Connecticut western news., 1918-03-28
GOV. HOLCOMB URGES
ONE DELIVERY DAILY
Local Stores Are Now Considering the
Matter and Will Probably Adopt
Methods to Curtail Delivery.

The following appeal from Gov.
Holcomb is to the people of this state
in general and to the merchants who
operate delivery, @. o. D and other
systems " hich mean an increase in the
amount Of labor necessary and is k.
ing men from other industries which
must have more man power to do their
part in winning this war. 1t is under.
stood that the local merchants are con
sidering the curtailment of their de-
livery systems to one per day, and in
this matter the public in general
should give these merchants their sup
port.
To the People of the State of Connec-
ticut:
Democracy is on trial in the world
today. America is the Mother Country
of modern republics. As we led the
way to freedom. so let Us lead the way
to efficiency. If self governed people
does it's work in a slip. shod way, no
ground work. of high principle may
save it in the fierce struggle for politi-
cal existence.
Hitherto our country has been no.
torious in the family of nations for its
wastefulness. We have been the world g
great producer and the worlds great
spendthrift.
One of our forms of extravaganza
and a peculiarly selfish and indolent
one-has been the absurd multiplica-
ton of deliveries of merchandise by
retail merchants. In the language of
the trade, "service has developed into
superservice. This abuse can be
stopped by co operation between the
two parties interested, the dealer and
the purchaser.
submit to the consideration of our
people these simple and self evident
truths.
First that the man power of this
country will be strained to the utter
most before this war reaches a conclu.
sion 1t Is stealing from civilization at
this hour to waste the services OF a
man. Shipbuilding, munition plants,
farms, railroad companies, armies and
navies are all olsmoring for men.
Second, the man power of the nation
must be reinforced by diversion and
substitution. Thousands OF men may
be taken from the retail establishments
of Connecticut without appreciable
diminution' of efficiency.
Third, at the request of the National
Council of Defense, the State Council
of Defense, through it's committee on
Commercial Economy, proposes to re-
duce this Waste of man power and
equipment
(a) by restricting deliveries to one
per day over given route;
(b) by eliminating especial deliver
ies";
co. by organization of cooperative
deliveries;
(d) by eliminating "return or O. O.
ID. purchases; and
(e) by requesting the purchasing
public to carry its own parcels, pro.
vided the purchaser does not use q pri-
waite automobile to go and get the par
Gel.
therefore call upon thu retail mer-
chants of this state to put into effect,
at the earliest possible date, the sub.
stance of the foregoing recommended
tions, by means of friendly co-opera.
ton and the sinking of tlade rivalry
call upon the retail purchasers OF rhe
state ESPECIALLY the women, who in
other lines of war work are serving
their country SO loyalty and effective
ly) to assist the dealers in carrying
out this needed reform. Finally, in
this and every other way cali upon al
the people of this ancient common
wealth to save ard serve increasingly
TO the end that personal and political
freedom under orderly self goverL
ment. which here had it's birth nntier 4
written constitution, shall vindieate 1T.
right and ability to exist.
M. III Holcomb,
GoveGnor.