Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-08-17
Cut Down Deliveries.

The importance of the full cooperation
Of women with the Government in the re-
adjustment Of the common practices Of life
1t has undertaken is becoming more and
more clear. The Womans Committee of
the Council Of National Defense feels that
one of the greatest services that women
can render in this war lies in this co-opera-
ton. The effectiveness OF the backing of
women have given to the bakers OF the
country to establish the plan of no bread
returns in order to save the tens of thous-
ands Of loaves Of bread that were going
to pigs and chickens Is daily becoming
clear Practically all of the bakers of the
country are today cutting out that waste
and the women are standing by them
wherever the matter has been called 10
their attention. It is only here and there
that baker is found who. In the hope Of
gaining competitive advantages by turning
his stale bread into chicken feed, fights the
change. The women gathered under the
banner Of the Woman's Committee of the
Council Of National Defense have been
asked to take care of such. They will do
il as fast as they discover them.
The same board which has rallied the
women to cooperate in saving the wasted
lOaves is calling on them now 10 cooperate
in another saving-One vastly greater ;
one which II properly conducted will free
not less than hundred thousand men
and tremendous amount OF equipment,
to be used where they are really needed.
Just as in the case Of bread. this new
saving comes through a reform in one Of
the everyday practices Of life-the way we
get our daily groceries. meat. fruit and
vegetables They come to us almost like
the Mamma from Heaven. All you did in
the case Of Mamma. | believe, was to pick
1t up; all we do In the case Of our groce-
ries is to ask for them--ask for them at
any hour Of the day-a dozen times a day
II we within any quantity. a box Of
matches, half dozen bananas. pound
Of steak. and presto: 1t is put on the
kitchen table.
The thing which takes no forethOught
on our part. which just happens. is pretty
sure to be an expensive thing to some
body. Washington city. in the interest Of
the great war has been trying to find out
what 1t costs to relieve the women OF the
country Of the need of forethought In or
dering, in makine il possible for them to
ask and get anything they want for their
households at any hour Of the day. It's
big price we pay.
The Bureau Of Commerce has found that
in the city Of Washington 1t costs IA per
cent. Of the gross sales Of food to pay for
its delivery. On a food bill Of about twelve
and three quarter million Of dollars In 1916
Washington paid over 100000 for send
ing the stuff to the purchasers. Naturally
ii cost more to deliver some things than
others. Ice. bread. milk, ice-cream. cost
Washington most
What is true Of Washington Is true the
country over. so the Commercial Economy
Board finds. II estimates that the gross
delivery expense Of retail grocers in the
country is over SIS. 100000 year What
is this sum used forH For the hire Of men
TO put up packages. to run the number Of
wagons and trucks required, TO put them
In at your door, TO 90 10 your house not
once but often half dozen times q day
Take any town Of the country Of ten
thousand people and Il probably Is spend
ing per cent. Of the net sales Of groceries
In sending them TO the purchasers. Again
and again these purchasers come 10 the
grocery. the butcher. milk depots. In car
raees or cars. but they rarely think OF
taking home their purchases. A woman