The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-28
WOULD BAR "COMICS"
Recommendation for Postal
Service Is Made.
ADVISES COURT OF APPEALS
Report OF Congressional Commission
Suggests Entire REORGANIZATION of
SecOnd-cIass Mail Rates That
WOHId Affect Publishing Houses.

"OuId Ahect Publishing Houses.
The Joint Postal Commission created
by Congress to investigate the subject of
.second-class mail matter has. in its re-
port just completed made recommends
tons that, il carried out. would revolu-
tionize the publication of Sunday news
papers and reorganize the entire postal
service.
The commission incloses the form of a
bin which il believes VIII eliminate many
of the abuses which 1t holds now exist
in second-class mail matter. 1t is aimed
TO abolish the publication Of so-called
comics" of cardboard puzzles or sim
liar features; of ready-print supplements
and supplements OF novels, magazines, or
Illustrated features printed on any differ
ent paper or In any different size Of form
than that Of the publication itself Il
further provides that advertisements
shall not constitute more than 50 per
cent of the superficial area of the publ
cation.
1t makes provision for the creation in
the Post-office Department of a commits
sion of postal appeals. 1t is 70 consist OF
three members TO be appointed by the
President. at least one member Of which
shall be a person who has had actual ex-
peUence IN the conduct of the publishing
business and another Of watch shall be a
member OF ten years standing OF the
highest court of some State or Territory
The annual salary is fixed at 5000 each
The commission, the principal office of
which shall be i'm Washington. is author
lied 10 hold special sessions in any part of
the United States. and il may prosecute
any inquiry necessary to its duties therein
upon any matter under investigation by
it,
Recommends Expert Investigation.
The commission recommends that the
whole business system of the postal serv-
ice should be examined and overhauled by
d set Of expert accountants and stats
ticiaus to Dee secured outside Of the de
partment
IN part the report says:
1T is quite evident 10 this commission
that with the force az its command the
Post-ofiice Department can never accom-
plish this purpose The best statistical
talent its possesses, which is quite SUI
hcient for the routine work which The
organization of the service now requires.
is composed of persons who have risen
by merit from ordinary clerkships 70
positions paying in general not more than
ST. 800 or $500 a year. II is too much 10
ask that the persons receiving this COM
pensati0n should. in addition 10 their
regular and ordinary duties. Doe able to
of the whole service from the standpoint
at once Of the experienced tramc man
ager and the railway economist that is
for the reorganization OF this
department.
should BE Made Through Congress.
1T is believed. too. that this exami-
nation can best be made through the
agency of Congress. The commission real
ICES that this is a task OF great magni-
tude, but 10 must not be forgotten that
great interests are at stake. Il involves,
first of all. the expenditure every year
OF $40 10000 Of the peoples money IL
VIII shortly involve even more than that.
for at the rate al which the postal serv-
Ice Is growing IL viii not be many years
before the annual expenditure Is $50 gy0-
600, or even S3000t0.G0 The object OF this
inquiry Is NOT "a temporary or provisional
one. IL is an attempt 10 get that gigan-
tic enterprise known as the postal service
organized once for all upon d sound
economic and administrative basis It
Involves even more than that Il in
wolves the way in which the burden OF
that tremendous service is 10 be adjusted
between the various classes and elements
Of the immense public which makes use
Of it,
Defects Classified
The commission classes the four cardinal
defects Of the present system OF charges
for second-class matter as follows:
The difference between the second
class rate and the next higher rate. the
-hird-class rate, is too great. In other
words. the second-class raIe is relatively
too low.
Wholly dissimiIar services are per-
formed for the same rate,
Substantially similar services are
charged different rates
THE seCCud-class rate is probably TOO
low, absolutely speaking"
Relative to this the report states.
The first of the aforementioned de-
fects is self-evident. The mere fact that
the next higher rate, that for printed
matter. is 500 per cent greater than the
periodical rate creates an almost irresist-
ble temptation TO give all printed mat
Ter the periodical form. Immense quanu-
ties Of printed matter are put in the
periodical form, not because that form is
either essential or proper TO il, but for
he bald purpose Of accomplishing its dis
ribuuOn at the cent-a-pound rate
This abnormal disproportion is not 20
le found anywhere outside Of the United
states and Canada. In this respect Can
Ida, So 70 speak, has been attracted into
'ur system.
Specifies Plan for Charges.
we suggest that the increment of post /
,ge for the increment of weight above the /
lrst four ounces should be one-half cent !
or each additional four ounces.
The rate then for copy service would /
Pc 0ne-eighth Of a. cert per copy not to 1
Xceed two ounces, One-quarter cent per /
.opy not TO exceed four ounces, and one /
lalf cent for each additional four ounces +
IT fraction thereof to be perpaid in /
money as second-cIass postage is now |
,aid
The net result calculated by the 1
'Ound will be, upon the periodicals above /
he average weight of four ounces and not I
exceeding a pound, a change from / TO 7
bout ia cents per pound. For heavier 1
periodicals. the rate would average Is /
ents per pound for those weighing two 4
pounds, and increasing by an infnitesimal I
raction with the proportion of weight .
bove four ounces. but never reaching. no
natter how heavy the periodical may
TOW, the limit of cents per pound
tn ARPATcN MpS RRAnTEv