have been other notable accomplishments in the field of distribution. During the past five years there has been a strong tendency toward the establishment of organizations for economic investigation in this direction supported by the trades themselves. Important among these are the research bureaus of the National Wholesale Druggists' Association, National Retail Dry Goods Association, National ReSearch Bureau, Retailers' National Council, American Association of Advertising Agencies, Association of National Advertisers, and National Paint and Varnish Association.

In addition, the trades have given direct and indirect support to the establishment and maintenance of the Harvard, Northwestern, Stanford, and other schools of business administration and their research bureaus. Furthermore, there has been a notable increase n employment by individual distribution concerns of their own economic experts to revise their methods and direct their work tovard eliminating wasteful practices.

Another outstanding development is the growth of the farmers' cooperative idea, the cardinal objective of which is to reduce wastes, not only in production but especially in the methods of distribution, hereby cutting down the spread between producer and consumer. The past effort has largely been a process of getting experience by rial and error and the gradual discovery of what to do and what not o do as well as determining what facilities were necessary in sucessfully carrying on. With this background of accumulated experience, it is inevitable that the cooperative idea should be contantly increased and we have now entered a constructive period of ound development along this line.

The growth of chain stores, mail-order houses, and other similar gencies has had a tendency toward promoting higher efficiency mong the individual wholesalers and retailers by stimulating them o adopt the most practical and efficient methods of these competing gencies. They have an important part in the distribution of cerain classes of standard articles where little service is demanded. It is reasonable to expect that the scientific methods used by these arious chain and mail-order houses should gradually suggest themelves to the independent outlets who are performing a different type of service in the large field of distribution, particularly where analyis and business principles are shown to be advantageous over chance and rule of thumb.

In recognition of the tremendous problems and difficulties involved in domestic distribution, the Department of Commerce has given active support and cooperation to the trades by the development of the division of domestic commerce. Its aid has been exressed through investigations which could not be easily carried on

by the trades themselves, and has included analyses of the markets for certain commodities, the movements of perishables, and the carrying on of regional commercial surveys.

The commodity studies have, in a number of instances, been the means of aiding producers to find the weak spot in the marketing of their particular product and in suggesting new fields and methods As a result of these studies many manufacturers are now tabulating and analyzing the relative efficiency of their methods of distribution in various sections, and this has enabled them to build up strength in poorly served districts and to eliminate superfluous sales effort in unprofitable areas. Very gratifying results have thus been achieved in such lines as electrical goods, sanitary ware, paints and varnishes, and progress is being made in other lines. The usefulness of these investigations has by no means been confined to these particular wares, but has on the contrary been extended to manufacturers and merchants and many others through the helpful examples thus afforded.

Through the series of regional market surveys, the department aims to give the industrial and commercial interests a basis for better understanding of the various economic areas in the country. Each regional survey presents a composite picture of the entire area predicated upon its natural resources, industries, geography, population, economic and social movements and expressions, and particularly the basic factors affecting commerce within the area.

Such surveys form a basis for specialized commodity investigations which, combined, enable the merchant and manufacturer to develop methods leading to more intelligent and intensified sales effort. Regional analyses disclose discrepancies between sales expenditures and potentialities. Following the making of the first survey, that of the Philadelphia area, a number of concerns were prompted to revise or modify their marketing methods in that section. This and the survey of the southeast comprising Florida, Alabama. Georgia, eastern Tennessee, and the Carolinas, has emphasized the need for the completion of the proposed series of regional surveys embracing the entire United States.

After preliminary discussion between business leaders and the Secretary of Commerce, it was agreed that the United States Chamber of Commerce should sponsor a national distribution conference, and this conference was called in December, 1924. This con ference has been responsible for a great increase in interest of the part of the business community in the whole subject of elimination of waste in distribution. Members of the department are ac tively serving, together with important representatives of trades. upon practically all committees appointed by that conference, and the reports of these committees, which are now in preparation, should

form an important contribution to the whole problem of waste elimination in distribution and the reduction of margin between producer and consumer.

ELIMINATION OF WASTE IN FISHERIES

[By HENRY O'MALLEY, Commissioner of Fisheries]

Saving of waste in our fisheries is progressing along two lines: (1) Cooperation with State and local officials and public-spirited individuals and organizations to stop overfishing and to stimulate propagation; (2) elimination of wasteful methods and processes in the various branches of the industry. The former, being more in the nature of conservation, is dealt with in the annual report of the Commissioner of Fisheries. Of the direct waste eliminations two or three examples may suffice to show what the Bureau of Fisheries is doing along this line.

As a result of its investigations of the crab industry of Chesapeake Bay in 1924, the bureau was able to demonstrate average losses of 50 per cent of crabs purchased for the shedder floats, totaling in excess of 1,000,000 pounds. With the exercise of proper control over the condition of the crabs which the buyers will accept, such losses may be reduced to about 20 per cent. As a result of presenting the facts to the Maryland State Commission and fishermen, material improvement has been effected, and it is expected that final returns will show a saving of 500,000 pounds this season.

Recent investigations of the bureau indicate that the by-product equipment in fisheries is so inefficient that in the menhaden industry alone nitrogenous materials which now escape in the press liquors will aggregate about 20,000 tons, valued at $1,000,000 per annum. Progress is being made in developing means for the recovery of this material whereby it is expected to salvage the greater part of it. In many of the markets of the larger cities, fish dealers pay to have the fish cuttings hauled away. In one market, in which a single firm has discarded about 2 tons per day, a method of caring for this waste has been developed which is expected to yield a profit on its use in place of an expenditure for haulage. In the fisheries for cod and related species, thousands of tons of cuttings are wasted each year because of a lack of a satisfactory method of handling material so rich in glue, without removing the glue as such. This problem is being studied and it is believed that its solution is near at hand. It is estimated that in the fishery by-product field alone savings in excess of $2,000,000 per annum may be expected.

Through the bureau's development of copper oleate as a net preservative, it is estimated that by its use the life of much of the

netting has been doubled. The total value of all fishing gear exceeds $14,000,000, and much of the netting used with this gear lasts only a single season. To offset the higher cost of copper oleate as compared with other preservatives, the bureau is now experimenting with other compounds of copper and combinations with other preservatives to lower the cost of the preservatives used.

STREET AND HIGHWAY SAFETY

[By A. B. BARBER, Director, National Conference on Street and Highway Safety]

The mounting curve of human, material, and financial losses du to street and highway accidents, more particularly those involving motor vehicles, is one of the most conspicuous examples of waste i modern American life. For considerably more than a year the De partment of Commerce has carried forward a series of investigations of the problems involved.

As this report is being written the Committee on Statistics hast ported that the wastage in human life and physical losses is ecctin ing to increase. The Committee on Metropolitan Trafie Facts has found that in addition to the economie loss of more than 000,000 due to destruction of life and property, there is a greater financial loss due to the inadequacy of trafic fla amounting to not less than $2.000.000.000 ₫ year, or nearly $2 every man, woman, and child in the country. La shtren humanitarian stimulus this work has great importan of the general program for the elimination of wastË. In the spring of 1994 the American Autumnie America Flectric Railway Association, America Ma 15 AH RMT Kawar Association, Chancer of Immers Ted States Natural Association of Taceo wors, Ind Automobile Chancer of Commerce. Nicocal Bureau of Sazety Checwriters, and National Saferr Conneti ve the Secovery of Commers 30 sorgersce in the press co Van Rees were rael, visstng of veremare THI paris zë dhe puncy, nevidag incals is vall i were de overig ssocacons, a sve i że De gedeur Sacs fe vozil, zesta Ng St Vanning and zoning asırına, eivac.L how and pURLE MITIVES

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the street and highway accident rate. This conference was attended y approximately 600 delegates, representing railroads, insurance ompanies, street railways, automobile manufacturers, organized ommerce and industry, taxicab companies, safety councils, State ighway officials and motor-vehicle commissioners, local police and raffic administrators, organized labor, organized motorists, women's nd welfare organizations, engineers, educators, and the general ublic.

The eight committee reports were presented to the conference, hich in turn adopted a consolidated report embodying an importat series of recommendations for State legislation, street and highay regulations, suggestions for cooperative work, and a program. future activities. The conference also adopted resolutions proding for a second conference to be held after approximately one ar, for a joint committee to carry on the work, and for a committee promote the adoption of the recommendations of the first con

rence.

Early in the calendar year 1925, with the cooperation of the same tional organizations, and with the addition of the National Rerch Council, six committees were appointed by the Secretary of mmerce to carry on further the work of investigation. The National Conference on Street and Highway Safety is nationde in its scope. Its purpose, however, is to secure results through nulation of State and local action. Its activities have assisted in using widespread public attention on the automobile accident blem, and in crystallizing opinion on remedial measures which uld bear definite results. A beginning has been made of the lication of these measures by State legislatures, and an important ence has been manifested in regard to municipal regulation and anized community effort.