New-York tribune., 1919-01-31
l. an'nn-to-T able Food
Route PLAN of u. 5.
Shown To Be T allure
Burleson Asks Senate Conn
lnittee to Cut Appropria-
don; Prices Are Not Re-
duced, Farmers Apatiletic
Nc,r Yo,1; Trib,i,i,

Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30-The farm
to-table' motor truck route service op-
Grated by the PostofIice Department.
which Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General James |. Blakeslee heralded as
a solution of the food problem in con-
gestion centres and great money
maker for the government, has proved
q virtual failure. 1t is so much of a
failure that Postmaster General Burle-
son recommended to the Senate Post
for this experimental service be re-
duced from $500 900 to $4,000 in the
annual appropriation bill now before
the Senate.
Mr.. Burleson was forced to his po-
sition after an exhaustive study Of
operating costs and results. His COM
plete report was made public day.
Some of the faults found with Mr..
Blakeslee's motor truck mail routes
are:
They are not self-supporting.
They do not improve the mail serv-
ice; in most instances only compet-
ing with transportation already os
tablished.
They have not served to increase
production of food.
They have not interested the farm
CT to a great extent.
The department inspectors checked up
on all the experimental routes for July,
August, September and October and
found tho receipts credited 10 the trucks
totalling $l09.339. The operating cX-
pcNsos we're $l03, SIS, but $33S,059 was
from tirst-c.ass mail and from this had
to be deducted war tax revenue of
S1l2,666. Second and third class
amounted to $7,4go, and fourth class to
$G3, 785.
Discover Reckless Accounting
Careful checks made by the inspac-
tors show reckless accounting accord
ing to their reports
There is reason to believe that
ounces have been entered as pounds in
rcprtoing Of weight of mail carried,
and that weights have been loosely es-
t.mated' the report says. Checking
one route for three days the inspectors
found the revenue to be $34.SS and the
sum claimed $397.50. Continuing, the
report says:
During the season of high operat-
ing costs foodstuffs production viii be
at the lowest ebb; farmers will have
no berries and green vegetables to
snip and probably not much in the way
of eggs and butter. Considering these
lacts and the probability of irregular
service, storm blockadcs and break
downs resulting from bad roads, it is
grave question whether motor-truck
service for moving food products
should be maintained beyond the sea-
son Of actual production and harvest.
admitting that total abandonment Of
service probably would have a worse
appearance and effect than temporary
SUSPENSION"
The investigators found that in some
places motor express lines handle their
products cheaper for the farmer
Reasons fer Failure Given
Among the conclusions of the inves-
Ngators are the folowing:
motor route service can at best
aspire to recognition as another-and
very expensive instrument of public
utility awaiting the test Of time and
need
Reported earnings are greater than
IN fact by reason Of improper methods
OF computation.
Special beneficiaries are paying only
small part of cost as whole
" Forced apparent value is given
motor truck service by scheduling il
10 leave lmport2nt points slightly in
advance Of trains.
Motor truck routes. while expensive,
nave some merit where they traverse
sections where not in competition with
RAJ lines. They cannot be expected to
take the place of rural routes, or
speaking generally. of star routes.
'Fafmers are habituatcd to other at
tractlve methods of marketing and Will
not use motor routes unless greater
convenience is offered.