The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-11-06
By BILL PRICE.

regulation is to ask "We what are
Jon going to do about it7
Particularly is this question most likely to be asked by
the benevolent operate the combines and who
st back and the public and thunder its protests
November ], 1922 the milk producers who furnish the
bulk of the milk supplies Of the District advanced the
price the distributors in this city to 20 cents gallon
These producers organized into association for self
protection When the spring Of 1923 arrived the
producers did not their custom in previous years.
reduce the price to distributors They maintained winter
prices until November l. of this year. when they increased
their sale price distributors to SO per gallon for
standard LIZ per cent buerfat milk This increase
place in the face of promise the part of the producers
Ct their. annual meeting than month ago they
would not change the price Of 20 cents gallon
The milk distributors Washington passed the increase
the public following tmehonored and quite profit
able Of theirs These distributors have repeatedly
claimed that they organized they do not work
under any agreement that would violate antitrust laws
which prohibit understandings agreements in restraint
Of trade.
Whether there is is any understanding among the
larger distributors who control the milk situation here it
noticeable that they have passed the consuming public
every increase in price them from the producers and that
this has for many years represented spread price Of 81
TO cents per quart That is the who gets milk
delivered to his home pays the distributor least cents
per quart over what it cost the distributor
In other words Washington distributor has apparently
decided that to maintain sufficient profits cannot afford
to distribute milk less "a cents per quart # there
Is deflaon in business he keeps the spread it
called.
In 1916 Washington milk dealers paid the producers an
average of q cents per gallon for milk cents per
quart They sold this milk public cents per
quart distribution spread of "a per quart Be-
ginning with November of year the distributors in
creased the spread to cents per gallon.
N November 1890 four years later the distributors had
increased their spread from "a cents per quart to cents
per quart increase Of much than 100 per
cover increased costs of labor rents, etc.
Since November co. 1920 the distributor has maintained
GAA nPMad nf q
whether the farmer had drop price distributor
logged along at the old steady gait Of about cents
He has taken chances while the farmer has encountered
the ups and downs Of increased prices
These prices represent those paid organized milk
producers in Maryland and Virginia for standard per
cent butter fat milk As the butter increases prices
paid the farmer increase Briefly farmers get bonus
Tor rich milk and for improved sanitary conditions. The
distributors however maintain about spread for
ell grades Of milk
The Washington distributors buy thousands of gallons of
milk daily from independent producers who members
OF the dairy combination They pay different prices
ferent farmers As rule the independent milk seller gets
less for his product than the dairy organization.
OF importance to Washington people to know- they
concerned in steps to safeguard themselves future manp
ulaons from which they get the worsis that in Baltimore
where the price Of milk dropped November to 13 cents
quart the uniform spread with the milk distributors is
CENTS PER QUART That is, they make good money on
gross profit Of CENTS QUART Why this disparity of
spread between the two cities is a matter question
second matter Of moment to Washington consumers
that the increased price is NOT DUE SCARCITY OF
MILK There abundant supply. It is that
when the prospective between organized
producers and the milk Dealers the milk dealers
fdent that they could get sufficient milk for local demands
from independent farmers nearby and distance
The charge is made that the organized milk producers
sustaining heavy losses from the return of milk wanted
In this city and that to these losses they increased the
price from 20 cents to 3S cents gallon This returned
milk due it is charged to the fact that the local dsr
in trying to get away from the grip of organized
farmers buying large supplies of milk from independent
In other words milk overabundan being destroyed
but the consuming public paying for all losses by
producer distributor
discouagng phase is that the organized milk producers
are slowly gaining control of the milk supplies city,
slowly reaching the point Of big monopoly AS monopoly
their organization viii be able to dictate what prices the