AGRICULTURE IN DENMARK 245 



To deal with a truckload of any given commodity is 

 a very different affair to the despatch of a few insignifi- 

 cant parcels of the same commodity. It is only right, 

 however, that the farmer should acknowledge with 

 gratitude the concessions made by the Great Eastern, 

 and I believe by some other railways, in carrying 

 these parcels at a special rate, particularly as privately 

 owned lines, such as the British railways, are not 

 philanthropic institutions, but exist to earn dividends 

 for their shareholders. Whether they would or would 

 not earn larger profits by reducing their charges on all 

 agricultural goods, such as milk, is a question for them 

 to consider. 



Probably they argue with some force that as the 

 milk can only be conveyed to market by their help, they 

 are justified in imposing any charge that the producer 

 will pay. When the British farmer has learned to 

 co-operate and to despatch his goods by the truck 

 or trainload, perhaps the railways will meet him in 

 the matter of traffic dues, especially if the postal 

 authorities can be induced to greatly extend the weight 

 limit of the parcel post, as I have often urged should 

 be done. Another possibility is that the fear of the 

 competition of road motor services may induce the 

 railway companies to reconsider their rates. 



At present, however, the Danish farmer has a 

 great advantage in this matter. Even the steamships 

 which bring his butter and bacon from Esbjerg to 

 England receive, I am told, a substantial Government 

 subsidy, and are therefore able to carry these goods 

 at a most moderate charge. 



