Evening star., 1941-09-21
Congress Members
Invited 10 Hearinu
On D. {. Milk Code
Bottle Expected on Plan
To Permit Importation
From Distant Stotes
BY DON S. WARREN.


A determined battle over proposals
that Washington milk regulations
be loosened to permit importation OF
milk and cream from any State
which meets Federal standards is
expected in the District Building
Tuesday morning at public hear
Ing called by the Commissioners.
Invitations to attend have beer
sent by the city heads to 120 mem
bers of the Senate and House from
States whose milk producers might
be interested in supplying this field
In addition, the Commissioners
have invited members of the Senate
and House District Committees. Sur
geon General Thomas Parran of the
United States Public Health Service
spokesmen for the milk industry. the
consumers council of the Agricul-
ture Department and officials OF
Washington citizens associations, as
well as the general public.
Rutland Opposes Plan.
Health Officer George c. Rutland,
who is expected to be one of the key
witnesses, declared last night he
could see no excuse" for permitting
milk or cream Of inferior grades 10
be brought into the District and Gid
not regard the revision proposals,
championed principally by Repre-
sentative Schultz. Democrat of In
diana, as step forward.
DR.. Rutland declared he thought
the reference to standards outlined
by the Federal health agency a
'misconception" since the graded
system for milk outlined in the
model requirements were de-
signed to build up standards to the
Grade A level, level Washington
has maintained for years.
If Representative Schultz appears,
he is expected to renew his de-
mands for opening the Washington
market to Importation from the
States on the grounds that the
Districts existing stringent require
ments foster. monopoly activities
and serve to maintain a high price
for milk retailed here.
Seek to Keep Price Down.
Commissioner Guy Mason has
eaid he might be willing to make
changes in District milk regula-
tions, in the interest of keeping
down retail price, provided the diff
ference between District regula-
tions and those in the model code
of the Federal Government were
found to be not too great" Com
missioner John Russell Young has
said he was not sure he wanted to
lower District milk requirements
but did protest against the recent
rise in the retail prices.
Technically, the hearing. which
Is scheduled to begin at 10 am
Tuesday, in the board room of the
District Building, was called on the
Schultz bill to amend the District
milk statute to provide that cream
might be imported into the District
from any State whose health au-
thorities certified that such cream
met provisions OF the United States
Public Health Service ordinance
But the hearing long since has been
expected to deal with the larger
question of permitting importation
of milk. as well as cream.
DR.. Rutland explained he was
not concerning himself with the
economic side of the question, that
he did not believe this was his
province. "Of course he declared.
Il am carrying no brief for present
milk prices. That. to me. is another
question, to be dealt with by proper
authorities"
To Explain Regulations.
AS plans for the hearing shape up
Dr., Rutland is to be called upon tc
explain the District regulations DR.
r. R. AShWorth, head of the food
inspection service of the Health De-
partment, is expected to outline the
milk inspection problems The city
heads also are expected to outline
technical differences between the
District standards and those of the
Public Health Service.
Also expected to be brought into
tliC oCbotI 10 lLIC NuCSlAOll VI duOp-
ton Of one-cent milk program for
needy children. a program depend
ing on the amount of surplus milk
producers have on hand
For Tuesdays public hearing Sem
htors and Representatives from the
following States are specially in
vited: Maryland. Virginia, Ohio
West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Indi-
ana, Michigan and Wisconsin. In
vitations also were sent to:
Elwood H Seal. former corpora
tion counsel, now counsel to the
Maryland Virginia Milk Producers
Association: B. B. Derrick, execu-
tive officer of that association; Miss
E. J. Ferry; Paul E. Lesh. Theo-
dore D. Sloat, William S. Snow, Sef-
ton Darr, John S. Barbour, Robert
z. Lynch Philip RoSenfield, Harvey
J. Srebnik, A j. Harnett Simon
Fleishman and Renah F. Camalier
counsel to the Senate District Com
nlittee.