The Nonpartisan Leader Newspaper, February 10, 1919, Page 10

- l “& uvcumeny 1N Tne nands ot members of congress, i of war to turn over to the . postoffice department ! ice to the army, a very written by a man who worked in the department of agriculture: ; “Soon after Mr. Houston became secretary, the Rockefeller interests gave financial support to a new line of work in the department of agriculture, known as the rural organization service. The im- portant work of organizing the office of markets, afterwards enlarged into the bureau of markets, was placed under the authority of this rural or- ganization service. Professor T. N. Carver of Har- vard university was chosen as head of the rural organization service. Professor Carver came to the department with much enthusiasm for his work, and proceeded to outline a number of projects for investigational work. Finally he submitted to the General Education board (Rockefeller’s organiza- tion) an outline of projects and asked for an ap- propriation of $160,000 a year to carry them out. ROCKEFELLER AGAINST RURAL IMPROVEMENT “Shortly thereafter came another typewritten sheet, unaddressed and unsigned, shown depart- ment men by the official above referred to, with the statement that it had been handed to him by Secretary Houston with the information that it had been written by a member of the General Edu- ‘cation board, with the approval of Mr. Rockefeller. It related to Professor Carver’s work. It stated that Professor Carver seemed to have the idea that what Mr. Rockefeller wanted was a great central- ized office for investigational work in, rural eco- nomies. This was not Mr. Rockefeller’s idea at all, and he had no money for such a plan. What Pro- fessor Carver should do was to employ about half a dozen of the ablest men he could obtain and send them around to the various educational institutions of the country and try to interest the economic faculties of these institutions in the types of work Professor Carver had outlined. Mr. Rockefeller - would be very liberal with money for this pur- pose.” Following is another section of a document- in. possession of congressmen, written by the same man: “Practically the entire department is under the domination of a group of politicians who are little concerned with the welfare of farmers, but greatly concerned about their own personal advancement. Mr. Harrison, assistant to the secretary, was re- cently a stenographer and clerk, with utterly no knowledge of farming. He is absolutely brutal in his treatment of the investigators, and is thor- oughly detested by all but a few sycophants who enjoy the favoritism of the secretary. “The secretary has surrounded himself with a iticians who terrorize the real workers, i It. would: be gang of politici C : who are afraid to speak their minds: - useless to try to get at the facts from department employes while they are under the domination of the present regime. A LAUGHING STOCK WITH AGRICULTURAL LEADERS “Enormous quantities of data of great value to farmers have been suppressed by these politicians. . Some of the best men in the department are leav- ing because of the unbearable conditions. A. F. Yerkes, the best-informed man in the country on farm tractors, has just left because his work was so hampered by political bickering that he felt he was wasting his time and the government’s money. I know that, with the exception of a few favorites of the political ring, every responsible man in the department feels just as'I do about the situation. No question is decided on its merits. Political trickery of the lowest type is rampant. The de- partment has become a laughing stock amongst the real agricultural leaders of the country. On every hand one hears expressions of regret at the lack of leadership in the department.” These are some of the criticisms of the depart- ment of_agriculture which led Mr. Houston re- cently to ‘denounce “agitators.” Farm Markets Through Motor Trucks New Postoffice Department Service Methods Can Handle Goods as Well as Mail—Successful Experiment at National Capital o Washington Bureau, Nonpartisan Leader OSTMASTER GENERAL BUR- 'LESON’S annual report, sub- mitted to congress on December 5, has been quoted in the press chiefly for .its renewed demand for public ownership and oper- ation of telegraphs and tele- phones. however, about the ownmership and operation of the wires was not half so impor- tant as what he said about the use of motor trucks in the parcels post service. “Between December 1, 1917, and June 30, 1918,” the postmaster general pointed out, “govern- ment-owned motor truck service was established on eight star routes be- tween important market centers, which materially aided in the distribution of food products and in reducing the cost to the consumer, while giving a direct market to farmers for their produce. “Under the authority of congress making ap- propriations for experi- ments in the operation of motor-vehicle rural serv- ice with government- owned vehicles, provision has been made for 105 trucks to meet the re- quiréments of the serv- jce. Congress having - authorized the secretary trucks no longer of serv- large number of motor trucks are expected to be available for this service . from that source.” \ The - eight original = i routes were planned in the first place to.“prbmote i the conservation of food products, and to facili- tate the collection of produce and merchandise, as well as any _other matter admissible to the mails as parcels post, thereby affording a means of bringing the producer into immediate touch with the consumer and eliminating intermediate cost of handling, thereby reducing cost to the consumer.” The department discovered that one man, oper- ating a motor truck, can perform as much service, in marketing the things raised on the farm, as four average producers could under the old methods! 7 During the first six months of the year 1918 the .postoffice . department received $204,198.39 from ’ b What Burleson said, . these eight motor truck routes, or an average of $25,524.71 for each route. That was at the rate of $408,396.78 per year for the eight routes, or $51,- 049.59 as the average earning of each route in a year. - A PROFIT OF 400 PER CENT The TOTAL expenses of the eight routes were only $41,110.08, or an average expense per route, for the six months, of $5,188.76! At that rate the annual total expense of the eight routes would be $82,220.16, and the average annual expense of each route $10,277.52. That gives an average profit for each of the ' CULTIVAING CORN WITH TRACTOR - The developmént of tractors and motor trucks, stimulated by our war needs, offers great promise for the farmer. The tractor appears to be lowering farm production costs where used with discretion, and the motor truck may revolutionize the marketing of perishable farm produce. aged system of postoffice, market and mail trucks run at cost, as described on this page, might solve some of our reconstruction problems. truck routes of $20,386.04 for six months, or at the rate of $40,772.08 net profit per route per year. In other words, the postoffice department has proven that a net profit of 400 per cent can be earn- ed by government-owned motor truck routes, carry- . - ing farm produce to the city market! > This is figured out also on a mileage basis, since the average earning per mile of travel was 78 cents, the average cost of operation per mile of travel was only 16% cents, and the average profit per mile of travel was 62% cents. = This was the great experiment made .by the de- : partment up to June 30, 1918. From that date on until June 30, 1919, the department is conducting a PAGE TEN . much larger number of motor truck routes, and it is paying the cost of their operation from a specific fund. While Mr. Burleson quotes no figures as to the great number of army motor trucks that are to be given to the postoffice department, under the pres- ent and proposed legislation, it is known that at least 20,000 such trucks will, within a year, be ready for service in the nonmilitary tasks of the government. 3 Discussing the problem of bringing the farmers and the town consumers together, to rid themselves of the middleman’s charges, the report says: “An essential feature of this service is the com- ' mercial convenience of the patrons, supplying them with data and in- formation concerning points where they. can secure the best products and commodities at the least cost. “Postmasters on the rural routes are report- ing to the department each week the local retail prices received by the farmers and producers ~for their commodities. These facts are compiled and disseminated through the public press weekly. “There are approxi- mately 150,000 miles of improved highways now available for trunk-line routes, and several thou- sand localities in which lateral or feeder routes in productive territory can be operated through- out the year. “The commercial and A well economic advantages of well-man- this service are so evi- would seem to be desira- ; " ble.” And so, with many long ‘words, the postoffice de- partment indorses the demand of the Nonpartisan farmers that the government begin to rid the pro- ducer and the consumer of the profiteering middle- man. The first experiment shows a government profit of 400 per cent, and indicates a big saving to both the farmer and the town resident who con- sumes the farm produce. If government rates are reduced the farmer and consumer will save all the ~more. Watch congress. ; : See whether it goes the whole way for this na tional benefit, or whether it tries to keep it a mere experiment on a small scale. A dent that its extension. i) i g = AE A s ennggsssionr of ¥