Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-04


tying $5e.so7.749. or 1923 less thar
the estimates Of the Postmaster General
Rbolishing the gag rule imposed by
10 join labor organizations and affiliate
with the American Federation OF Labor
establishing an experimental rural par
GELS post and providing that nothing but
steel cars must be used in the railway
mail service. was reported to the House
today by Representative Moon of Ten
nessee, chairman of the committee on
post offices and post roads.
Right of Free Speech.
The provision in the bill which re-
stores to employees Of the Post Office
department the right Of free speech,
the privilege of petitioning Congress
for increase of salary and redress of
grievances, as well as the privilege OF
joining labor organizations, reads as
follows:
Provided, that membership in any So
ciety. association, club or other form OF
organization of postal employees having
for it's objects, among other things. i'm
provements in the condition of labor OF
its members, including hours of labor and
compensation therefor and leave of alb
sence, by any person or groups of per-
sons in said postal service or the pre-
senting by any such person or groups OF
persons of any grievance or grievances
to the Congress, or any member thereof,
shall not constitute or be the cause for
reduction in rank or compensation or re-
moval of such persons or groups of per-
sons from said service.
Inc mouse committee on reform in the
civil service will meet within week or
SO and report out this same provision in a
bill extending the right Of free speech and
the other privileges enumerated to the
other departments of the government.
Proposed Parcels Post.
In reporting its general parcels post
provision. the committee says:
Under existing laws we have general
parcels post fixing the postal rates at /
cent an ounce, with limit of four pounds
for mail matter of the fourth class (mer-
chandise). This is an ounce and not a
pound rate. By the terms of the inter-
national postal convention the people of
twenty-three foreign countries may now
transmit fourth-class matter (merchan-
disc through our mails at the rate of
l. cents pound, with limit of eleven
pounds. This Is not an ounce rate, but
a pound rate.
This bill provides for a similar pound
rate anu II1nlt Tor the use OF our people
in orr mails that is given by us to foreign
scountries. The section does not provide
for the rate on fraction Of a pound. but
for fiat pound rate to limit of eleven
pounds at II cents a pound and each
fraction of q pound over one pound car
ried under this section would cost l.
cents.
"The ounce rate law now in force is not
repealed by this section and there is no
inconsistency or conflict in the two acts
hot
ounce postal section by implication. So
that one desiring to send q package of
less weight than a pound through the
mails can do SO at the rate of one cent
an ounce. Thus far the parcel post ques-
ton seems sumciently clear to assure us
against loss of revenue and determent
to any business conditions in its applica-
tion."
The committee remarked that one of
the most difficult questions connected
with proposed postal progress arises
from the suggestion to create a gen.
eral unlimited parcels post for the
transportation OF merchandise at fiat
rate of 8 cents a pound or less, with a
limit of IL cents a pound or more.
The advocates Of this proposition
says the committee in its report, Insist
that the rate on fourth-class matter was
at one time 8 cents a pound. with no loss
of revenue. but rather an increase; that
the zone system Of transportation charges
used by the express companies is un-
necessary and cumbersome: that express
companies pay wheelage to railroad COM
panies. divide profits and still make an
nually colossal profits at the expense of
the reople: that it is the right of the peo-
pie to use the mails for their own bene-
mt. and the right of the consumer
to buy wherever he can secure the
best bargain, whether 1t be at home or in
plant of this view is from selfish sources:
that a largely increased revenue will
come to the government from the system
and advantages to the whole people in its
operation"
Criticism of Parcels Post.
Then the report refers to the op-
ponents of a general unlimited parcels
post.
They insist. says the report, that it
will tend to concentrate business in the
large cities and be Snjurious to rural
communities and small towns and cities;
that il Is step in the wrong direction,
fraternalistic and dangerous in its tenden-
cieS: that II would create an enormous
deficit in the Post Office Department:
that 1t would revolutionize the CONNER
oial system In the United States and seri-
ously delay the delivery of legitimate
mail; that 1t would deplete or destroy the
prosperity Of innumerable country towns
or villages and must be regarded as men,
ace to the welfare of all the people: that
II is class legislation: that ii is SUBJ
sidy to the retail mail order houses: wrong
in principle and unfair in practice, and
they further insist that rural parcel
post would be an entering wedge for a
general parcel post
The committee remarked that so far as
IL has been able to learn the country
people and the big mercantile establish.
ments in the great cities favor an un-
limited parced post law, while the country
merchant and the merchants of the
smaller cities and towns oppose it.
Self-interest. the committee says, 1.-THE
handspring Of most OF our actions, seems
to be commanding in both factions. We
do not think that the advantages claimed
for the establishment of this post will
be so great as its ultra friends claim, nor
its disadvantages so great as its enemies
fear"
The committee then refers to the neces-
sity for conservative legislation and ex-
plains why 1t embodied in the bill a Sec
ton creating a commission to examine
into the subject and report.
Rural Parcel Post Proposed.
Speaking OF the rural parcel post
feature. the committee says:
The same conditions do not exis,
and therefore the same reasoning doe.
not apply to the strictly rural parcel
post confined to matter Of the fourth
class arising and for delivery on each
specific rural free delivery route These
routes are already established All oi
their machinery is in full operation
The additional burdens on the carrie
are slight and additional slight compen
sation Is provided for In this bill The es
innate OF the department is that a chang.
in equipment will be necessary as to onl,