Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-08
ALL AMERICANS HAVE oP7oR.
TUNITY TO DO BIT AND HELP
WIN WAR, SAYS METcALF.
DEFENSE COUNCIL OFFICER
MAKES LOYALTY PLEA
Urges Co. operation in Delivery Sys-
TENS and Advocates One Delivery Per
Day and Curtailment Of Waste in
,Enerey-kational Cefense Body
Backs Movement.
special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Mones, Feb. S.-"The cause Of
conservation offers to every living
American a chance to render patriotic
service that does not entail sacri-
fee"
This was the statement Of Herbert
J. Metcalf, secretary of the state de-
Tense council in an address to the re-
tail merchants of Des Moines on the
curtailing of the delivery system.
1--WE have been nation Of spend
thrifts," he declared "a wasteful peo-
pie; and there are those yet who re-
fuse to adjust their methods Of living
to war basis. They are traitors to
their country just as much as tho they
were spreading the gospel of kaiser
ism. The time has come when both
men and women must obey the recon-
mendations Of the federal government
with regard to conservation. II they
refuse to do this willingly they will
be made to do it by force"
AS to the curtailment of useless de-
liveries Secretary Metcalf said the
whole problem depends for its success
on the willingness of the grocer, the
butcher and the merchant and the pub
lie generally to cooperate.
Secretary Metcalf reported that at
the present time there are cooperative
in fifteen or twenty cities and towns
Of Iowa and the number is increasing
rapidly. He mentioned some Of the
more prominent cities, as Marshall
town, Creston, Abba, Algora, Ames,
Boone, Coon Rapids, Grinnell, Newton
and Waverly.
He pointed out that the commercial
economy board of the council Of ma
tional defense were back of this cur
taiment of deliveries in order to con-
serve men, gasolene and horse power
INDUCED in by considerable portion
Of the American public.
One Delivery Urged.
The recommendations made to the
retail merchants by this commercial
economy board as to deliveries are as
follows:
One delivery day over each route.
Establishment OF cooperative or
central delivery system wherever pos
sible, especially in small towns or me-
dunn sized cities.
Limiting of privilege Of returning
merchandise to three days. " v
| I The adoption by merchants sof5plans
to curtail special deliveries and c! q p.
orders"
"The adoption Of the recommends
tons from the board by the retail mer-
chants of the country will enable them
10 operate at less expense" said Sec
rotary Metcalf.
THE saving thus made should be
shared with the customer. The board
does not expect any merchant to take
advantage of the recommendations to
gain an unusual profit. Neither should
a merchant refuse to cooperate merely
because no additional profit is to be
secured. There are many ways IN
which the merchant may help the pub
lie and being a consumer / am speak
ing now from the consumers view
point.
"In curtailing deliveries and eliminat-
ing waste about the store you can share
the saving thus made with your GUS
toners by keeping prices down where
they would otherwise have advanced
by reason of the fact that you were
operating under an eXtravagant sys-
tenn. In some stores prices are fixed
on a non delivery basis and q small
charge added for delivery to the GUS
toner when desired. In still other
cases small discount Is allowed where
the customer carries home the pur-
chase. No one of these plans, however,
Is capable of universal application. A
policy must be worked out according
to conditions in each individual store"