Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-10-22

Which the puDllc III Seneral IldkeS 70
very reasonable plan of readjust-
nent for war needs is one of the
most heartening exhibits in a dis
leartening world. Show men and
Homen what is necessary and they
bring to it. You must convince
hem it is right-a hearty system
put when they see it is right they
o it, and do it promptly.
Here is this matter of reforming
ur elaborate and wasteful delivery
Rstem. A few weeks ago the Com
hercial Economy Board laid the
acts before the country. We were
Employing in sending home our gro
cries, about 100000 men y young
hen, and as many horses and
rucks. The buteher, the baker, the
General and department stores had
reat forces. This army was not all
mployed to do for us what we could
ot do for ourselves. Fully fifty per
ent. of it was busy doing things
which a little forethought and a lit
lie willingness would have eliminat-
ID. A half dozen deliveries a day
we're made to probably a million
households where one or two at the
outside would have been possible
the housewife had not been en-
ouraged by the merchant to think
hat the oftener he came to the
house the better. he liked it. Ex-
ravagant service was one of his
thief competitive tools. Probably
hfty million little packages went joy
iding daily which might have been
.arried by the purchaser, and this
'hen we are counting every gallon
# gasoline.
1t cost money, of course. The
verage cost of deliveries to the gro
ers of this country has been about
hree per cent. of their net sales. Ma
urally, they added this to the price
f goods and the woman who orders
nee a day pays for those who order
half dozen times.
1t is possible we should have gone
IN needless and unthinkable of all
his waste of motion and material II
he war had not thrust its impera-
i've demand for young men upon us.
War thrives only when men are
bundant. If war calls they must
o. Rnt how are we going to re-
ease them without stopping the ma
hinerv which supplies our daily
reeds? There is only one scientific
way and that is the one taken by the
commercial Economy Board in the
eform of the delivery of goods. 1t
the study of each business prac-
ice as an efficiency engineer. would
tudy a machine operation, finding
he lost motions, the bad routing, the
breventable waste. 1t means cutting
very prodigality out, husbandlng
ime and motions as strictly as
honey and materials.
1t was such a study of the delivery
ystem that led the government TO
Recommend a fixed number of dellV-
ries a day, at regular hours, to ask
purchasers, as a patriotic duty, to
AIRY their small packages, and to
i've up their freakish habits of ask
fo' enc"iGl deliveries and goods
n approval.
The quick understanding with
.hich the merchants of the country
net the request to re-organize their
eliveries, to give up their elaborate
Competitive weapon that so many
ad come to think indispensable, is
ne of the proofs of the amazing vol
~ % n~erptior in meeting war
ceds that the country is giving.
It is only a few weeks since the
ossibility of freeing men and equip
ent through a reform of deliveries
- core tn" merchants and
" cir customers. To-day the Com
ncrcial Economy Board has definite
Information that in the following cit
the deliveries have been reduced
b two, or in some cases one: Akron,
J.; Baltimore, Cincinnati, Cleveland,
Dayton, o.; Portland, Ore; East st.
.ouis. ILL.,; Fort Smith, Ark; Min
eapolis. Mimi; Harrisburg, Pa; In
annapolis, Louisville, KY; Pitts
urgh, Providence, r. l.; Reading
Pa: Richmond, Va; Rochester,
y: San Francisco, Toledo, o.;
topeka, Kan; Columbus, o.; Oak
md. Cal: Saginaw, Mich; New Ha-
en-. Conn; Roanoke, Va, and st.
'aul.
1t is impossible at this point in the
eadiustment to tell just what this
leans in men and horses and trucks
these particular cities, but II we
ccept the experience of those sens
Die towns which did not wait for
var to cut out the waste, it is fair
reckon it as close to fifty per cent.
or instance, in Escanaba, Michigan,
cooperative delivery was organized
even years ago. There being no war
ressure the number of deliveries
,as set at five a day. Simply by
ombining and regularizing the serv-
,e. the men and horses were at once
educed by one-half.
Gu. liz New Mexico there is town,
Roswell. where former postmaster
as built up a system according to
stricte' the routes of the wagons or
rucks being those of the former
hail carriers. This service is done at
saving of twenty-five per cent. to
ne merchants. A service which for
erelv REQUIRED seventeen wagons is
ow performed by three cars and
our wagons.
The gentleman who has worked
his change has some wise reflections
n the subject: THE waste in deliv-
" service in thero United Statcs IS
IMPLY staggering" he said, "and the
Merchants are to blame. A few peo-
lie want the service and the mer-
hants give it to them and of course
lake them pay for it, Whereas If
ne truth were known | venture the
atement that seventy-hve per cent
the people the country over would
luch rather have less delivery serv-
and reduced prices on goods. All
telligent merchants know their de-
very expense is excessive, but what
an they do--the other fellow does
and they must also. The fact re-
iains, however, that a great major
v of the people are forced to carry
heir expensive systems by merchants
telfng to the whims of a thought
.ss, well-to- do minority"
Here is the kernel of the practice:
few demand elaborate and there
re eXneEsive waiting on. The mer-
hant thinks his only chance to get
heir trade is by humoring their ir-
gular hn hits. telling them thew can
ave anything at any hour and so
gain and again he sends home An
rticle on which there is a two-cent
rofit, at cost of six cents.
The needs of war have opened up
he unsoundness of this particular
lsiness practice as they will many
hers Commonsense as well as
yalty demand that it be corrected