Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1912-08-29
THURSDAY, AUGUST 20. 1912.
Lewis On Postal Board.
Marylander to Aid in Probing
Parcels Post and Express Rates

Parcels Post and Express Rates
Washington. Aug. 24.-After be-
ing hailed as the best expert in the
world on the problem of parcels post
and express rates and asa reward for
his study and labor on the subject,
Congressman David J. Lewis, OF
Maryland, was named as member
of the special commission authorized
in the Postotiice Appropriations bill
to investigate the general subj ct OF
parcels post, the Lewis-Goekc p' stall
express" scheme and draft full re-
port to Congress on all phases of the
Government extending its package
transportation functions,
Upon this commission will fall the
work of drafting genuine parcels post
legislation and outlining complete
plan for putting it in operation. The
commission also will probe into the
rates paid by the express companies
to railroads for hauling packages and
by the Government for hauling mail
matter and will confer with the Post
master General regarding making
operative the Lewis Bourne Parcels
Post law passed by this Congress.
Congressman George W. Norris, Of
Nebraska, independent Republican
and Roosevelt header in the House, in
a short speech praising Mr.. Lewis
suggested him for place ON the com
mission. This was followed 10y the
circulation OF petition among mem
hrrS of Congress. requesting Speaker
Clark to appoint Mr.. Lewis. More
than 100 members of the House sign
ed the petition.
seldom has higher tribute been
paid a member of the House by an
other member of the opposite politi-
cal faith than Judge Norris paid Mr..
Lewis in a short address just before
the Postoilice Appropriations bill was
agreed to by the House.
Il know that the custom has long
existed that to fill places of this kind
the Speaker should take the commits
sion from members of the Postofficc
Committee" said Judge Norris
Mr.. Lewis is not a member of that
committee. There are other com
missions provided for where there is
no doubt that by following tn" rule
the Speaker would not Only follow
the precedcnts but would satisfy all
the membership of the House. But
we have in this House one member
who, upon the question of parcels
post and express rates, is perhaps the
best expert in the United States, if
not in the world He has made a
study for Is or 20 years of this quest
ion, and it seems to me that | am
not going too far if | might hunbly
suggest to the Speaker--and believe
express the sentiment Of every
member of the House-that when he
comes to appoint that commission he
appoint as one member of it the gen
tleman from Maryland, Mr.. Lewis. "
The Federal parcels post system,
as agreed upon by the House and
Senate cOnferees on the PostOfiice
Appropriations bill, is compromise
between the Lewis House and the
Bourne Senate bills.
The plan, as now drafted, makes
the following provisions:
Farm and factory products can be
shipped under it.
Packages can he shipped collect on
delivery.
Shippers will be paid for losses sus-
tanned in package transportation.
No packages weighing over eleven
pounds will be accepted.
Rates are 6 cents for the first
pound, 4 cents for additional pounds.
For other zones the rates depend upon
the number of zones to be traverscd
The zones are squares founded upon
longitude and latitude.
Many of the vital Lewis provisions
were incorporated in the compromis"
bill, such as the admission of farm
and factory products, the collection
delivery provision for commercial
packages, the indemnifying provision
for losses to fhippers, and the APP
pointment OF commission to inves-
tigate the general parcels post subject
for report to Congress. All of these