Evening star., 1940-01-21
By JAMES E. CHINN.


BY JAMES E. CHINN.
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana yesterday described the
new Federal milk marketing agree
ment covering the District milkshed,
which paves the way for 5-cents-a-
quart milk for families on public re-
lief, as "camouf1age" to close the
door to cheaper milk for other
classes of consumers.
"The agreement doesn't suit me
in the least" he declared. 1T does
the consuming public no good. I
can see no valid reason why the re-
tail price Of milk can't be cut from
IA to II or even 10 cents a quart for
those families who are not on relief"
Mr.. Schultz, a member Of the
House District Committee, has long
been. a champion of lower milk
prices here. At the last regular ses-
sion of Congress he sponsored legis-
lation to force down retail prices.
The bill he introduced to open the
Washington market to milk and
cream produced in areas beyond the
local milkshed is on the House cal
endar awaiting consideration.
II am going to seek action on that
bill at the first opportunity" he said.
Il know that majority of House
members are in sympathy with it."
Another Inspector Asked.
Mr.. Schultz explained that if the
District Commissioners would CO.
operate in move for a reduction in
milk prices, legislation would not
be necessary. He said prices would
come down if the Health Depart
ment would send an 81 300 inspector
into Pennsylvania and Ohio to check
dairy farms and cattle and thus al
low milk from those States to be
shipped into Washington.
But the Commissioners refused
to order the Health Department to
do that" he said. They claim they
don't have the money to hire
another inspector-an inspector that
would cost the District 81 300 a year
and save milk consumers, $40O, 900
year.
If the District had officials di-
rectly responsible Ia the people the
milk situation would not exist. The
people would have voted out of
office every official who stood in
the way of low-price milk"
Pointing out that more than 30
per cent of Washington's milk supply
comes from dairy farms in Mary
land and Virginia, Mr.. Schultz
asked:
What interest should the Com
missioners have in Maryland and
Virginia? Their interest should be
in the people of the Districts
Conference Tomorrow.
Robert E. Bondy, District director
of welfare, is scheduled to confer
tomorrow at l: 80 pm. at the District
Building with Paul Edwards, ad-
miniStrator of the District w. P. A.,
and Leon J. Steck, an oficial of
the Department of Agriculture. Mr..
Bondy will seek to learn more of
the scope of the plan for scent
milk, what costs the District would
have to assume, how the milk
would be distributed, and other
details.
The District Commissioners have
promised sympathetic consideration
of the program. but have withheld
any official action to await develop
ment of details, now being studied
by Mr.. Bondy.
Mr.. Schultz emphasized he
strongly favored the plan to sell
milk to the poor at cents a quart,
and believed it could be sold for II
cents to other consumers if the
market is opened to producers out
side the present milkshed More
over, he said he understood the
milk to be sold the poor would be
surplus produced in the Washington
milkshed and its sale at S cents a
quart will not cut into the profits
of the producers who are not now
receiving more than that amount
for their surplus
General Approval Cited.
Representative Smith, Democrat,
of Virginia, vigorous foe OF the
Schultz milk bill, said he thought
the new milk marketing agreement
had accomplished one Of Mr..
Schulte's chief objectives-providing
cheaper milk for the poor.
THE agreement has almost the
unanimous approval of the produc-
ers, the distributors and consumer
interests" he declared.
AS for 10 or II cent milk for those
not on relief rolls, Mr.. Smith pointed
out that statistical evidence pro-
duced at the milk hearings last year
before q subcommittee of the House
District Committee showed that the
present Washington price of IA
cents quart was u cent quart
less than the average retail price
for the same grade of milk in cities
along the Eastern Seaboard.
Mr.. Smith was author of the reso-
luton that led to an investigation Of
the District milk situation by the
House District Subcommittee headed
by Representative Bates, Democrat,
of Kentucky.