THE ECONOMICS OF THE MILK QUESTION. 



By John R. Williams, M.D., 



Secretary, Milk Commission, Rochester, N. Y. 



For twenty-five years or more cities have been struggling to get pure 

 milk and thus far few have succeeded. Why have they failed? The 

 answer to this important question is the theme of this discussion. Since 

 the very beginning of conmiunity life to the present day, the business 

 of producing and marketing milk, with few exceptions, has been in the 

 hands of a large number of men, each carrying on his share of the industry 

 in his own way, duplicating in every detail all the labor and equipment 

 of his fellow workers, with no thought of co-operation or co-ordination 

 of effort, paying httle heed to the laws of economy and efficiency and 

 frequently subordinating the needs of the community to his own gain. 



For years the community has been oblivious, utterly unmindful of 

 the treatment it has been accorded. It has left the solution of its health 

 problems, particularly the milk question, to a few sanitarians and the 

 sanitarians have thus far failed to solve it. The ever-increasing cost of 

 living and the frequently reported epidemics of disease and deaths due 

 to bad milk are rousing the consumer from his lethargy so that today the 

 doctor is being pushed to one side of the stage, the mother, the business 

 man, the professional man, the mechanic, indeed the whole community 

 are coming on the platform. They are demanding to know what is the 

 matter. Hence this conference of diversified interests and the many 

 similar conventions which are being held throughout this country. The 

 failm-e of the individual to meet fairly and adequately the needs of the 

 community, more than any other reason, is responsible for the rise of 

 sociahsm and similar poHtical philosophy. Hence if we, as individuals, 

 wish to preserve our identities as such, if we wish to continue the milk 

 industry as a private enterprise, we must get our ears to the ground, 

 we must accept the challenge of the community, we must solve the milk 

 problem. 



What is the milk problem of the community? Briefly, it is securing 

 an abundant supply of pure milk at a reasonably low cost. It is not 

 enough to secure pure milk; it must be so low in cost to the consumer 

 that it may be plentifully available in every home. The water problem 

 of the city is not solved when the rich drink the bottled waters of the 

 distant springs while the less fortimate are compelled to use the con- 

 taminated waters of the community. No more is the milk problem solved 

 when certified milk is made available for the well-to-do, while the poor 



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