New-York tribune., 1921-02-14
Farmers Fight
Cut In Price
Of March Milk
Showdown Expected Next
Sunday, When Dairymen's
League and Conference
Board Will Set Figure
Producers Seek Control
SIO,OOO,OOO Government
Loan Considered Md to
a His her Rate Drive

A showdown in the dispute between
the New York Milk Conference Board,
Inc, and the Dairymen's League is ex-
pected next Sunday, the date set for
the conference at which the March
price for milk is TO be set, 1t is be-
lieved that the conference board will
try to obtain a further reduction in
the price of milk and that the "far-
mer trust" will stand pat on the pres
ent prices, or demand higher ones.
The condition of the milk market has
been such that the farmers have been
reluctant to undertake a finish fight,
but officers of the league are con-
vinced the conditions are about to
change and that they now can attempt
TO uphold milk prices with fair chance
of success and perhaps, eventually,
gain complete control of the industry.
For several months milk oonden-
series have been closed, or running on
part time because of tie falling off in
the Euro. can demand for their
products. This resulted in overstock-
ing the market with condensed milk.
much of which was held at high
price because of the amount Of sugar.
bought at famine prices, entering into
rs composition.
Expect s1o,ooo,ooo Loan
During the same period butter and
cheese were imported from Europe at
prices which commanded ready sale
partly owing to the depreciation in
foreign exchange.
Consequently. dairymna who would
not SCI their milk to distributors at
the prices offered were unable to find
any other market for il 81 accepted
prices which would have been refused
under other conditions
Officials of the Dairvmen's League
say that condenseries are beginning to
reopen, that it is expected $10,000,O00
loan will be granted to the industry
by the government, that foreign ex-
change is turning in their favor and
that the time has come to make their
fight for higher prices.
This determination is strengthened
by the opposition OF the New York
Milk Conference Board, Inc, to the
pooling plan Of the Dalryme MS League.
a project which might, ls successful,
give farmers complete control of the
milk market
officials of the league are said to
be determined to carry this plan
through, regardless Of the criticisms
OF officers OF the boari They have
obtained $4,000 subscribers 70 the ,ool-
ing plan and will put it int operation.
they say, when they have $4,000. With
this number, which they expect to get
within sixty days. they say thar the
plan cannot fail of success
Nathans Asks Conference
l. Eikin Nathans, secretary of the
conference board, has placed his OBJ
jectiops before farmers and their at
torneys in the form of a rcular let
ter He says that the pool ng plan is
destructive of American individualism
and initiative, q vicious attempt to set
aside the ght of contract guaranteed
by the Constitution"
He has asked George w. Slocum,
pres dent of the league, to have rep
resentatives of the organization confer
with representatives of the board as to
a substitute plan which would assure
fair prices to the farmer without ieop-
ardizing the interests of the publ G.
Dispatches from Watertown, N. Y, last
night were to the effect that officers
of the league thought that Mr. Slocurn
WSuld refuse to enter into any such
negot ations, which would be futile
anyhow, as the league was determined
TO make the experiment.