Evening journal., 1917-07-26


Wilmington are asked by the Wom-
ems Committee OF the Council OF
National Defense, to consider prac-
tically the local application OF sug-
gestions in the following bulletin;
The Home Economies Committee OF
the State branch of the council Is in
charge. Mrs. Walter ID. Bush, No.
2406 Willard street. this city, is
chairman. She will be Mad TO receive
suggestions or expressions OF opinion
from city merchants and housewives.
The bulletin follows:
The importance Of the full coop
Grafton of women with the Govern
ment in the readjustment OF the COM
mon practises of life is becoming
more and more clear The Woman's
Committee Of the Council OF National
Defence feels that one OF the great
est sefvices that women can render
In this war lies in this cooperation.
The effectiveness of the backing the
women have given 10 the effort of
the bakers OF the country to establish
the plan of no bread returns In order
to save the tens Of THOUSANDS Of
loaves of bread that were going 10
pigs and chickens Is daily becoming
clear Practically all OF the bakers
of the country are todny cutting out
that waste and the women are stand
ing by them wherever the matter has
been called to their attention
The board Is calling on the women
now to cooperate in another saving
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 o reform
In one OF the everyday practices Of
life-the way we get our daily grocer
les meat, fruit vegetables. They
come 70 us almost like tho Mamma
from heaven. All you did in the case
Of Mamma, J believe was to pick it
/ up: all we do in the case Of our gro
! ceries is to ask for them-aslL for
them at any hour Of the day-a dozen
times a day Il we within any guam
tity, a box of matches. a half dozen
bananas, a pound Of steak. and pros.
to; It is put on the kitchen table
The thing which takes no fore
thought on our part, which just hap
pens. is pretty sure to he an expen.
sive thing to somebody. Washington,
i'm the interest OF the great War. has
been trying to find out what e costs.
The Bureau OF Commerce has found
that I'm the city of Washington Il
costs "a 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
sending the stuff TO the purchasers
Naturally e cost more 10 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. Is estimates
that the gross delivery expense OF re-
tail grocers in tho country is ovei
SIS 600. 900 a year What Is this sun
used for? For tho hire OF men TO pu
up packages, 70 run the number o
wagons and trucks required, 70 pu
them i'm at your door, TO go 20 YOU
house not once but often a half dozei
times day.
Take any town Of ten thousand pec
pie and e probably Is spending thre
per cent Of the net sales OF Erocerie
In sending them 20 the purchasers
Again and again these purchaser
come 10 the grocery the butcher. mil
depots, in carriages or cars, but the,
rarely think OF taking home thei
purchases. A woman will buy a pack
age Of ten cent cereal and expect
delivered. She will rarely think O
carrying a half dozen rolls. thougl
she Is on her way home.
AS a matter Of fact. the merchan
does not often want her 10 carry he
packages. His promptness and will
inEness to serve her irregular an
careless habits OF buying is one q
the WAYS he builds up good will.
, have spoken here only OF foo
products, but we all know that wh5
has been ssid applies equally TO a
! sorts Of shopping, and particularly
department stores. The report Of IN
Commercial Economy Board declare
that in our great cities the cost to IN
department store of delivering pacl
ages is from eight 10 twenty-hy
cents apiece II is no uncommo
thing for the cost of delivering a
article TO exceed tho cost Of the a.
ticle, and probably onc.half or Oh
daily purchases Of a department stol
might be carried home by the wome
, themselves.
How is all this vast, unnecessaI
u use Of men. horses. trucks, none
r and time TO be cut out and the deli
cry system put on a basis strict
c confined TO what is necessary
70 There are not a few towns in q
r. country whore il has already bee
put on such a basis by co-operati'
deliveries. Ann Arbor. Michigan. HI
= had such a delivery conducted by 1
y merchants for eight years. Former