Evening star., 1942-11-19
Milk
Continued From First Page J

Wickard to modify, spokesmen said.
B. B. Derrick, manager of the
Maryland-Virginia Milk Producers
Association, has advised the Com
missioners that the recently de
veloped shortage Of 10000 gallons
day has been reduced by between
10000 and 24,000 gallons a day by
emergency purchases from outlying
areas such as New York State.
Appeal to Consumers.
Conference members advised the
Commissioners that if the manu-
facture and use of the creams and
cheese and other palate ticklers"
were drsstically reduced there
would be a sufficient supply of fluid
milk for Washington.
The Commissioners were told some
distributors here already have re-
duced production of some of these
lines, but as a matter regarded as
of greater importance and perma-
nence. the Commissioners said, they
are seeking approval by Secretary
Wickard of means of increasing fluid
milk supplies.
A third step in the Commissioners
program, as outlined to reporters
following today's conference, is an
appeal by the city heads to WASH
ington's adult population imme-
diately to curtail consumption of
fluid milk except in the case of
elderly or sick persons. DR.. George
c. Rutland, health officer. described
cream, cottage cheese, buttermilk
and chocolate milk as falling into
the category designed for the pam
pered palate" things which he be-
lieves the public can do without for
the duration of the milk emergency.
Ice Cream Not Included.
Mr.. Derrick said that 20 per cent
Of the fluid milk shipped into Wash
ington has been converted to the
creams, cheese and other sidelines.
He estimated that if all the fluid
milk now received were used only as
fluid milk, it would cure the current
shortage.
AS described by Commissioner Ma
son. the conference resulted in an
understanding between the Commits
sioners and those distributors who
were represented. that the distrib-
utors would meet to consider just
what steps to take in curtailing man.
ufacture Of dairy products made
from fluid milk.
1t was explained that ice cream
was not included in this discussion.
1t was not clear whether the distrib-
utors would formulate a program
and submit it to the Commissioners
before putting it into operation, or
whether they would adopt an emer-
gency program and later advise the
city heads what they had done.
Decline in Production.
Mr.. Derrick said the producers had
been making every effort to keep
Washington's supply up to demands
and that they had accomplished this
up to last June 80, but that with the
abnormal increase in population and
the demands on Washington's sup
ply from nearby Army camps Short
ages had developed in the past sew
eral months.
In addition, he said, the production
of milk on farms within the WASH
ington milkshed, had declined by Is
per cent since September 80, where
as normally, there would have been
a seasonal increase of 10 per cent.
He attributed this primarily to the
farm manpOWer shortage cauSed he
said, by higher wages farm labor can
get from industry or Government
jobs.
He said this was true despite the
fact that the wages paid farm work
ers between September /, 1899, and
October l, l942. had increased as
follows: For mixers, So per cent:
per diem help, 81 per cent; special
help-such as corn-cutters-64 per
cent: for men filling silos. 4s per
cent