Evening star., 1933-07-19
PROBE IS BEGUN
Of RATING GIVEN
TO DAIRY FARMS
Assistant Corporation Coun-
sci Takes Up Health De-
partment Procedure.
COMPLAINTS ARE MADE
OF VARYING CREDITS
Declared to Differ as to Their Re-
lations With Maryland and
Virginia Producers.

J
Virginia Producers.
A study of the procedure followed by
the Health Department in rating dairy
farms was begun today by Assistant
Corporation Counsel Elwood H. Seal,
special counsel to the Senate Milk In
vestigating Subcommittee. Mr.. Seal is
making the study in following up COM
plants that have come to him from
individual dairy farmers, who claim they
have had difficulties over their ratings
Mr. Seal said the department has
farm score, a cattle score and butter
fat rating. and that the scores enter
into the price producers receive for their
milk
Further Investigation Needed.
Indications today were that several
more weeks Of preliminary work by &C
countants who are gathering figures on
milk prices from distributors and pro-
ducers will be necessary before public
hearings are started by the Senate
subcommittee. Meanwhile, Mr.. Seal, as
subcommittee counsel, is looking into
various complaints which reach him.
One of the complaints he said he has
heard from several farmers is that their
Health Department ratings vary as their
relations with the Maryland and Vir-
ginia Milk Producers Association
change.
Joseph Fleichman, who operates what
was formerly the Providence Hospital
dairy farm, yesterday made a written
statement to Mr.. Seal. in which he
charged that whereas he had trouble
with his dairy and herd ratings by
the Health Department when operating
independently, these troubles disap-
peared when he became a member OF
the Maryland and Virginia Milk Pro-
ducers' Association. They reappeared
later when he got into dispute with
the association, he said.
Inference Denied.
The inference Of an undue influence
over the Health Department on the
part of the association has already been
denied vigorously by the department
and the association. Mr. Fleichman
offered to testify under oath before
the Senate Committee to the matters
contained in his statement
The statement said in part:
In November, 1881, I bought the
Providence Hospital farm, which car
ried with it District of Columbia milk
permit. AS beginner in the milk busi
ness I thought 1 would comply with
the law and ask the District Of Colum-
bia Health Department for permission
to carry milk into the District. Their
answer was that l would have to have
a permit of my own. 1 stated that the
old permit had two more months to
run, but they said that that made no
difference and that they would have to
inspect my premises. An inspection
was then made by District of Colum-
bia health inspector. He inspected the
barn and the dairy and stated that I
would have to make improvements run
ming from 81 900 to 81 500 in order to
sell milk in the District I did not wish
to spend this amount so 1 decided to
sell milk in Maryland which I succeeded
in doing for 8 cents per quart.
"In December, 1881, two men came to
my farm and represented themselves to
be from the Virginia Maryland Milk
Association. They explained that if
would join they would give me % cents
per gallon for my milk and I would not
have to bottle the same and could ship
it in cans, but that l must sign up for
three years.
I asked them how I could bring my
milk in the District when I had no
D. C. permit. They said not to worry,
that they would help me to get per-
nit. They told me would get the per-
nit and that I would have to spend
very little to fix up the barn and the
dairy. I thereupon spent about 5000
A few weeks later my farm was in
Spected again by D. c. inspector and
approved and I was given D. c. per-
nit The 5000 was spent on steamer
for steaming and washing the milk
cans and some minor Improvements, but
they did not include any of the things
that the D. C. inspector asked me to
do at the first inspection and the permit
was issued and I received very good
rating. I started to receive orders to
deliver my milk to the Wakefield Dairy.
They accepted it every day and every
thing was O. K until I received the
first check, which to me did not seem to
be correct.
Given Rating of So.
Then. after describing contest be-
tween himself and the association, the
statement continues:
However, I returned and outfitted
nv dairy with bottles and went to the
Health Department and asked If I
could sell raw milk and cream in the
District. They said that I could On
or about June l, 1882 D. c. inspector
came over and gave me rating on my
cattle of SO. asked him what that
meant and was told that I could not
bring any more milk in the District
till I came to the Health Department
and saw them.
"As was beginner in the milk busi-
ness, I thought that my permit was
taken away I went to the Health De-
partment at the District Building and
asked them what the trouble was. but
I could get no answer. nor would
they suggest what I might do about
the matter. June IA. 1888, 1 received
a letter from the Wakefield Dairy stat
ing that they would not accept my milk
unless my rating on the cattle was 90
I then went to the Milk Association
and agreed to deliver milk to the Wake
field Dairy, at the old price if they
would get my approved rating back for
me. When I returned to the farm
about three or four hours later, D. c.
inspector was there and gave me an
approving rating. The next day I de-
livered the milk personally to the Wake
field Dairy, who accepted the milk
without question"