Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
U.S.PARCEL POST
EXTENSION PLAN
To REDUCE HIGH
COST Of LIVING
Author of Present Law Would Cut
Of the MiddIeman's Profit
on Farm Products.
sv HUGH S. MILLER.

Bv HUGH S. MILLER.
WASHINGTON, June 14-Reform
of the parcel post. which will have the
effect Of placing the consumer in inn
mediate touch with the producer. and
which will materially reduce the cost
o. Of living. is advocated by Representa-
tive David ] Lewis OF Maryland. who
IL conceded TO be FIRST among the ex-
perts in Congress.
It was Representative Lewis who
drafted the bill on which the present
parcel post system is based With
the exception Of minor changes, the
plan he originally drew up is the one
now in effect.
Mr. Lewis has submitted his plan
TO Postmaster General Burleson and
to Congress. and an effort will be
made to get action on It at this ses-
sion OF Congress
Would Raise Weight.
These are a few 81 the reforms he
proposes:
Raising the weight limit to 100
pounds.
Taking off the weight limit on
shipments delivered to the rail-
way terminal by the consignor
and collected from IL by the con-
signee.
A zone system OF 100 miles to
each zone, including the local
zone.
A rate Of 1-2 cent per pound
for each such zcne, plus the in
itial charge Of cents, arbitrary,
for the first pound.
An Improvement Of classical
tons TO include books and other
articles now prohibited.
The effect Of this. according 20 Mr.
Lewis. would be 10 allow farm and
standardized products TO be marketed
direct 10 the consumer at the follow
ing rates,
One-hal cent a pound in the
first zone, which would mean
anywhere in an area Of 20,t06,240
acres.
One cent pound in the second
zone sn1braoina an additional
area Of 6os31s,720.
One and one half cents a pound
IN the third zone, embracing an
additional area Of t00,53i 200
acres.
Receive Supplies by Post.
In other words. a person living In
the city could write a postcard 10 a
farmer 100 miles away and order
from him a consignment Of butter.
eggs lettuce or any other farm prod
uct The farmer could collect the
fresh laid eggs. the freshly made but
ter and the freshly gathered lettuce.
and take them 10 the postofIice in the
early evening.
Tho next morning the man In the
city would wake 10 the postman's
whistle and receive. as fresh as when
they were packed. the articles he had
ordered a day or so before. Accord
ing 10 the scale 81 charges proposed
By Mr Lewis, he would pay 3 cents
FOR the first pound. and an additional
charge Of 1-2 cent pound for the
shipment. For a six-pound shipment
therefore he would pay the magnif-
cent total Of 6 cents.
This stands interesting comparison
with prcies actually paid under the
present system for food products
brought from the country. Mr. Lewis
made an Investigation recently. 20
find out how much the consumer paid
over and above the price received by
the producer.
lie found, for instance. that for a
package Of three pounds OF butter the
farmer received u cents The whole
saler charged the retailer 81 cents for
the butter. Along came the consumer
who I'm this ease was Mr.. Lewis, and
he paid sl05 for the three pounds OF
butter
Big Saving Apparent.
10 the new parcel post had been In
effect az the time-the system that IS
proposed by Mr. Lewis-he would
have paid y cents for the butter. plus
q transportation charge NJ l-2 cents.
or total OF 761-2 cents on this
small order alone the customer would
have saved 2S1-2 cents.
Farm products are usually pro-
duCed ir retail form" says Mr. Lewis.
hut there Is now no direct system
~ transportation 90 carry them ii
rect from the producer to the con-
Eumer-from the farm 20 the kitchen.
They must 60 through the round
about processes ~ commerce. which
double the price TO the consumer.
"The railway IS engaged only I'm the
wholesale or commercial business Its
minimum weight Is 100 pounds-too
aigh for retail purchasers. Besides. II
does not articuiate with the farm.
The express company does not articu-
late with the farm. and ifs rates are
three times normal and prohihiyive.
sportation accounting burdens
prevent both railway and express
companies from making rates proper
uonal lo the weight Of diWinutlve
shipments.
PsreeI Post Natural Agent.
Tile Parcel post ought 90 De the
natural agency Co carry retail ship
ments. Ii does not DO SO now. be-
cause of two restrictions on it's on
eEarou-the prOhihitive weight limit
and abnormal pound rates-from
four to six times the cost Of service
on short distance"
Ia this connection a railroad man
has made an important contributor.
q. 4gaEGGl, chairman Of the ST
Louis and san Francisco Railroad. re-
Gently had this Co say on the subject
OF transportation ~ food products.
Last years agricultural products
were NO. IN SsHuNU1N0 .H Co the farm
ers The Government used farm
values .n getting figures f0r this total
Assuming that the farmers kept one
third az the products for their own
use. the consumers paid more than
$4,000 HU01aa FOR what the producers
received $4,000. 100000 The cost e
getting the years products from nr1-
Cuu.r- foo consumers amounted 90 the
enormous sum o. y-.gIH..1H. 900. The
real problem r0 deal w5ra is nor ri--
cost of living. Dr. Is nIEh cost ~ sa.I-
ing
Such plan as DIR. Lewis proposes