The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1918-11-22
RETURN LOAD BUREAUS
IN WARTIME SERVICE
State Council of Defense for
New Medium of Trans
p0rtati0n.

III each Ol lHe lllHcty-JWO counties
OF Indiana there has been appointed,
at the request OF the Indiana State
Council of Defense, Highways
Transport Committee. This commit
tee includes the chairman of the
County Council of Defense. the Fed
eral Fuel Administrator the Federal
Food Administrator, county sgricul-
turai agent and county surveyor The
business of this committee is to en-
courage the further utilization OF the
motor truck as a wartime agency for
the relief of transportation difficulties.
Out of the activity of this commit
tee, it is expected that the railroads
will be relieved of large share of
their burden. Through short hauls of
food and fuel, including grain, pro-
duce, groceries, coal and supplies, the
motor truck is expected to supply, in
a large measure, the means whereby
more direct and efficient nation
wide transportation situation will be
created.
In addition to the local service rem
dered, the Rural Motor Express-the
official designation of this new serv-
ice-will make possible the through
routing by rail, and efficient trans
pcrtation of munitions Of war, includ-
ing food staples and live stock, which
heretofore have suffered delay, due
TO terminal congestionS, thus weaken
ing the nations power
The passing of the inland water
ways, which a few years ago was the
source of much lamentation on the
part of those who urged the general
development of all forms of public
transportation service, will be over
balanced, it is believed, by the in
creasing usefulness. economy and con-
venience of the larger type Of gaso-
line propelled vehicles.
Freer access to. his markets is GER
tain to interest the farmer, who, in
Indiana, is already awake to the value
and Importance of good roads. The
more general use of the large motor
trucks has been found, in other COM
munities, to serve as stimu,ant to
road construction of the most eco
nomic type-the building of perma-
nent, hard surfaced roads.
The action OF the Indiana State
Council of Defense was inspired by
the resolutions of the Council of Ma
tional Defense, which, after a thor
lOugh investigation endorsed the plan
OF the Rural Motor Express. The Ma
tiOnal Council has issued a bulletin
on this subject which says in part:
The transportation burden on the
railroads and highways of the country
has been tremendously increased by
the war There is larger load 10 be
carried of manufactured goods, raw
materials, and foodstuffs. Not only
has production of manufa cturers, raw
materials and farm products in
creased, but it is now necessary to
transport a much larger proportion of
these goods over long distances.
The burden is further increased by
the fact that we have removed across
the sea. 5000 miles away, consider
able part of our population, which
must be provisioned and maintaine
These men were in our army camps
last winter. This year there are other
men in these camps, and We must
handle goods and food Stuffs not only
to these thirty new cities, but to a
great population 5000 miles away.
1T is absolutely necessary to utilize
Il 90 ola IN ha 70
extend the use of the highways by
the more efficient use of motor ve-
hicles which can operate independent
| ly of fixed lines OF terminals where
congestion of traffic is liable to occur.
The motor truck can help the rail-
road by reducing the short-haul load
and also act as feeder line in sec
tions far removed from market.
Added to the increased loads of
goods to be transported, is the fact
that man power must be conserved.
Heretofore the farmer has done his
own hauling to market, but adoption
of the Rural Motor Express will en-
able him TO delegate his hauling and
to devote his own time TO farm oper-
ations. An enormous waste of time
and labor of both men and teams can
be prevented by consolidating the
small loads from number OF farms
into a single load TO be carried by a
motor truck.
In many localities local food sup
plies are in need of development A
better use must be made of agricultu-
raj lands in the immediate vicinity of
population centers- II improves the
business of the local community and
adds to the total food supply OF the
country. The Improvement OF mar
keting facilities through the opening
OF regular daily traffic TO market CEN
ters and shipping points. is most ef-
fectiye agenty in encouraging food