Evening star., 1923-09-23

The milk pooling plan launched by
the Maryland and Virginia Milk Pro
ducers' Association. and now facing
the test of open fight with the lead
ing distributors of the city. is hailed
as the greatest forward step taken
in years by the leaders of the asso-
ciati" :. and scored as menace ia
the quality OF the milk and future
financial interests of the people by
milk dealers of the District. and by
city officials.
o. A. Jamison, manager OF the
association, declares that the pooling
contract will insure the farmer an
adequate return for his product and
will develop an organization of such
strength that its power will always
be sufficient TO protect the interests
of the producer. In order to insure
that there shall be no detection from
tho ranks of the association if tenn
porary conditions bring a lower price
or If certain distributors should offer
a higher price to wean them from
the organization. the association Off
cials have obtained signatures of the
various members to a contract that
provides that no farmer signing can
sell his milk himself. All the selling
must be done through the association
and the dealers are to pay the aSSo-
citation for the milk.
Plan Basis for Average Price.
The total received from the sale
will be used with the total amount
of milk sold as basis for figuring
the average price. This price will
then be paid the farmer pro rata. A
heavy penalty is provided if farmers
sell in violation of this contract. The
~ ,NS,FN..
as many farmers. according to the
distributors, already have signed with
them subsequent to signing the pool
ing contract.
This pooling contract, entered into
by the farmers, is binding upon them
for a period of three years, with pro-
vision made for retirement at that
time after certain specified condi-
tions are fulfilled.
The terms of the contract in re-
gard to the farmers obligation to
the association, and his fiscal rela-
tions with the association, however,
are the farmers own private busi-
ness. with which the public is not
concerned. Where the public's in
terest comes in. however, according
to officials and distributors who are
against the pool. is the possible ef-
feet upon the future price and quail
ity of the milk.
The excellent standard attained in
been the result of years of work
with little aid in the way Of laws.
The dealers have paid, in addition
to the basic price for milk, added
sums per gallon as the score of the
dairymen has risen nearer perfec-
tion. This extra compensation nat
urally has spurred the farmer on to
fresh efforts to improve his product.
/Further, as surpluses have developed
from time to time. the producer with
a low score stood a fairly good
chance of finding he lacked a market.
Pooling Contract Discussed.
Under the pooling contract, no pro-
vision has been made to differentiate
between milk from high-scoring
dairies and those of low score. q
spokesman for the association de.
clared. This angle of the question
is being studied, however. he added
and a plan will be made later to
provide for a premium on a better
product. Still, the distributors
counter. this is not required. and
they fear the wrecking of the work
of years when the farmer begins TO
receive checks based on a price equal
for milk of all qualities, as provided
under the contract.
The contention raised by the dis
tributors that once the pool becomes
effective the association will be able
to hold out for prices as high as it