Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1920-01-17
HELPS To LOWER
COST OF FOODS
OPERATION or TRIAL MOTOR
TRUCK ROUTES BY GOVERN
MENT IS SUCCESSFUL
REPORT ON THE EXPERIMENT
Post ONCE Authorities IN Charge Be
Iievs the Service Of Especial Rene-
ft In Bringing AboIt the Reduction
Of Pricea
b JAMIE 3. tioRNApAY.

WAShlngtOn.-The governments ex-
Periments In the operation Of motor
vehicle truck routes, which have been
carried on for the last eighteen
months, have convinced the postOfice
authorities In charge of the expert
ments that this new branch of the
postal service Is here to stay. 1t will
be for congress to say whether the
service shall be extended during the
next fiscal year. The postmaster gen.
eraI has recommended that congress
make provision for the establishment
OF q large number Of new routes. In
authorizing experimental routes con-
gress directed the post Office depart
nent to take careful note Of the oper-
atoms OF all routes established so that
It might be prepared to advise the leg
lslatlve body as to whether the serv-
Ice was worth while. It gave the post
master general authority to spend
100000 within the year.
The departments report dealing
with the experiments covers the three
months from July to September 30
this year. During those three months
the department operated motOr-vehicle
trucks that covered total of 63,74O
miles and carried a total of 7O7,7
pounds, equivalent to 1853 tons of mail
matter or approximately III tons per
month, more than one and a half tons
per day per route; and the trucks
designated for country motor express
routes covered a total distance of
24S,SS3 miles and carried a total of
1929 pounds, equivalent to 90 tons
Of mail matter, or one and one-fOurth
tons per day per route.
Summary Of the Findings.
The department in it's report ad-
vises congress that under the opera
ton of the two classes of routes the adj
vantage Of the service is not confined
altogether to the postal revenues, but
is of especial benefit to the postal pa
irons, in that foOdstuffs transported
over the routes are delivered to the
postal patrons at a cost considerably
below the prevailing minimum market
prices. Summarized, the verdict OF
the post office department with re-
~E~NS ~ TIC new SCI NACC Is dB lOAlOWS
First-That the increased use Of the
postal facilities, already provided, as
well as the further extension of this
character of service is desirable, mar
ticularly in reaching territory within
200 miles Of large markets, where in
adequate or no facilities of convey
ance by rail or water exist, If there
is to be an actual relief afforded the
public from the prevailing high cost of
living, or still higher prices even
than those which now are considered
exorbitant prevented.
Second-That it is fundamental that
without food we cannot live, and that
high-priced food results in high prices
for labor engaged in the production Of
food itself and commodities and mer.
chandlse essential to the production
of food.
Third-That the cycle Of high prices
is complete and follows natural eco
nOmic law.
Fourth-That when the farmer-pFO-
Queer pays high prices for labor, for
fertilizer, and for farm machinery, the
cost Of foOdstuffs increases in proper
ton and the workman in the factory,
the steel mill, and the railroad, or in
a mercantile establishment, when com
PEELED to pay higher prices for food,
naturally is entitled to increased COM |
pensation to meet the same. This, in
turn, increases the cost of the art1-
cles necessary to production on the
farm and thus the cost Of living |
mounts higher and higher.
conserVes Labor and Man Power.
B1fth-That through the maximum |
use Of the facilities OF conveyance
provided by the postal service. the |
food producer would not have 10 sus-
pend production to engage In convey
ance, and thus labor or man power
would be conserved for food prOduc-
ton. Where numerous employees Of |
food producers are now engaged in
the transportation and distribution of |
foOdstuffs in small quantities, 5ne en-
ployee Of the postal service with ade-
Quate equipment could provide the
conveyance now supplied by them.
and thus labor or man power could be
conserved for food production.
Sixth-That inasmuch as the pres
eRt organization Of the postal service
has been extended to the door of pFac-
ticalIy all food producers, and Is avail
able as an fundamentally of distribu-
ton to the door Of all consumers, it
is evident that the conveyance Of food
In the postal service could be made
vital factor In the introduction OF
efficiency in the movement of food
from producer to consumer and, to
that end, the department recommends
that this service be given every pos
sTble moral and financial encourage
ment and that every endeavOr be
made to increase the use Of and en-
large the equipment now available in
the postal service for transportation
-.