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.
Ru HUGH s. MILLER.

perts in Congress.
II was Representative Lewis who
drafted the bin 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
10 Postmaster General Burleson and
IA Congress, and an effort Will be
made to get action on Il at this ses-
saon Of Congress.
Would Raise Weight.
These are few Of 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 eonsignor
and collected from il by the con-
signee.
A zone system Of 100 miles to
each zone, including the local
zone.
A rate OF ~ cent por pound
for each such zone, plus the in
itial charge Of cents, arbitrary,
for the first pound.
An Improvement Of classified
tions to include books and other
articles now prohibited,
The effect OF this according to Mr.
lewis. would be 10 allow farm and
standardized products TO be marketed
alrect 10 the consumer at the follow
Ing rates;
One half cent a pound in the
first zone, which would mean
anywhere in an area Of 20,106,240
acres.
One cent a pound in the second
zone, embracing an additional
area Of 6o,3fs,720.
One and one half cents a pound
in the third zone, embracing an
additional area of i00,531 200
acres.
Receive Supplies by Post.
In other words. person living in
The city could write "a postcard 10 q
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 postoihce In the
early evening.
The next morning the man In the
whistle and receive. as fresh as when
they were packed. the articles ne had
ordered a day or SO before Accord
ing 20 the scale of charges proposed
by Mr.. Lewis, he would pay 3 cents
for the first pound, and an additional
charge ~ l-2 cent a pound for the
shipment For a six-pound shipment
therefore he would pay the magnifi-
cent total ~ 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
He found. for instance. that for a
package If three hounds Of butter the
farmer received 72 cents. The whole
saler charged the retailer 50 cents FOR
the butter, Along came the consumer
who i'm this case was Mr. Lewis. and
he paid S1.05 for the three pounds OF
butter
Big Saving Apparent.
II the new parcel post had been ir
effect al the time-the system that Is
proposed by Mr Lewis-he woult
have paid ~ cents Tor the butter. plus
a transportation charge Of 4 1-2 cents
or q total Of IS l-2 cents. on thi,
small order alone the customer woult
have saved 2S1-2 cents.
Farm products are usually pro
duced I'm retail form" says Mr. Lewis
shut there Is now no direct system
Of transportation 60 carry them a.
rect from the producer 10 the con
sumer-from the farm 20 the kitchen
They must go through the round
about processes Of commerce, WhlCl
double the price 20 the consumer.
THE railway is engaged only in IN,
wholesale or commercial business. To
minimum weight is 100 pounds-to,
high for retail purchasers. Besides
does not ar,iCulate with the farm
The express company does not artiCu
late with the farm. and its rates ar
three times normal and prohibitlve
nsportatiun accounting burden
prevent both railway and expires
companies from making rates proper
tOnal 10 the weight Of diminutiy
shipments.
Peresl Post Natural Agent.
The parcel post ought 10 be th
natural agency To carry retail. ship
ments. Il does not do SO now. be
cause Of two restrictions on its 0p
eA&AANAA AAAN 81 kA+AhAA-nA mNAataA sam
and abnormal pound rates-fron
four TO six times the cost Of service
on short distances"
In this connection a railroad mar
has made an important contribution
3. r. Yoakum. chairman of the -
Louis and san Francisco Railroad. re
Gently mad this 20 say on The subiec
OF transportation Of food products:
Last years agricultural prutucu
were wO. IN $4,000. 900 600 20 the farm
ers. The Government used farm
values in getting figures for this total
Assuming that the farmers kept one
third Of the products for their OWL
use. the consumers paid more thar
sIa goo GOO coo for what the producer
received $4,000. 000. eco The cost p
Fefting the years products from PR
ducers 10 consumers amounted 90 th.
enormous sum OF s., 0oo.p01.eoo. tn.
real problem 10 deal with is not his
cost n living. II IS high cost % sell.
ms. ------..
would he believes. open up an en-
tireiv new Industry Of SUBURBAN gar
deninK. The trucker would De an-e Z.
~ the parcel post quickly ano el
4 -.+ivelv. and would BE- relieved ron
~ necessity Of buying and maintain
ir- :. a5cqe-lent traHspot "a ..oi
system Of his own.