The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1917-11-22
Grocers of keokuk VIII Meet Tonight
TO Take Some Action on Rec
Concentration of State
Council.
CONSERVES MAN POWER
Question of Economical Running Of
Business, and Reduction Of
General Expenses
Comes In.

Y,
store business Is a serious one now
that every effort is being made to run
business on as economical a basis as
possible, and to conserve man power.
The Iowa state national council Of de.
tense is recomm ending the cutting
down of deliveries, and the grocers OF
Keokuk will meet tonight to discuss
this matter.
The following announcement from
the state council will outline in gem
eral way the objects being sought in
this cutting down in deliveries:
To grocery, department and dry
goods stores In Iowa:
The state council Of national de-
Tense has been advised that the COM
mercfal economy board OF the council
of national defense has communicated
with you asking your assistance in
the promotion Of economy through tho
elimination of unnecessary deliveries
by retail stores and through the re-
duction OF returned goods to = mini
mum.
At this TIME when thousands Of men
have been drawn from their regular
employment to the training camps,
preparatory to the battle line, 1t is
essential that there should be the full
est conservation of the man power Of
Iowa. Labor should not be tied up in
less essential operations. In the
present emergency the countrys re
sources should be modified to the
best possible advantage and the eli
mination OF accommodation deliveries
Is urged by the council of national de-
tense as an effective measure of econ
omy.
In this connection Chairman Anna
Howard, of the women's committee,
council of national defense, makes an
appeal to the women Of the state of
Iowa to act in this matter On basis
Of patriotic service as we'll as in the
interests OF economy. She says:
THE draft has and will take men
from the delivery service throughout
the country. II some provision Is not
Immediately made for a decrease in
the number of deliveries the merchant
will, OF necessity, take men from
other occupations which may be vital
to the welfare OF the nation, to fill
the places left vacant by the men call
ed to the army. No man ought to be
taken from essential war industries
to carry parcels which women might
easily carry for themselves or be re-
CURED to make repeated and unnec-
essary trips at the call of the improvi-
dent housewife.
THE comm ercial economy board has
asked the state councils of defense in
the various states and the merch-
ants associations to make concert
ed effort to decrease the number OF de-
hveries and to curtail the privilege of
returning goods, but neither councils
nor trade associations can effect this
much needed reform without the Co
operation OF the purchasers, the great
majority of whom are women"
The committee on survey and man
power would like to be advised if this
practical measure Of service and econ
omy has been put into operation and
IL purchasers are cooperating with
the merchants.
Address your communications to H.
J. Metcalf secy Iowa State Council
National Defense.
Respectfully yours,
W. l. HARDING, Governor,
F. A. O'CONNER,
W. w. MARSH,
G. w. FRENCH,
Committee on Survey and Man Power
Iowa State Council Of National De-
Tense.