Evening star., 1936-08-19
WELFARE AGENCIES.
MAY Be ENABLED.
! TO CUT MILK COST
Consumers Council Plans
Collective Buying Direct
+ From Farmers.
PURCHASE PROPOSED
THROUGH CORPORATION
Eight.Cent- -Per.Quart Price Seen
Possible-Scheme Placed Be-
fore Commissioners.

Definite arrangements are being
made for collective buying Of milk
direct from farmers and having it pas
teurized, bottled and delivered under
competitive bidding, as a means OF
reducing the price of milk to Wash
lngton's hospitals, welfare and relief
agencies, the Washington Consumers
Council announced today.
The collective buying plan would be
operated by a non-profit corporation
composed of representatives of the
various private welfare, medical and
relief agencies. according to plans
placed before the Commissioners today
by the council.
Spokesman for the council, headed
by Mrs. John Boyle, jr, its chairman,
declared they were convinced the plan
would mean the price of milk sold to
the agencies could be reduced to ap-
proximately cents quart, or cents
lower than the prevailing level
May Be Formed in Weeks.
Mrs Boyle said she believed forma-
ton of the corporation could be ef-
fected within six weeks.
1T is shame We could not have
done this long time ago." she added
The plan is an outgrowth of cur
rent agitation over the price of milk
and threats of an increase in price
which developed following considera-
ton by the Agricultural Adjustment
Administration Of the proposed milk
marketing agreement for this area.
Seriously affecting the situation also
were recent reports of shortage of
crops for fodder which might soon
force farmers to buy feed, increase
their production costs and probably
result in boost in retail prices.
Plans for formation of the corpo-
ration we're outlined to the Com
missioners by Mrs. Boyle, Msgr. John
A. Ryan. Mrs. Huston Thompson and
Matthew F. Boyd, all officials of the
Washington Consumers Council.
Comment of Hazen.
The group said Commissioner Hazen
expressed the conviction that some
thing should be done to aid the needy
children, aged and sick, by making
milk available to them more cheaply.
However. he did not commit himself on
the corporation plan.
The group said Hazen had agreed
the council could consult with the
Welfare Department. Health Depart
ment and the corporation counsels
Office for information and advice in
perfecting their plan.
The arrangement would be that
public or semi-public or private agen-
cies caring for the sick, invalid or
aged would contract with the corpora
tion to obtain all their milk supplies
including cream, buttermilk and cot
tage cheese. through the corporation.
The corporation would contract with
producers of milk to buy all of their
production at fiat price per gallon.
The corporation then would call for
public bidding from dairies for the
pasteurization, bottling and delivery of
the milk products to the agencies
forming the corporation. 1t is pro-
posed that the corporation would pay
the producer fiat rate of "a cents
q gallon.
rs Cents Present Price.
Farmers now generally receive 26
cents gallon, plus premiums for but
ter fat content, but this is only for
the class / milk quotas given to the
producers, and the price paid for the
so-called surplus" quantities of pro-
duction is much less.
The group told Hazen the council
was convinced the cost of pasteurizing.
bottling and delivering the milk would
not exceed cents a quart, so that
they figure the final retail price to the
cooperating agencies would be cents
o quart.
1t was reported the Hillcrest Chill
dren's Village, a private institution for
orphans, has been getting a rebate"
of cents a quart in the form of a
donation by the dairy to the home, but
that this no longer could be continued.
The home spends some S24O month
for its milk supply.
The District government obtains a
reduced price for milk for a number
Of The agencies under the Board Of
Public Welfare under system of ad-
vertising bids for supplies. The cost
per quart runs 8 to 9 cents as a rule.