Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-07-29
Plan TO CUT OUT
COST OF DELIVERY
Members of Congress Approve
Project, Provided Purchaser
Gets the Benefit.
URGED AS A WAR ECONOMY

Possibility of a cooperative delivery
service or municipal delivery system
for Washington is being considered by
members of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association, which is
promoting the movement to obtain
from the merchants of Washington a
discount on goods carried home by the
purchaser.
These propositions are to be consid-
cred tomorrow at a joint meeting OF
subcommittee of the District Council
of National Defense, the Retail Mer-
chants and Retail Grocers' Associa-
tions. and the Joint committee of con-
sumers. headed by Mrs. Newton d.
Baker. wife of the Secretary of War,
and representing, besides the National
Suffrage Association, the Cor sumers
League. the Central Labor Union, the
FEDERAL Employees Union. the District
Federation of Women's Clubs and the
~omcn's committee of the District
Council of National Defense.
Rebate for Purchasers.
This committee, it was explained last
night, while agreeing that the mer-
chants of Warrington should follow the
recommendation of the commercial
economy board, that store deliveries be
curtailed by asking customers to carry
their own bundles, insists that pur-
chasers who do carry their own
bundles and thus save the merchant the
cost of delivery, are entitled to a re-
bate accordingly on the price of their
purchases.
That the purchaser is entitled to
some consideration in this matter was
tne thought expressed by Senator King
OF the District committee. author of
the Dill for a municipal market; Sena-
tor Hollis. also of the District COM
Mlttee' Senator Borah. a member of
1ne labor committee of the Senate, and
Representative Nolan, a member of the
labor committee of the House.
Il am always for the consumer" said
senator King. especially in these days
OF nigh prices. I think that the pro-
queer. the middlenan and the retailer
are all inclined to be extortionate. In
the matter of deliveries it goes with
out saying that whatever economies
result when customers carry their bum
dies home should be credited to the
customers. Good morals and good
business both make that clear beyond
dispute Senator King thinks that
a municipal delivery service would be
directly in line with his municipal
market plan-deIiveries made by the
city at cost to the city.
Entitled to Lower Prices.
Senator Hollis said: The PROPOSE
ton to encourage purchasers to carry
their parcels instead of having the
merchants deliver them meets my
hearty approval If. however. the pub
lie is willing to carry its own parcels.
1t is, of course. entitled to lower prices
IL lower prices should not follow the
very object of the movement would be
lost, for it Is only through decreased
living expenses that the public can be
induced to put itself to this incon-
venience. ] noticed in a Washington
paper recently that one patriotic store
keeper had advertised that he would
discount ) per cent on all purchases
which his patrons would carry home
for themselves. 1t strikes me that a
3 per cent discount would be suf-
ficient inducement in many cases. and
1t would probably pay for the cost OF
delivery"
Senator Borah said: There is no
room for debate upon the question that
unless the consumer is considered in
the proposals for wartime economy
tAere is going to be break-do&sa IN
the whole scheme. The people cannot
go on paying high taxes and meeting
high prices without the entire country
coming to want. 1 think there should
be a specific effort made to distribute
the benefits of the economy. Further
more. if a man doesn't get cheaper
goods by reason of carrying his things
home. there is little inducement for
him to do So
Favors Cooperative Delivery.
Representative Nolan thinks that
cooperative delivery system would
save much money. which. in fairness,
should come back to the consumer
The movement to cut down delivery
service, without provision for lower
prices to the consumer" he said. lis
just another plan to ask the consumer
for sacrifices with no movement what
ever toward sacrifice the part Of the
producer. the middle man or the re-
taller. There is only one way to meet
IT, and that is for the public TO say to
every merchant in Washington aud
everywhere else, You must give us one
price for your goods delivered at our
houses and a cheaper price on the same
goods when We carry them home That
way the customer who wants delivery
service may have 1t and pay for 1t. The
other customer, who wants to save that
money. may do so. They take their
choice, and 1t is fair all round. Other
wise. the merchant gets all the money