Evening star., 1936-07-23
Gives Testimony in Urging
Increase to S3.55 a Hundred
Before A. A. A. Officials.
SENATOR KING VOICES
PROTEST AT PROPOSAL
Does Not Believe Drought Is
Valid Excuse to Hike
Rates Here.
BY BLAIR BOLLES.


aroused at the prospect of an increase
in the price of milk, Leesburg, Va,
farmer today testified at the milk hear
ing that:
1t cost him 27.s cents TO produce a
gallon of milk last year.
1t costs him 81 cents to produce a
gallon Of milk now.
1t costs him 2.25 cents more now to
haul his milk from his farm to Wash
ington
So that his total July, 1886, cost of
producing milk is 1925 cents.
He and LOO other producers in the
Washington area are asking that the
price distributors pay them be raised
from $3.08 a hundred pounds to 1855.
Such an increase would push the cost
of quart of milk to the consumer
from 13 cents to IA cents.
The farmer who told the story of the
cost of production was j. S. Hite. He
read his figures to Agricultural Adjust
ment Administration officials and
farmers in the Department of Agricul-
ture auditorium.
King Voices Opposition.
His testimony was during the fourth
days hearings on the proposal for
Federal control of milk production
and price in the Washington area.
The increase from s3.08 to $3.55 was
asked by B. B. Derrick, treasurer OF
the Maryland and Virginia Milk Pro-
ducers' Association.
The request met the immediate dis
approval of Chairman King of the
Senate District Committee, who has
asked Commissioner Hazen to look
into the basis for any price increase.
Derrick believes that the average
price paid to organized dairymen is
26.5 cents a gallon, with premiums
raising the price for herds and barns
kept better than average.
Hite attributed his high costs mainly
to the drought, which raises the cost
of feeding cows, and to the higher
costs of labor.
Senator King told Hazen he didn't
think the drought was a valid ex-
cuse for raising milk prices in the
Washington area.
Long Line Of Witnesses.
Hite followed to the stand Charles
w. Holman, the first of a long line OF
witnesses expert on milk costs.
There must be a substantial in
crease in price to farmers in thi;
marketing area and throughout the
United States if the farmers are ia
carry on"
Holman, representing the 350,0cG
dairymen in his position as secretary
of the National Cooperative Milk
Producers Association, gave assur.
ance. however. any price rise would be
only temporary.
The proposed increase in th& dis
trict is in line with similar increases
proposed in other representative
United States milk Sheds" Holman
added.
Hazen Urges Regulation.
On another front, proposal that the
milk industry here be regulated as a
public utility, should there be a real
threat to the public from sharp boost
in retail prices. was advanced for con-
sideration by Commissioner Melvin c.
HaZen.
While not committing himself
finally to the proposal, Hazen said he
was "favorably inclined" to the idea
as a result of rumors there may be
rise in milk prices. He said he woulo
discuss the question with Assistant
Corporation Counsel Elwood Seal, the
Districts observer" at the hearing,
on the proposed milk marketing agree.
ment for the Washington milk shed
Il am interested primarily in the
welfare of the District residents, par.
ticularly those who are in poor cir.
cumstances," said Hazen, although
the farmer. the milk producer. mus
be paid just price
Additional Legislation Not Needed.
Additional legislation is not needed
to permit shipments of milk into
the District from beyond the region
that is regarded as the washington
milk shed, provided such shipment
meet standards of purity and quality
eUIOTC6O Dy LIlS OlSIIlCL f1edlI1 be-
partment, Seal declared today.
He insisted there should be no dim.
mutton of the standards now set vi .
under District law
Mrs. John Boyle, jr., chairman q
the Washington Consumers Council
had threatened to urge legislation fo
a municipally-owned paSteurizatioi
FHlont ond nf
milk here from other territories a.
weapons against any boost in mill
prices.
Neither Hazen nor Seal were pre-
pared to speak finally on the sugges.
ton that the District be authorize,
by Congress to establish a municipa
pasteurization plant.
All U. S. Production Down.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agri
culture reported that milk production
for the country as a whole was dowI
7 per cent on July l below the 1925.
1929 average for that date.
The departments Bureau of Eco
nomics reported output for the Soutl
Atlantic area, of which Washington 1
a part, is 90 per cent Of the outpu
for the 1925-1929 base period.
The average production Of the Soutl
Atlantic COWS on July was 11.9i
pounds. This is an increase over JUL
l, 1885, when it was Ills pounds, ant
over July l. 1884, when it was 11.A
pounds.
The average United States COW OF
July 1 of this year was supplying II