Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-23
BROADER USE Planned
FOR THE PARCEL POST
Postmaster General Seeks to Estab-
lish Relations Between Producer
and Consumer.

The possibility of reducing the cost of
living, as suggested in The Stars story
of March II, following the announcement
of the modification by Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson of the parcel post regula-
tions so as to enable the shipment by
farmers direct to the consumer of butter.
eggs, poultry, vegetables, fruits and other
produce in crates, the same as by ex-
press. ripens into realization by further
action upon the subject by the Postmas-
ter General
The Post Office Department today re-
leased the following official statement:
Farmers and city housewives will be
chiefly benefited by Postmaster General
Burleson's new plan for utilizing the par
eel post for marketing farm products di-
rect. few days ago the Postmaster
General issued an order permitting the
use of crates and boxes for parcel post
shipments Of butter. eggs poultry, vege-
tables and fruit. Following close on this
order the announcement was made today
that the Post Office Department has
taken the initial step in general plan
for establishing direct relations between
individual producers and consumers of
these commodities.
THE plan, which will eventually be
extended to all post offices, will be in
augurated at Washington, D: G.: Boston.
Mass; Atlanta, Ga; St Louis. Mo-: San
Francisco Cal: Baltimore, Md; Detroit,
Mich; La Crosse. Wis; Lynn, Mass, and
Rock Island III.
Producers May File Names.
The postmasters at these points have
been directed to receive the names of
persons who are willing to supply farm
produce in retail quantities by parcel
post. Printed lists of these names, show
ing in each case the kinds and quantities
of commodities available, will be pre-
pared from time to time for distribution
to city and town patrons who wish to
buy farm produce direct.
I'm discussing this plan, First Assist
ant Postmaster General Roper said:
By the use of the lists the city con-
sumer will be able to get in touch with
a farmer who will fill his weekly or
ders for butter and eggs and other
ceive the produce fresh from the coun-
try and the personal relationship es-
tablished will no doubt tend to improve
the quality The farmer will be re-
lieved of carrying his produce to mar
ket as the rural carrier will make
daily collections at the farmers own
door of these retail shipments to city
consumers.
1.-The point has been raised said Mr..
Roper, that difficulty will be ex-
perienced in the return of hampers and
other containers. This problem does
not appear to me to be difficult of solu-
ton. The farmer may use inexpensive
hampers whose value would not war
rant their return, or he may use the
higher grade hampers for which he may
include an additional charge to be
turn of the hamper by parcel post.
Realization of Benefits.
The Postmaster General has the firm
conviction that this plan is the one
thing necessary to enable the people of
this country to enjoy the potential
benefits of the parcel post. No one
has ever questioned the possibility of
reducing the cost of living by estab-
fishing direct relations between the ul-
innate consumer and the original pro-
ducer.
transportation were provided for the
first time by the establishment of the
domestic parcel post but there has
been lacking an agency by means of
which the individual producer could
get in touch with the individual con-
s,lmer The Postmaster Generals plan
is designated to provide this agency for
the most economical distribution of
those products which are consumed in
the form and condition in which they
are produced" 4