DO you make the
that this association cut off 1000 gall
Ions of milk without notice to certain
distributors in the District, in order to
force them to come to their terms?"
Mr.. Darr and Mr.. OBrien both said
they were ready to prove that asser-
tion.
"Friendly Firms Notified"
Mr.. Darr emphasized that the letter
showed that certain distributors
friendly" to the association had been
notified of the curtailment in the milk
supply, but that other distributors
were to have been cut of completely
without notification, because they had
refused to sign contract with the
association.
Questions by Representative Ham,
mer of North Carolina. Representative
Millspaugh of Missouri, Representa-
tive Sproul of Illinois. Representative
Lampert of Wisconsin and Represent
ative Kunz of Illinois brought out
that the reduction in the price of
milk in the District hadl been totally
a reduction in the price paid to the
farmer Attorney O'Brien was asked
why the distributors had continued to
receive exactly the same amount for
handling the milk. and he replied that
the cost of handling the milk was
greater in Washington than in other
cities.
Question Of Tests.
The question was raised whether
the people of the District wanted
tuberculin- tested milk as required by
regulations of the District health
office or whether they would be salts
fled with pasteurized milk. which the
attorney for the distributors said was
sufficient in Baltimore, Philadelphia,
Harrisburg and other big cities, and
which they claimed DIR. Wiley and
other scientists had testified was
sufficient protection for the consumer.
Mr.. O'Brien suggested that two
standards of milk should be allowed
to enter the District market, one
tuberculin tested, for those who are
willing to pay the higher price, and
pasteurized milk for those who are
satisfied that it is a sufficient protec-
ton.
In reply to questions from Repre-
sentative Millspaugh. Mr.. O'Brien said
he believed that if these two kinds of
milk were allowed to come into the
District, it would mean a reduction of
IA to cents a quart on all the milk,
because he believed the producers in
nearby territory who are now Eaem-
ducers' Association would be forced TO
cut the price on their tuberculin-
tested milk to meet the open compe-
titiOn.