The Washington times., 1920-05-08

pounu, Inc average citiLcH pays
twenty-five cents, and is lucky II
he can get what he needs.
Evidently it costs about ten
cents TO move a pound OF sugar
from the refinery to the citizen.
In this column it was suggested
that the Government parcels post
might distribute sugar. In reply
to the suggestion published there
has been received from the Post
master General and from his
fourth assistant, Mr.. Blsksiee.
communications which you may
read. They interest every citizen.
You will learn that the Frank
lin Refinery in Philadelphia, sold
to Wagner q Company, of Wash
ington, thirty thousand pounds
OF sugar. The Government
carried t. The cost at the refin-
cry was q trifle over fourteen
cents a pound. The Government
charged q fraction over one cent
pound for delivery. The sugar,
delivered, cost 1853 cents q pound,
including Government charge for
carrying.
After YOU have read the com
munications that follow, you will
know that If the Government
would organize it, and If the people
had brains enough to insist upon
1t, the Pcstoffice distribution sys-
tenn that the people own could dis
tribute sugar and other necessities
Of life direct, at q minimum cost.
Milk and bread could also be de-
ivered to consumers by the Post
Office at great saving.
There has been much TALK
ING. There is an opportunity,
If the people choose, to DO some
thing. They will find in the Post
master General, Mr.. Burleson, and
his assistants, eager cooperation,
a desire to mako the Potsoffice
useful to the utmost limit.
These communications are rec
commended especially to the atten-
ton Of the editors Of the country,
particularly the thousands Of edi-
tors Of small newspapers that 20
to the farms. They have infIu-
ence, more than the newspapers
in big cities.
From the Postmaster General
"April rs, 1920.
my Dear Mr.. Brisbane want
to thank you for your letter of
the 22nd inst and the clipping
Herewith submitted relative to
the feasibility of the distribution
of sugar by the postal service.
Attached hereto is a memoran-
dunn addressed to me today by the
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral on this subject.
Every Sincerely Yours,
"A. s. BURLESON,
Postmaster General"
From Mr.. BLaksLee, Fourth As
stst0nt Postmaster - communicd-
ton addressed by him to the Post
ntoster General:
"Postoffice Department,
"Fourth Assistant Postmaster
General.
"April 2s, 1920.
POSTMASTER General:
"The marked copy of THE
NEW YORK AMERICAN of Sat-
urday, April II, 1920, forwarded
to you with a personal communi-
cation from Mr.. Arthur Brisbane
dated April 22nd, is another il
lustration of the continued en-
deavor of Mr.. Brisbane to en-
courage the use Of the parcel post
facilities of the Postal Service as
a means of conveyance.
within the past ten days 30,-
900 pounds of sugar was mailed
by the Franklin Refinery in Phila-
delphia to Wagner & Co., Wash
ington, D. C. An additional 20,-
600 pounds will be shipped today
and tomorrow.
"This sugar was sold at the re-
finery at 14.2 cents per pound.
The parcel post rate of IL cent
per pound made the price deliver
ed to Wagner & Co. 1853 cents
per pound. Some of this sugar
was sold to our postal employees
at 10 cents per pound, whereupon
the Postoffice Department store
requested a quotation on fifteen
tons, or 10000 pounds, from the
refinery and was advised that the
price had increased to 17.7 cents
per pound at the refinery, and
that our order would have to be
placed through Sioussa & Broc-
kett, sugar brokers for the re-
finery in this city, who, under the
present system, in turn distribute
the product to Wagner & Co. and
one or two other firms who act as
commission merchants, and who,
in turn, distribute to ID. p. Collins,
Wilkins & Co., Crovo & Price, and
various wholesalers, who then dis
tribute to retailers.
These several operations and
the incidental costs and profits
necessary to the conduct of broker
age, commission houses, whole
salers and retailer enterprises, re-
suit In a price of approximately
twenty-three cents to twenty-five
cents per pound, delivered to the
ultimate consumer.
Naturally, IL there was but one
set Of middlemen involved and the