32 CONFERENCE ON MILK PROBLEMS 



affecting the productive sides of the milk supply. Other problems 

 are projected by the collection and distribution of milk. 



Obviously there may be and are great differences in milk, i. e., 

 milk varies in richness or food constituents contained therein. The 

 range in this respect may be fully forty per cent. It also differs 

 in cleanliness. The range in this respect cannot be well expressed 

 numerically, but is exceedingly great. The custom of milk con- 

 tractors and operators has been, in the past at least, to ignore 

 any possible differences, paying a uniform price, no matter what 

 the quality was so long as it would pass inspection. The long con- 

 tinued action of this policy could have and has had but one result, 

 viz., the practically uniform adoption of the lowest conceivable 

 standard of quality consistent with such hasty and imperfect in- 

 spection as is provided by statute. Moreover, to safeguard the 

 prices of milk, contractors must necessarily seek to have at least 

 a semblance of, if not an actual surplus of milk on hand or in 

 sight most of the time. This has compelled the constant extension 

 of the milk zone in advance of the actual needs of the demand. 

 Such action of itself, might be justifiable, but when measured by 

 the penalty it imposes upon the quality of milk offered through 

 the maintenance of intense keen competitive conditions, such action 

 becomes seriously questionable. The detention of milk at various 

 points to make up carload lots and thus secure lower freight 

 rates does not afford sufficient saving, even if such saving accrues 

 to consumers, to offset the deterioration milk thus held undergoes. 



The distribution of milk is governed too much by convenience 

 of consumers instead of conditions such an exceedingly perishable 

 product as milk requires to ensure its maximum usefulness. The 

 distribution of milk, particularly loose milk, should be limited to 

 such as can show proper knowledge regarding the care and han- 

 dling milk requires. 



I do not know that you ever stopped to think what inconsistent 

 mortals we are. For instance, take the matter of automobiles. 

 Now, a mortal of ordinary intelligence can learn to guide an auto- 

 mobile within two or three weeks. I do not mean to say that he 

 can master the intricacies of the mechanism, and so forth, but he 

 can learn to steer it on the highways. If a man wants to drive an 

 automobile, he has to go up to the Secretary of State's office in 

 our state I do not know just what the procedure is in New York 

 State and he has to present reasonable assurances to the Secretary 

 of State that he possesses the required skill and knowledge, or that 

 which is deemed to be sufficient to run an automobile, and he has 

 to take out a license and pay a pretty good sum for it. Now, why? 

 Simply because you and I and somebody else have seen an auto- 



