Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-23
Scent Milk
May Go 10 5000
More Families
Welfare Director
Considers Adding
W. P. A. Job EIigibIes

Plans for making some 5000 addi-
tional Washington families eligible
to buy milk at cents a quart under
the projected milk marketing agree
ment were under consideration today
as the deadline neared for the farmer
referendum on the agreement.
Welfare Director Robert E. Bondy,
who is making a study of operating
details Of the plan, disclosed late
yesterday that he is considering the
possibility of placing unemployed w.
p. A. eligibles and persons certified
for surplus commodities among those
eligible for the low-cost milk, in
addition to the 600 cases on public
assistance rolls at present.
He said there are approximately
5000 persons eligible for w. P. A.
work who are now awaiting assign
ments, and about 1000 persons certi-
fled for surplus commodities who
now are receiving neither direct re-
lief nor work relief.
5000 May Be Peak.
This would bring the number Of
potentially eligible cases to about
5000, since the welfare director has
estimated that probably only 5000
of the 6,100 cases on public assistance
rolls actually would take advantage
of the low-priced milk because ap-
proximately $500 are old-age and
blind cases.
The matter was discussed during
conference yesterday among Mr..
Bondy, Paul Edwards, District w.
P. A. administrator, and L. J. Steck
of the Dairy Section of the Agricul-
tural Adjustment Administration.
The milk-marketing agreement
already has received the approval
of the directors of the Maryland
and Virginia Milk Producers Asso-
citation, but the Agriculture Depart
ment's poll of farmers and dairymen
In the Washington area has not been
completed. Their approval is ex-
pected, however. The farmers have
until midnight tonight to file their
ballots.
Seeks to Determine Cost.
Mr.. Bondy said yesterdays con-
ference was called to discuss how
the plan will be operated if and
when it is finally approved. He
said he is attempting to determine
just what the total cost Of operation
will be, but has not arrived at de-
cision.
One Of the problems being given
study Is the geographical location
of the potentially eligible cases.
This information is needed, Mr..
Bondy said, to determine how many
distribution stations will be needed
and where they would be located.
He estimated that, according to
present calculations, 10 Or more sta
tions would be needed. He said the
possibility Of having these stations
constructed by w. p. A. Is under
consideration.
Mr.. Bondy emphasized that the
Welfare Board now has no funds for
setting up the stations or certifying
the families who would receive the
benefit of the low-cost milk.
Were attempting to gather all
available information so that we can
present a complete picture of the
situation to the District Commits
sioners," he said.
He said the cost Of processing,
bottling and distributing the scent
milk to the distribution stations will
be borne by the Agriculture Depart
ment through Federal appropriations
for increasing the production and
consumption of milk. Under the
milk -marketing agreement, the Sec
rotary of Agriculture would call for
bids for this work.