Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-25
Dissenting Member Hits
Virqinio Milk RULING

decision to retain controls, but
said he thought the new price
levels adopted did not allow for
enough competition among the
diaries. He said he was willing
to accept the stabilizing effects
that price fixing has on the
dairy industry as long as mini
mum prices we're kept low
enough to be in the public in
terest.
Mann Hits Decision
Mr.. Mann said, Action of the
milk commission in Haunting
public sentiment in Northern
Virginia not only Injuries the
consumer, but in the long run
hurts the producer and distribu-
tor" He added that the only
recourse left the consumer is
economic pressure and support
of those retail outlets battling
for lower prices" He said that
his family had ceased purchase
of delivered milk some time ago.
Mr.. Mann, i'm expressing dis
appointment over the decision,
said the result was not too sur
prising with a representative Of
producers and a representative
of distributors sitting on the
three-man board
Its like two foxes sitting in
judgment on a rabbit. We can
change this situation" he said,
only when public sentiment
throughout the State demands q
change. The milk commission
found in its hearings in other
areas of the State that con-
sumers either did not care or
did not know how badly they
were being MIXED"
Long a Sore Point
Different milk prices in Wash
ington and Northern Virginia
long have been a sore point.
Milk has been selling as low as
19 cents a quart in Washington
this summer, while the mini
mum of Store-sold milk in nearby
Virginia has been % cents a
quart. The minimum for home
delivered milk in Northern Vir-
ginia has been "a cents a quart.
Both minimums were scheduled
to jump half cent September /,
due to automatic seasonal in
creaSeS.
The commission had to review
the price situation because of a
recent Virginia Supreme Court
decision that separate prices
should not be set for home-de-
livered and store-sold milk. The
court also ruled that the COM
must set maximum as
well as minimum prices.
The new minimum price
adopted by the commission for
the two Northern Virginia mark
cts is 22.5 cents a quart. begin
ming September /. for both home
delivered and store-sold milk.
Safeway Filed Suit
Safeway Stores filed the suit
that brought about the court
ruling. Attorney Arthur B. Ham
son, representing Safeway. told
the commission at the Alexan-
dria hearings that his firm
wanted to sell its Lucerne milk
at least cent cheaper than the
minimum prices. He urged the
commission to drop retail con-
trolls.
c. Y. Stephens, president of
also asked for an end of
retail control. Highs stores have
been selling milk in Virginia 18
cents below commission mini
mum since July /. Highs took
the position that no minimums
existed as a result of the court
decision until new price order
was issued.
After yesterdays decision was
Mr.. Stephens said
Highs would be compelled to
increase its prices in Virginia
stores September l to comply
with the commissions order.
But he promised to go to court
to continue the fight against
retail controls.
The maximum price adopted
for the Northern Virginia mar
kets is 3l.5 cents a quart for
R7dard milk.