Spokane’S Milk Situation

From the Spokesman-Review, Jan. 31, 1919

To the editor of The Spokesman-Review:

The milk situation in Spokane is such that every man and woman should give it earnest attention.

On account of the high price charged, hundreds of children are not getting sufficient milk to keep them in even fair physical condition and according to the statements of men in positions to know there is an excess of milk in Spokane every month. This excess is going back to the producer. It doesn’t stand to reason that the creamery combination of Spokane is going to purchase milk in excess of their needs. The result will soon be the disappearance of the dairy cow, as it is out of question to suppose that the man who produces the milk is going to pay the prices now asked for feed, only to have his milk sale cut off every time the creamery interests lose customers on account of the prices charged.

The creamery interests claim that it costs approximately 7-1/2 cents per quart to handle the milk and put it in the hands of the consumer. One can readily understand that the producer is not getting a big rakeoff when every creamery concern maintains fine offices and a staff of high-salaried officers, beside a perfect train-service of delivery wagons. All this the consumer must pay for, and when the people can’t pay, the innocent babies suffer.

People can learn from the effect of the lack of milk on the children of France and Belgium. Milk is the food supplied by nature for childhood and it is of vital importance to the future generation that we take care of the health of our little ones.

Something is wrong with a system of distribution that has five milk wagons on a block to supply six houses and such a condition exists in the neighborhood in which I live. There are 14 fire districts in Spokane and the city seems to have ample fire protection. Why not 14 milk districts? Each district supplied with one or two wagons. One central milk receiving plant operated under city authority to supply each district and do the necessary pasteurization and inspection. Doesn’t such a system sound feasible, and do not the taxpayers pay for the inspection of creameries, dairies, etc., as the matter now stands?

I have traveled over a greater part of this county in the last year and the rural districts are so incensed over the Spokane milk situation that they are selling their cows to the slaughter house.

This is a serious problem and means much to the health and prosperity of the community.

It takes three years to produce a good cow and the time is at hand when the people must give this matter serious thought.

I have never owned a cow in Spokane Valley and am purchasing milk exactly the same as other people. Mrs. W.C. Campbell Spokane.

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