Evening star., 1950-06-29
.WiIeyUrgesCity
.1oUseMiIkFronl
WesternDdiiriies
Senator Moy Seek
Legislative Action
To End Import Curb

Senator Wiley, Republican, of
Wisconsin, today called on the
Commissioners to open the Wash
ington market to Western milk
producers or face the possibility OF
congressional action.
The dairy State Senator, ~tes-
tifying before the Senate Agri-
culture subcommittee, which is
studying the milk situation here
and throughout the country, was
highly critical of what he called
"phony" House regulations against
the shipment of milk from dis
tant points into Washington.
Here In the District, we see
one Of the worst such instances
Of barring so-called foreign
milk" Senator Wiley declared.
you can import into the
District practically anything pro-
duced elsewhere in our Nation,
including products of distilleries
Of Kentucky. But you cannot i'm
port good bottled fluid milk from
Wisconsin milk which could
come in refrigerated tank cars
and which would be every bit as
nutritious and vitamin-rich as
milk produced by Maryland and
Virginia farmers"
City Officials to Testify
Senator Wiley said the Com
missioners would have only to
issue an order allowing any pro-
ducer holding a United States
Public Health Service permit to
ship milk to Washington. He
added that If the Commissioners
took no action, the subcommittee
should then consider the problem
with a view to recommending leg
islation.
In this connection, Chairman
Gillette disclosed that his group
decided to recall to the stand to-
morrow Commissioner John Rus
sell Young and District Health Of
ficer Daniel l.. Seckinger for an
up-to-date report on the milk
situation here.
Beginning Saturday, milk i'm
portations to Washington will halt,
the result Of a recent ruling of the
Commissioners. However, they
have cleared the way for between
300 and 500 producers in nearby
States to ship milk into Washing
ton on a temporary basis. This
was accomplished through an
amendment in the health regula-
tions allowing chemical steriliza-
tion Of dairy equipment.
Western Producers Hit Hard.
Senator Wiley said Western pro-
ducers had been hard hit by the
decline in incomes stemming from
inability to ship milk to former
markets in the East.
If you can give us the market
that we are entitled to, we can
save the Commodity Credit Corp.
hundreds Of millions of dollars
that will otherwise be used to sup
port milk" the Senator declared.
Every one recognizes the police
power of the respective States to
protect their own, health, but such
power has its limits. Phony milk
regulations or orders which have
no basis in common sense cannot
be designated as of valid exercise
OF police power. They create
iron curtains that curb the
natural flow Of commerce. We
are having enough trouble with
Red iron curtains now without
erecting District of Columbia iron
curtains
DR.. Charles L. Williams, assist
ant surgeon general of the Public
Health Service, told the committee
that public health authorities were
concerned over the fact that not
enough consumers in milk-deficit
areas were getting sufficient milk.
Reduced consumption of milk
and its by-products. he declared,
may seriously affect the nutri-
tional status Of the Nation.