Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-03-06
Importance Of
Milk Discussed
Milk Congress VIII Make
Plans For Lowering
Prices

Washington, March b - why
milk is essential to the welfare
of nations, how to reduce the COST
of producing and handling it and
how to improve is quality are
some of the questions which will
be discussed at the Worlds Dairy
Congress, to which President
Harding has invited all govern
ments to send official representa-
tives. Y
The invitation extends also to
institutions cf learning or scien-
tific research, to firms interested
in any branch Of the dairy indus
try and to individuals, especially
such students of the influence Of
milk in human diet as nurses, doc
tors, teachers, social welfare
workers, philanthropists and faith
ers and mothers.
This city has been selected as
the meeting place because of the
presence here of national officials
and because it is the center of the
Governments activities in pro-
noting the knowledge of milk and
of dairy methods. The time will
be October 2 to 5, 1928.
Prominent experts on various
phases of the milk industry have
been invited to come here from
other countries and have accept
ed. Canada and England have
special Worlds Dairy Congress
Committees which are now en-
gagged in organizing delegations to
attend the meeting and searching
for conspicuous speakers to pre-
sent papers.
The Worlds Dairy Congress
Association, the organization
which was formed at the sugges-
ton Of the U. s. Department of
Agriculture to conduct the Con-
gress, represents the first united
effort of all the branches Of our
dairy industry. 1t was realized
that the World War had checked
research and stopped the normal
flow Of the newer knowledge of
the industry as well as produced
marked changes in international
business relations and that the in
dustry throughout the world was
in need Of general "get-together"
to exchange ideas and discuss
problems. This was particularly
due to the fact that the rightful
and vital place of milk in the diet
of the race, especially Of the grow
ing children, was only discovered
about the time Of the outbreak of
hostilities.
One of the reasons for the Con.
gress is. that the people of tho
United States need to know more
about milk facts. 1t is estimated
that even now more than 80 pei
cent of our growing children are
not receiving milk as a regular
part of their meals, the neglect
resulting in soft bones and teeth
undeveloped bodies and brains
and susceptibility to disease.
While the figures for 1922 ar,
not available as vet, the per capl
Ia consumption of milk in 1922
was 40 gallons, or 392 pints-f
little more than a pint a day
The year showed an increase il
the per capita consumption of
gallons. The country's milk pro
duction amounted to 11,511,000,
600 gallons. This quantity wa.
about equally divided between Ii
quid milk distributors and manu-
facturers. The biggest manufdc
tured article was butter, which
took 4,116,OOO,OOO gallons. Con
centrated milk, cheese and ic,
cream each took about 100000,
1 900 gallons.
Seventy-one percent Of Ameri
cas- 6,450,000 farms reported
dairy cattle at the last census
They have an estimated value o.
S4S, 000,000,000.' These farms il
the few instances are devoted ex
clusiyely to dairying, but all de-
pend upon milk sales for quick
returns on their investments t
balance the slow returns on other
products. The United States ha.
about 100000 dairy cattle anc
the milk they produce annually
has a value on the farms of $2,.
! 600 mn mn