Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-01-11

NEW SCHEME To.
CUT LIVING COST
Relation Of Expenses and Desire
for Convenience Being
Worked Out by Town,

The latest scheme for solving the
high cost of living is the appoint
ment Of commission by the Cover
nor Of New York to study methods
for bringing about a more direct trad
ing relation between producer and
consumer.
There should not be, on the part of
any far sighted grocer any opposi
ton to this plan. Even if feasible the
grocer is sufficiently well grounded
as a necessity to hold his own in the
ultimate solution and by readjust-
ment find a place for himself in the
scheme of things. Therefore he need
not go on the defensive, as Is his
usual habit, under the apprehension
that he is to be abolished In all
probability many cycles of reform
will come and go before the grocer
will be eliminated, although his
function may necessarily be altered
as it has been again and again in the
years that are past.
The Moving Function.
1t will be well for the grocer and
the reformer to bear in mind in their
studies the varied functions which
are essential on the part of some
one in the process of moving prod
ucts from the producers door to the
consumers table. 1t is more doubt
full If these functions can be elimi-
mated If they can, they should be:
If they can not, then the most eco
nomical methods for performing
them should be established And in
determining economy no one should
forget that mere pennies and dimes
are not the sole measure of true
economy. Money exchanged for ser
vice on fair basis is not waste,
but merely an exchange. Reform
should, consider present service-eco-
Monies as fairly as hope for pennies
saved.
The Business Mems Association in
distant town launched a Cash
and Carry Home League" designed
to encourage people in personally
carrying home their food purchases
from the store, paying cash and de-
handing reduction in price in re-
turn for the relief given the grocer.
Service Cost High.
Undoubtedly much of tie grocer's
cost of doing business is made UP of
service costs, demanded by the pub
lie convenience and necessity" If
there are too many grocers being
supported no one is to blame for it
more than the consumer, who appre-
clates the nearness of the surplus
stores more than the economy which
would come from walking half a mile
or so farther. If telephones are con-
Venient to the consumer and one ex-
poets the grocer to send up purchases
whenever one orders them one must
pay for the privilege. And if the
| members of the Cash and Carry
| Home League" are willing to elimi-
nate telephones and delivery and
! credit there isn't the slightest reason
| why they should not be allowed the
| equivalent. It's a safe gamble, how
| ever, that when they get the discount
| figured down to their exact share on
| their purchases they'd prefer to "let
| the grocer do it." for he probably can
| do 1t for all his customers for far
| less loss than the individuals can.
It's one of those cases where CO.
operation works the economies; It
/ costs little more to deliver for 100
| customers than for ten, so long as de-
livery wagons and clerks I'D phones
and lots of other things OF public
accommodation must be maintained
anyhow.