Evening star., 1953-07-18
Diaries Appeal
For Ha|f-Cent
Price Boost
Pleas for Higher
Minimum Made at
Alexandria Heurino

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The Virginia State Milk Com
mission is considering a request
for new minimum retail and
wholesale milk prices in the Alex
andria-Arlington and Manassas
markets which would force a
half-cent increase in one brand.
Most Washington area diaries
petitioned the milk commission
for a half cent increase In price
minimumS and presented their
arguments at a hearing in Alex
andria yesterday.
II their request is granted, the
new minimum prices would be
fixed at levels already prevailing
at most Washington area diaries
-22,5 cents for milk sold in
stores and 24.5 cents for milk de-
livered at homes. No dairy could
sell below the minimum prices in
the Alexandria Arlington and
Manassas markets.
Usually milk sells according to
the minimum prices fixed by the
commission in Virginia. The SELL
ing prices got ahead of the mini
mum prices in nearby Virginia
last month, however, when most
dairies put a half-cent price in
crease in effect.
Lucerne Protests Boost.
The Lucerne Milk Co., which
is a division of Safeway Stores,
protested any increase in the
minimum prices for milk sold in
stores. Lucerne milk currently
sells for % cents a quart in near
by Virginia stores and this would
have to go up a half cent if the
new minimum price schedule re-
quested by the other dairies is
granted.
Arthur B. Hanson, attorney for
Safeway Stores, said Lucerne
milk could be selling for 21.5
cents in nearby Virginia stores
If it weren't for the current mini
mum price of % cents. The price
of Lucerne in Washington Is 21.5
cents.
Mr.. Hanson did not argue
against the dairies' request for
an increase in the minimum
price of milk delivered to the
home. He said the old minimum
price schedule provided a 2-cent
differential between the price of
delivered milk and the price of
milk sold in stores.
1T is obvious that in fairness
to the consuming public this
differential should now be in
creased to 2.5 cents, which re-
fleets exactly the price structure
now in effect on this market, :"
Mr.. Hanson declared.
j. Maynard Magruder and c.
Harrison Mann of Arlington
spoke against any increases in
minimum milk prices.
Magruder FavOrs Cut.
Mr.. Magruder, member of the
House of Delegates from Arling-
ton County who was renominated
for another term on Tuesday,
said prices are declining all over
the country-"and it seems to me
we should come up with a de-
crease instead of an increase"
Mr.. Magruder said he would
file a written statement with the
commission in a few days. The
commission agreed to hold the
hearing technically open until
next Wednesday to accept writ
ten statements.
d Mr.. Mann warned that the
milk industry was in serious
danger of pricing itself out of
the market" He declared:
1T is quite natural that with
out proper consumer representa-
ton on the commission the
pressure is always in the direc-
tion Of passing on increased costs
to the consumer rather than
making a proper effort to cut
COSTS"
Arguments in behalf of the
new minimum prices were pre-
sented by Robert H. Rawlins of
Thompson'S Dairy. M. H. Bur-
chell of Alexandria Dairy, Morris
Dawson of Chestnut Farms
Chevy Chase Dairy and c. r.
Rosebro. jr.,. of Birmingham
Dairy in Manassas.
They said the recent wage
increases awarded to delivery
men and the reduction of the
work week from A to 40 hours
had increased costs.
Mark Turner, chairman of the
milk commission, said a decision
probably would be announced
next week in Richmond.