Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-19
MOTOR EXPRESS
TO REDUCE H.C.L.
A. C. Burch Suggests Use of
Truck Lines to Get Pro- ,
duce to Market
d L + + \ ID S MIDDLEMAN
Half of Farms Products
Wasted Because of Slow
Movement

Rural motor express lines as a mans
OF reducing the cost of living are ad-
vocated by a. G. Burch, vice president
Of the clyde cars Company. who says
that 80 per cent of the produce raised
In this country is wasted because the
growers cannot get it to a market
Mr.. Burch is attending the truck
show here this week.
In defense of tho middleman. Mr.
Burch declared that 'the vast differ
enCe between the consumers price and
the farmers price of produce in our
markets is due largely to wasteful
transportation methods, causing spoiage
on the way to market Rural express
lines, he said, would eliminate this
waste. give the farmer more for his
produce and bring it within reach Of
the ultimate consumer at less cost.
Rural express companies offer an out
let for an enormous production Of mo-
tortruclls in this country" said Mr..
Burch. cit is a good thing to get be-
low the surface and study any prospec-
tive market from the inside. believe
in the motor express business because it
seems to me to be fundamentally right.
while not much given to quoting sta
tstics. there are a couple Of figures
which seem so vital TO the motor truck
industry that | cannot forget them.
Never Reaches Market
The Agricultural Department reports
that only about so per cent of the lTo-
duce raised in this country ever sees
the market. The balance is wasted be
cause of inability to get ii To market
and because transportation delays al
low It to spoil Oh the way.
"rhe rural motor express line Will
absolutely correct this trouble, shorten
ing the distance between purchaser and
consumer, and allowing him to ship
to the best market at the time when ms
produce ought TO be shipped.
"Nnother tremendously important set
Of figures impreSseS me. For every do!-
lar which the consumer pays for food
in this country. the farmer gets from
thirty to forty cents.
There has been great cry raised
against the middleman and the enor-
NOUS profit he makes. | don't believe
he is responsible either for the high
p~tCe of food products or for the low
price paid TO the farmer.
We always will need the middle
m?n. for food products must be DIS
tributed and stored until such time as
the market calls 70" them.
The vast difference between the con-
s,uner's price and the farmers price is
largely made up by the wasteful trans
portatiou methods. by spoiiaGe ON the
way to nrrllet. There may be too many
m 'ddIemcn. but this is only one more
count against our present inadequate
Transportation methods.
ct has been necessary to pass food
produce through a great many hands
from farm to table. simply because OF
inadeuuate TRANSFORMATION methods.
Will Eliminate Waste
"rhe motortruck will eliminate this
waste, giving the farmer more FOR ms
produce, which he is rightfuIly entitled
TO- and cutting the cost TO the ultimate
consumer.
81 believe that every man in the truck
husires. should get behind the rural
motor express proposition
eft is the greatest outlet for trucks
in this country today. But il wont
GROW TO The proportions 1t should unless
the truck industry gets behind it en-
Enthusiastically unless manufacturers.
dealers, government. stTtc and county
authorities Rnc UP with the good road
movement. SO that the country may be
provided Villa network Of roads over
which 10 operate the rural express
lines,