Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-03-04

However. the coop might
lose the dairy after all. United
States District Judge Alexander
Holtzoff ruled last November
that the association must get
rid of Embassy. That order is
now on appeal to the Supreme
Court. The Justice Department
won a civil suit against the
coop by arguing purchase Of
the dairy tented substantially
to lessen competition and create
q monopoly" in the Washington
area milk market.
Judge Holtzoff decided that
the coop could keep Wake-
field Dairy which 1t bought In
1857. The dairy owed the
coop 100000 when the purs
chase was made. Thus Judge
Holtzoff ruled Wakefield was
a failing corporation and the
acquisition did not violate the
antitrust laws.
Justice Department lawyers
have brought the coop into
court four times since 1850 on
various charges Of monopolistic
practices and price setting.
Once Chestnut Farms Dairy
was a co-defendant. But Jus
tice won only the recent EN-
bassy case.
Another Thorn
Still another thorn is the
co-op's manufacturing plant at
Laurel which converts surplus
milk into cheeses, powdered
milk and other less perishable
items. The modern plant is the
envy Of other dairy operators
here. But they complain that
it has given the association the
opportunity to eliminate sur
plus milk on this market.
The Maryland Virginia as
ISOLATION was started formally
In 1920. Over the past four dec
AIDES it has amassed total as
sets of about IS million. Its
new headquarters building at
1880 Wilson boulevard. con-
structed at a cost of $500. 900,
contains a 100000 milk labo-
ratory that is considered one
OF the finest in the Nation.
The number Of dairy farmers
has been dwindling in this
area; since 1854 ten per cent
have dropped out of the mar
ket. More are expected to give
up this year. And, if the farm
er's take-home pay is reduced
in the current dispute associa :
ton leaders say the decrease
Will be even greater than an
ticipated.
Maryland Virginia Is a high
cost milk production area. One
farmer gives his neighbor's in
come as an example: In 1857
the farmer crossed $l44. 2O5
with a farm of 200 cows that
kept Is employees busy. It was
one OF the highest producing
herds in Maryland. Net profit:
$4.367.
The farmer is really hurt
ing" he says.
Extra Job for Income
Another man operates a 300
acre farm--in the family for
five generations-and with two
youngsters and his wife as de-
pendents he hasn't m a d c
enough to pay income taxes
for two years running. For extra
income he has been hauling
milk for other farmers. This
year he has invested-on top
Of his farm investment of
$13l ,000-an additional SIS, 900
for a new tank truck for his
hauling business.
The associations Mr.. Hooper
says the answer to the current
dispute must come from the
consumers themselves.
II don't think the public is
particularly interested in dairy
losses or profits, in the farm
er's headaches or whether we
win or lose this fight" he said.
"But I think they are inter-
ested in the kind of milk they're
getting.
IF the people tell us they
don't want the high quality
milk we're producing. then we
can do tive can cut down on
labor. stop all the washing and
cleaning we're doing and we
can cut down on the quality. l
don't think the people want it,
but it can be DONE"