Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
Author of Present Law Would Cut
Of the MiddIema7's Profit
on Farm Products,
CONSUMER TO BE BENEFITED
Money Spent in Transportation
and Made by Wholesaler and
Retailer Would Be Saved,
BY HUGH S. MILLER.

WASHINGTON, June 1f-Reform
of the parcel post. which w.l ethe
effect Of placing the consumer in inn
mediate touch with the producer, and
which WIN materially reduce the cost
ofliving. issadvocated by Representa-
tive David J. Lewis, Of Maryland, who
is conceded 70 be first among the ex-
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 EurIeson and
20 Congress, and an effort win be
made to get action on II at this ses-
s8on Of Congress.
Would Raise Weight.
These are few Of the reforms he
proposes:
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 f-2 cent per pound
for each such zone, plus the in
itiai charge Of cents, arbitrary,
for the first mound
An Improvement OF classified
tons TO include books and other
articles now prohibited
The effect OF this. according to MT
Lewis would be TO allow farm and
standardized products to hoe marketed
direct 10 the consumer at the follow
ing rates.
one-hslf cent a pound in the
first zone, which would mean
anywhere in an area Of 20, 106,24O
acres.
One cent a pound in the second
zone, embracing an additional
area OF 60,31S,72o.
One and one-half cents q pound
in the third zone, embracing an
additional area Of f00.53i 200
acres.
Receive Supplies by Post.
In other words, a person living In
the city could write a postcard To a
farmer 100 miles away ard order
from him "a consignment Of butter
eggs, lettuce or any other farm prod
net The farmer could collect the
fresh laid eggs. the freshly made but
ter and the freshly gathered lettuce
and take them 10 the post0ihce in the
early evening.
The next morning the man In the
city would wake 10 the pustman's
whistle and receive, as fresh as when
they were packed. the articles he had
ordered "a day or SO before Accord
ing To the scale of charges proposed
by Mr. Lewis. he would pas 3 cents
for the first pound. and an additional
charge Of 1-2 cent "a pound for the
shipment For "A siX-pOuud shipment
therefore, he would pay the magnifi
cent total of cents
This stands interesting comparison
with prCles actually paid under the
present system for food products
brought from the country Mr Lewis
made an investigation recently. "a
ind ont how much the consumer paid
over and above the price received 10y
the producer
He found. for instance. tlat for a
package Of three pounds Of butter the
farmer received ~ cents The whole
saler charged the retailer cents for
the butter. Along came the consumer
who In this case was Mr. Lewis. and
he paid Sl.05 for the three pounds of
butter.
Big Saving Apparent.
II the new parcel post had been In
effect at the time-the system that Is
proposed by MT Icuf--ne would
have paid ~ cents for tha butter. plus
a transportation charge of 4I-2 cents
or a total of 761-2 cents ON this
sman order alone the customer would
have saved 2S 10 cents
Farm products are usually uro.
duced I'm retail form" says Er Lewis
but there is now no direct system
Of trans portatlon 20 carry them 81.