Evening star., 1939-05-14
Milk Probe Activities
Win Promotion for
Detective Fe|ber
Sensational Disclosures
Expected ot House
Hearings This Week

Heralding more sensational devel-
opments in the investigation OF the
District milk situation, Maj. Ernest
w. Brown, police superintendent,
announced last night he would pro-
mote Detective Richard Felber of
the eighth precinct, who has been
chasing suspected bootleg" milk
trucks since last January.
Detective Felber Maj. Brown said,
would be advanced in few days to
the rank of detective sergeant, with
an increase in pay of 5000 a year,
largely as result of his activities
in connection with the importation
into the District of alleged unli-
censed cream.
Since last January Detective Eel
Der has been working under direc-
ton of Corporation Counsel ElWood
H. Seal checking the activities of
various Washington dairies. Last
week he described some of his activi-
ties before the House committee
investigating the District milk situa-
ton.
Since the beginning of the Dis
trict milk investigation. several
other outstanding detectives have
been assigned to aid the Milk In
vestigating Committee One is Capt.
Floyd TruScott in command of the
tenth precinct, formerly the ACE"
investigator Of the Headquarters
Detective Bureau, who was relieved
from his regular assignment to
assist in the milk probe.
Milk Shed Shippers Checked.
Capt. Truscott spend several days
out of Washington last week, check
ing up on various angles of the milk
investigation. with particular refer
ence of the shippers in the so-called
Washington milk shed.
The producers in the Washington
milk shed are made up almost ex-
clusively of dairy farmers in Mary
land, Virginia and parts of West
Virginia.
The Milk Investigating Committee,
which is headed by Representative
Joe B. Bates, Democrat of Ken
lucky. is scheduled to resume its in
vestigation Tuesday at 1870 am.
after a seven-day recess.
1t was disclosed yesterday that two
employees of the General Accounting
Office have been detailed to aid Estil
w. Smith, the special investigator
for the subcommittee, in examining
the books of all dairy firms in the
District and of the Maryland and
Virginia Milk Producers Associa-
ton.
Indiana Witnesses Tuesday.
Three witnesses from Indiana,
representing various branches of the
milk business, will be the first wit
nesses before the Bates subcommlt-
tee Tuesday Arrangements for their
attendance were made by Gov. M.
Clifford Townsend and Representa-
tive Charles Halleck. Republican.
They are William E. Treadway. sec
retary of the Indiana Commission
on State Co-operatives: Walter
Freeman, representing the State
milk and cream producers associa-
ton, and Prof Porfit, bacteriologist
of Purdue University.
They will be followed by spokes-
men for the Wisconsin milk produc-
ers and distributors. including three
House members under the leader
ship of Representative Bolles, Re-
publican.
Representative Bates said last
night the investigation thus far con-
Quoted shows that the average
farmer in Maryland and Virginia
receives cents quart for his milk.
There is too wide spread between
this and the IA cents paid in Wash
ington by consumers. If the dis
tributors cannot do business on less
than cents per quart they should
get out of business
He feels that a solution of the
situation might be for the Maryland
and Virginia association members
to have their own pasteurization
plant and sell their own milk, but
Mr.. Bates said he could not see how
his committee can either force the
companies to do this or sell at a
lower price.
Sensational Disclosures Promised.
Sensational disclosures are prom
ised at the hearings this week by
j. Edward Burroughs, special coun-
sci for the investigating committee,
rivaling the tales of violence at the
hearings last week, comparable to
the bootlegging in prohibition days.
Independent producers in the
Washington milk shed are promised
hearing following the Indiana and
Wisconsin witnesses. Frederick c.
Howe, former consumers counsel for