Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-02-18
PRODUCE
DIRECT TOC|TYvA
?. 0. MOTOR TRUCK
Departments Expe r iments
Have Proved Worth Of Pro-
ject; Can Reduce Consumers
Cost and Raise Producers
Receipts.
Capital News Special Service,

SCapital News Special Service)
Washington, Feb. 1S.-Experiments
with the motor truck by the postoffice
department as carrying medium be-
tween the producer and the consumer
have gone much further than most
folks in the United States have been
advised.
And there is not much doubt that
these experiments will be extended
very much further when the $500, 900
for these studies, inserted in the post
office appropriation bill. becomes
available. Some rather advanced, II
not radical proposals in this direction
were made at the recent annual con-
ference Of the national board of farm
ORGANIZATIONS in this city. Fourth AS
sistant Postmaster General Blake slee
said that by extending the motor truck
carrying system and placing it under
the general direction of the postoffice
department. he would guarantee SUBJ
stantial reduction in the cost OF living
and at the same time gratifying in
crease in the reward given for produce.
There are 2.199.600 miles of high
ways in the United States, and these,
unlike the railways and the waterways,
lead right up to the doors Of the pro-
ducers and the consumers" he said.
by the intensive use of these II will
be possible to establish direct connec-
| ton between the consumer ana the
| producer The latter will be able to
get more for his products and the con.
| vi hfly hao ut fHa "a
time. All the postoffice would want
would be the cost of delivering the
product, plus a reasonable allowance
for depreciation of equipment"
| MORE DETAILED PLAN.
Another speaker, E. J. Ward of the
Community Association of Park View.
suburb of Washington, offered a
more detailed plan, suggesting that the
postoffice department be made the
carrying and distributing agency for
milk and like products. His talk re-
vealed to some extent the character
of the experiments with motor trucks
already being made by the postoffice
department. He said already the plan
was in operation to limited extent in
regard to other commodities. Eggs
sausages and other products were car
4 ried on motor trucks attached to the
postoffice department. He said that In
the same way oysters are now being
brought into Washington from Chesa.
peake bay and sold to the consumer al
40 cents a quart.
why not include milk in tNis pro.
gram" said Mr.. Ward. "This Is no
socialism. 1t Is simply extending tn,
functions of the postoffice department
The farmers Of Mount Joy. Nd, hav'
received cents quart for their milk
Fsottling, transportation, pasteurizatioI
and distribution, according to the agrf.
cultural department should not cos
| more than s cents a quart. Now lie
US give the farmer cents more for hi
milk and let the customer have TIN
product at cents less. and everybod!
J will be benefited"
=. THE p. o. DEPARTMENT.
"But who will do the bottling ant
attend to the pasteurization? MI
Ward was asked.
why, the postoffice department" HI
replied. 1.-The dairy division of the az
ricultural department would give tn
necessary instructions and the post
office department would attend to tn
rest. This is not government owner
ship, because the government woul,
not own the milk. It would simpl
| distribute 1t and the bottling would b
part of the process Of Distribution.
is simply bringing the products OF tn
farm direct to the table OF the cit
, dweller."
!, He said that through the expert
ments pow being conducted by tn
postoffice department, residents
Park View have been able to buy egg
> and many other products of the farr
: at a vast saving.