Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-29
Efficiency Of Distribution

on SATURDAY uiSnG SECRETARY LhHlnt'
| and Frederick M. Feiker, an expert con.
sultant and adviser in the Department
OF Commerce, told the Nation something
OF Uncle Sans plan to launch a FAR
reaching inquiry into the distribution OF
merchandise, using the next decenniai
census as its fact-finding agency. Both
Of them emphasized the Importance OF
| what IS to be a brand-new undertaking.
the gathering of facts and figures that
tell the story OF what happens TO mer-
chandise after it leaves the producer
and before 1t reaches the consumer. No
attempt has ever been made to compile
United States has reached the highest
peaks OF efficiency in production through
the use OF power and machinery, the
adoption of labor-saving devices and
methods and the lowering OF costs, the
producers are still struggling in jungle
OF darkness in their attempts to f1nd
out why they have to spend so much
and lose so much in getting their COM
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them.
increasing complaints have been made
In the last few wears regarding the cost
OF distribution, and it has become recog-
nlzed as the next great problem that
must be solved IN Americas march to-
ward that goal of industrial perfection
that lies ahead. The great difficulty Is
the relatively vast ignorance that exists
on the subject. Secretary Lamont mem
toned the tact that, statistically, we lose
sight OF every commodity once 1t Is pro-
duced. In only g few instances has It
been possible to follow through the va
rlous stages OF marketing and distribu-
ton. But in those few cases enough has
been discovered to bring increased ef-
f1clency ana lower costs.
Some OF the elementary aspects Of the
problem might be visualized by con-
sidering the altogether theoretical case
OF a mouse-trap manufacturer who Tor
years mas been spending large sums TO
market his wares. He finally discovers
that he has been trying to sell mouse
traps in a section Of the country where
there are no mice. AS result OF ms
valuable information ne restricts his on
terprise to the mouse-jnfested districts
ana saves the money formerly wasted on
useless activity.
The problem Of distribution is of
course far more complex and involved.
1t contains elements that are altogether
unknown. And the Governments in
tended cooperation in the next census
is by no means held out as a promise of
solution. The Government merely plans
to use the census and the fact-finding
facilities at its disposal to gather hither-
to unknown statistics. 1t intends to find
out the number of men engaged in
wholesaling and retailing, the amount
OF capital invested in each Of these
businesses. the volume Of sales Of diff
ferent classes of commodities In differ
ent parts of the country. Using these
facts, industry may tear down the old
distribution machinery and rebuild it
anew. Theories and rules-of-thumb may
be exposed as meaningless In the light
Of real facts. And there are predictions
that the revolution that will follow in
the field of distribution will be more
far-reaching than that which has and
is occurring in the field Of production.
The Governments task has been out
lined by committee of business men,
which has told Uncle Sam what is
wanted and asked him to get it. This is
an important function of Government,
the value of which has received more
than one able demonstration at the
hands of the Department of Commerce.