The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1908-02-14
en-, or would at least simplify the

tenn, or would at least simplify the
same.
The commission says: ut appears
too obvious to require argument that
the most efficient service can never
be expected as long as the direction
Of the business is at present entrust-
ed, to a postmaster general and GER
tain assistants selected without spec
ial reference to experience and quail
flcations and subject to frequent
change. Under such a system a large
railroad, commercial, industrial bus
mess would inevitably go into bank
ruptcy and the postoffice department
has averted that fate only because
the United States treasury has been
available to meet deficiencies.
Views of Expert Accountants.
! Submitted with the report of the
commission is report of considerable
volume from two New York account
| ing firms who were assigned to the
investigation of the department by
the commission last May. This re-
|
of bureaus, the organization of ad-
ministrative divisions, the merging
of money order and postal accounts,
use of the labor saving devices, clas-
sification, auditing and accounting
and all of the many branches of the
subject. 1t contains an elaborate
synopsis of a plan for recognizing
divisions.
1t is pointed out that these criti-
cisms are directed at methods and not
at individuals. The following is
summary of the more important sug-
gestions made in the report of the ex-
aminers:
That the offices of the first, second,
third and fourth postmaster general
be abolished and that director of
posts be appointed at salary suffi-
cient to attract the best administra-
tive talent in the country and that he
be given sole charge of. the operations
of the department and service, sub
ject only to the control in matters of
policy of the postmaster general as
cabinet officer; that assistant direc-
tors be appointed to take charge of
the main operating division of the
service (postoffices, transportation,
appointments, finance, comptroller,
inspection, purchasing agent and sup
plies); that the comptroller should
be in charge of the whole accounting |
for the department and service and |
that the duties of the auditor be lin |
tied to an audit of all accounts in the
proper sense of the word; that |
all postotfices not doing money |
order business be treated as "nonac-
counting Offices and that fixed sup
ply of stamps, ETC., be supplied to |
them, to be replenished from neigh
boring accounting offices in exchange |
.or cash or it's equivalent; that dis
trict Offices be created at convenient |
points throughout the country, or
ganized in miniature on the same
lines as the department at Washing
ton which would supervise the whole
of the work in their districts under
the direction of responsible officials.
That the director of posts and the
assistant directors form an advisory
board to meet several times a week
and discuss important questions as
they may arise and that similar adj
visory board be created at each dis
trict office; that the postmaster's ac-
counts for postal and money order
heretofore kept sepa-
rately, be merged; that promotions
Il |
for retiring many of the older en-
ployes; that the liability for exceed
ing appropriations be strictly defined
and limited; that proper accounting
system be installed that the cost of the
several services rendered by thepostof-
should be ascertained in accordance
with methods herein suggested, eth
er by periodical tests or continuously; |
that the use of labor saving devices
and machines be largely extended,
adoption of a mechanical
system of auditing money orders;
adoption of the use of postal notes
not to exceed $40 and elimination of
all money order offices not issuing
500 money orders per annum.
The report classes the cost ac-
counting and auditing system Of the
postoffice department and service as
extremely crude and absolutely lack
ing in uniformity.
"The appointment of postmasters,
clerks in postoffices and many other
grades of the SERVICE" says the re-
port, "are still largely effected by pol
iticial influence"