Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-24
Virginia Keeps
Milk Controls
22-Cent Minimum
Set on All Sales
star stan Correspondent

RICHMOND. Aug. 24cThe
Virginia State Milk Commission
today by q 2-to-1 vote decided
Ito retain all milk price controls
lin the Alexandria Arlington and
Manassas markets, and at the
same time unanimously agreed
Ito fix the minimum price at the
former level for milk sold in
stores.
Voting for retention Of price
controls were Clarence Flesh
man, q dairy representative on
1.-THE commission. and Mark Tur-
liner, the chairman who repre-
Isents producers. The dissent
ling vote was cast by v. p. Ran
dolph, jr.. who is designated as
1.-THE disinterested member.
The commission said the re-
tail price for q standard quart
of milk sold In stores or deliv-
cred in homes will be "a cents
until September /, when IL au-
Dramatically viii 60 up a half cent
due to a seasonal increase in
milk prices.
Producer Controls Stay
The commission also voted
unanimously to keep control Of
producer prices in the Alex
andria Arlington and Manassas
markets and said they also
would stay unchanged, with sea-
sonal increases going into effect
automatically September l.
Twenty-Five cents q quart has
been the minimum price in the
Alexandria area for
milk sold in stores all summer,
and "a cents has been the mini
mum price for home-delivered
milk.
The Virginia Supreme Court
ruled, however, that the COM
mission must set one minimum
iprice-and not separate prices
for milk sold in stores and de-
livered at home.
| Virginia Attorney General j.
Lindsay Almond. jr., yesterday
advised the commission that 1t
could flx a Representative"
minimum price taking into ac-
count the operating costs Of all
types of diaries in a market area.
and did not necessarily have to
Ak the new minimum at the low
est price any one dairy could sell
milk.
Above District Prices
The decision means that milk
prices in Northern Virginia
suburbs will stay above prices in
Washington, where milk has been
selling as low as 10 cents a quart
The commission did not an
nounce any decision on maxi
mum prices, but indicated it
would do so later today. The
Supreme Court told the milk
commission that it must set
maximum as well as minimum
prices. In view of the lively
competition in area milk busi-
ness, however. the establishment
Of a maximum price is not ex-
Ipected to have much effect since
the dairys are striving to sell
milk at the lowest possible price.
The commission did not an
nounce any decision for other
areas Of the State, but it had
been expected that the Alex
andria- Arlington decision might
well set the pattern for all of
Virginia.
Highs Stores has been selling
vitamin d milk in its stores for "a
cents q gallon since July /. This
is roughly 10 cents below the
commission minimum for that
type of milk, but Highs said no
minimum existed since the
Supreme Court decision.
Will Continue Fight
When told of the Commits
sion's action, an ofiicial Of
Highs said his firm will con-
tinue its fight to sell milk at
a lower rate in Virginia. He
said his company will be forced
by the order to raise its present
Virginia prices or lose its license.
But we intend to 60 back to
the courts and get O ruling al
lowing us to sell at the lower
price," Staley B. Brinkley, gen.
eral manager of Highs said.
Northern Virginia legislators.
housewives, Safeway Stores and
Highs urged the milk commission
lat the Alexandria Arlington
hearing to drop resale price con-
trolls. and hold on to producer
prices only.