The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-04-20
MOTORIZED PARCEL
POST IS PROPOSED
tourih Assistant Postn!lSicr-G General
Advocates I ~ of Motors In
Transportation
SHOULD PROVE ECONOMICAL
NotoriIcd transportation Has Bccn
Satisfactory In Limited Trials
and Merits Consideration. 'a

one OF the soundest propositions
that has been offered To the country
for some time. is made 10y fourth as
sis,ant postmaster general James J.
BlaRslee.
His plan, In nutshell. is this.
To establish a motorized rural parcel
post system with 10000 different
routes. employing 10000 army motor
trucks manned by 100000 discharged
soldier
There ia nothing to be said against
the proposal 80 far as We can see. and
much % be I'D In It's favor.
IlurnI Clnss served.
Mr Blakslce contends that three
foIrihs Of the rural population OF the
United States live more than six miles
from railroad transportation. and II
Is this great class which would be
served and reached by the routes as
outlined
Not only would these people benc-
II, to large extent. but their pro-
duce would be available for the mar
kets In our crowded cities.
As to the practicability or the plan,
We are pleased 10 quote from
MOTOR:
20 Routes In Operation.
There are rs OF these routes now
In operation. There are 104 trucks
operated by personnel OF 10S men
These vehicles cover n daily mileage
Of 7.jG3 This gives us an average
daily travel OF about 10 miles
So far so good, but obviously the
financial aide nf apy aptprDriga saiiQ
the tale OF success or failure.
Very well then: during the three
months from July TO september 30,
the gross earnings OF these parcel
post routes were 1922. .02495. From
this must be deducted the war reve-
nue. tax which leaves the earnings
20tl7F,
The total cost OF operating the
routes during the time mentioned
was i6s.625.75. This leaves the net
Income at Si3t.79i.72. Hut even here
We must be generous and make an
other reduction In income, because OF
the fact that much OF the mail gath
cred must be delivered beyond the
limits OF the particular route. while
much OF the mail delivered had its
origin In another territory.
Income OF SCI. .395.s8.
II We allow 80 per cent OF the net
Income TO take care OF this charge
We shall be extremely generous.
probably 80 or - per cent would he
nearer the mark At any rate this
gives us net income Of .6T.3e5.S6.
This shows that each OF the &c
. routes earned 1854 per month. with
10000 Of these routes In operation
each contributing n similar net In
come, the monthly total would be IS,
10000. or ,3l0s.6SO.O 900 for the year
Now this happenSoto be the APP
'ptotmate amount ordinarily spoken
OF an the federal contribution to
highway construction In the years 10
come Mr. Blakslee's contention that
he can furnish this money without
adding one cent OF taxes to the bur
d'ns o. the people seems to have "A
sold foundation In fact.
Could Use Army Trucks
Tho use by the postofficc depart
men, OF $4,000 army trucks fOr tn!s
service would afford an outlet for
these trucks In way which would
NOT hurt the commercial market for
Sucks and which would enable the
government to use these trucks ef-
hcIently, instead OF selling them for
purp.ses which they are lndiffer-
AnotN M in favor Of the plan
's that hid give immediate en-,
ploymentr6S 900 soldiers.
They would start AZ $3.50 per day
increasing to 50 before the end OF
the year.
These men hay, been subject TO
Nse,pline. they are better workers
man thev would have been before
lh"y had military training and II
would seem that they ARE particular
H vel suited to handle the work
~ thorough manner
All Would Benefit
bu' the great consideration is the
a'le the country at large would re-
eei'e from the extension OF the par
cr pos, system
o., ~ present parcels are limited to
~ pounds with the plan outlined
U MI Blakslee the limit would be
ut capacity OF the trucks. \ To-
e.aHon can Of milk would not be re-
Hsfd tecnuse II was overweight.
IN addition 10 carrying parcels Of
h@ler size, the new routes could
Undoubtedly affect a reduction in
,ne parcel pos; rates on the heavier
p'Ice.s. the new rate being one-haf
cent instead Of cent
,t me figures given previously cover
,"~ operated As private businesses
nu"r federal control they could
nsnu'e first class mail az well az
Parcels and the first class mail alone
"Uuld provide enough revenue 40
,,o'tr the cost OF operation OF the
49,, Just 20 pounds OF letters. 80
nris 10 the pound, would return
"g Uuck $50 for Its day's work
mere is no doubt but that ado
SSIat transportation which Is -
o,y connected with progress and
n,'Speri'y, =, will he given TO portioh
4, ooI' people who are now without
a, VIII give employment TO some
M sno~ men 10 whom we owe 80
~ and II will do this in a way
axes 'e"' ~