Evening star., 1936-08-07
CONSUMERS SEEK
O|MP0RT milk #
/ PRICE RISE LOOMS
Council Offers Plan as Con-
slant Threat to Dairy
1 Industry.
u. S. HEALTH SERVICE
| STANDARDS INTENDED
Health officer Is Reported to Be
"Sympathetic" to Move by
Citizens Group.

An immediate move to permit i'm
portation of milk from other regions
which meets the standards of the
United States Public Health Service
will be made by the Washington Con-
sumers. Council if there is any boost
3 in the retail price of milk here,
Health Officer George C. Rutland was
Informed today.
This plan was offered as a con-
etant threat to the milk industry if
there is any decision to boost milk
prices here.
The importations of milk from
States beyond the District milkshed
under this plan would be certified by
health inspectors in the Jurisdictions
from which the milk is sent, rather
than by District milk inspector.
Instead of meeting the District regu-
lations, the gauge would be the
standards of the United States Public
Health Service
DR.. Rutland previously had an
nounced he had found from a pre-
liminary study there were no radical
differences between the District milk
regulations and the model code of the
Federal agency. but that there were
numerous differences in detail.
Rutland Termed "Sympathetic."
Mrs. John Boyle, jr., president of
the Consumers Council who headed
the delegation calling on DR.. Rutland,
said that, while the health officer had
not committed himself, he was sym
pathetic"
DR.. Rutland agreed the move was
possible and might be warranted, it
was said by the delegation. Such a
change would have to be approached
slowly and only in case Of need, they
agreed.
Matthew Boyd. who acted as spokes-
man, said it was not contemplated that
the proposal be offered as means OF
reducing the price of milk, but would
be Immediately suggested to the Com
missioners if the industry announced
o boosted price.
The conference was called by DR..
Ruhland as a part of his study OF ex-
asting milk regulations. The Commis-
sioners had directed him to survey
present rules to see If they were too
drastic or unreasonable or if they
tended in any way to maintain high
price for milk. He has talked with
dairy spokesmen, who declared there
was no need for any increase in the
price of milk during August or Sep
tember. He will confer with spokes-
men for milk producers of this area
Monday
Others Attend Conference.
In addition to Mrs. Boyle and
Boyd, those participating in the con-
ference today were Miss Ellis Mere
dith of the Education Committee,
woman's National Democratic Club;
Msgr. John A. Ryan of the National
Catholic Welfare Conference; Mrs.
William T. Tignor of the Crittenton
Home Board; Mrs. Huston Thompson
of the board of the Washington CITY
orphan Asylum; Mrs. Lloyd w. Biddle,
president, District of Columbia Fed
Grafton of Woman's Clubs; Sister
Angela, superior of st. AIMS Infant
Asylum; Mrs Ernest William Howard,
jr., chairman of the Police and Fire
Departments, Federation of Woman's
Clubs; John r. O'Neil, Mrs. Clarence
Hendrickson and Mrs. j. Brent Clarke.
Meanwhile, Donald Montgomery, A.
A. A. consumers counsel, reported
large Washington dairy had put on the
market milk which can be bought, de-
Ivered, for IL cents quart. Its but
terfat content is one-tenth of l per
cent less than the per cent Grade A
milk ordinarily sold here for 13 cents.
The only noticeable difference seems to
be that it contains a little less cream
Montgomery said the per cent milk
could be bought at l cent discount
II purchased in four quart lots. He
said it was much harder to get dis
counts now, however, than in the past
Bottled milk sold over the counter
In Washington stores costs anywhere
from 10 to Is cents a quart. Some
stores sell two quarts for % cents.
Montgomery has found.
Producers Offer Views.
Officials of the Maryland and Vir-
ginia Milk Producers Association
which is asking the A. A. A. to estab-
lish marketing agreement guaran-
teeing them an increased price from
distributors, said the lowest price re-
tail milk here was bought from inde-
pendent producers.
The association said there was
surplus of milk flowing into Wash
ington, but that this had no effect on
the price situation. Drought damage
makes 1t imperative that the dairy
farmers be paid more. regardless of
what retail distributors charge, they
said.
The surplus ranges from ~ to 20
per cent of the total production, Off
cials estimated. Currently, it is about
8 to 10 per cent. The organized pro-
ducers say 1t is necessary to maintain
production throughout the Summer
II they are to be able adequately to
supply the market in the Fall. Once
q cows production Is allowed to fall
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