Evening star., 1950-07-26
Hearing on Milk
Held With Price
Risein Prospect
Purity Of Supply Here
Debated as Duiries
Ask h-Cent Increase


The adequacy and purity OF
Washington'S milk supply were
attacked and defended on two
fronts today while Washington
housewives stood by with the
realization that increased retail
prices are the only thing certain
in the controversy.
Hearings to liberalize existing
District milk control regulations
were underway at the District
Building and before a House Dis
trict subcommittee.
Meanwhile, the Virginia Milk
Commission has under study re-
quest from three dairies to raise
the price of milk half cent quart
in Arlington County and Alex
andria areas to conform with in
creases which will go into effect
in the District August /.
SU0kGSH1eH ASK 1uCTCdSCs
At hearings before the milk COM
mission in Alexandria yesterday
spokesmen for Thompson'S and
Chestnut Farms Chevy Chase
Diaries announced the price of
District milk must go up half a
cent to meet new costs.
Purity of milk brought into the
District under emergency permits
providing exemption from local
regulations was attacked by Cole
man Gore, a dairy farmer of Lees
burg, Va, before the House sub
committee as it concluded its
hearings.
Mr.. Gore said the average bac-
terra count of raw milk produced
on farms not subject to Washing
ton Health Department inspection
and shipped here in the past aver
aged 397.134 per cubic centimeter.
This, he said, compared with an
average count for locally inspected
milk between 10000 and $4,000.
District Health Officer Daniel l..
Seckinger confirmed the accuracy
of MIR. Cores figures, but added
that when pasteurization is ade-
quately carried out, there is lit
tie difference after pasteurization
between milk of high and low bac-
terra counts" All of the milk dis
tributed in the District is pas
teurized, he said.
Revocation Possible.
DR.. Seckinger said he would
most certainly" revoke the
license of a farmer whose raw
milk reached bacteria count OF
397,00 under normal conditions.
He pointed out that the maximum
bacteria count allowed under the
United States Public Health Serv-
ice Milk Code is 100000.
The House committee hearings
have dealt with several bills to
repeal the Milk Act of 1925 and
allow any milk conforming to
United States Public Health Serv-
ice standards to be shipped into
the city.
Earlier, it appeared the par
ties disputing District regulations
might be approaching an under
standing. A witness for the Milk
Producers Association, Chester F..
Bletch, indicated that the prin-
cipal remaining block to agree
ment is the matter of District
inspection of dairy farms. Asked
II the Commissioners should not
have the right to extend the milk
shed to guarantee an adequate
supply Of milk for Washington,
the witness replied:
I'VE have no objection to any
procedure that provides for local
inspection"
Market Control Denied.
He added there are enough pro-
ducers in and out of the associa-
ton to meet Washington's de-
mand. There is mo effort on the
part Of the association to control
the whole market" he said.
At the Commissioners hearing
today w. Lawson King. a Gath
ersburg dairy farmer, declared
that if the city heads allowed a
free flow of milk into the District
it would only mean higher prices
to the consumer, bigger profits to
the distributors and lower prices
to area farmers.
He said the basic issue in the
controversy was the profit mo-
tive" which he said has inspired
Independent dairies here to at
tempt to break down District reg
ulations and allow milk to be
shipped into the city from farms
not inspected by the Health De-
partment.
The independent dairies re-
ferred to are Embassy and Wake
field, who have been leading a
fight against the Maryland and
Virginia Milk Producers Associa-
tion.