The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-18
PARCELS POST IS
 NOT YET SETTLED Much Opposition Found to
 Zone System FLAT RATE FAVORED Interstate Commerce Commission Is Given Extensive Authority in
 Putting Provisions of New
 Law Into Force
FLAT RATE FAVORED
By c. E. STEWART


 Washington. October 17.-(Special) )-The parcels post question was, apparently, far from settled when Congress provideo last session for the zone system Of par ceIs post under the Bourne bill and on the Bourne plan.
 While the postoffice department is going ahead preparing to put the system into operation January 1, the fact remains that there is a powerful movement on foot for a fiat rate system of parcels post and efforts will be made to get Con- gress to legislate in favor of that kino of system next winter
 Whether those efforts will meet with any kind of success cannot be foretold. The Liabilities are that they will not, that is, so far as the short session or Congress is concerned. That session IS not favorable to the enactment of any important disputed law. But the agita- tion of the subject in the short session and before the session opens may result in so directing public attention to the question that legislation may result in the near future.
 The truth is that there Is great oppo- sition to the zone system of parcels post among many believers in the general par cels post programme. The number Of adherents to the flat rate system is great It has been disclosed that there is doubt. skepticism and even opposition with re- gard to the zone system among some of the officials directly charged with the ad- ministration of the new law This Is not true with them all; some of them on the other hand want to give the zone system a thorough trial before they condemn it entirely.
 Representative of the Postal Progress league, an organization which favors the flat rate system, have been looking into the situation. They claim to find great sentiment in favor of the flat rate ard will on this ground endeavor to have the question reopened when Congress meets. They admit, however, that 1t is practically out of the question to get Congress to put through new parcels post provision. changing the zone sys- tenn to the flat rate system, between the first Monday in December and the holt- days This would have 10 be done If the establishment of the zone system were halted and that system, before going into effect, were replaced by the flat rate sys- tenn.
 Chairman Prouty of the interstate com merce commission, is credited with being a convert to the idea of a fiat rate up to II pound packages This is understood to be the general attitude of the inter state commerce commission Conimis- sioner Franklin B. Lane gave utterance to sentiments favorable to the fiat rate system in the order relative to express ,,, tn, ;ec,,ad op J1t1x- K this year.
 The importance of the attitude of tEe commission on this question is realized when 1t is recalled the new parcels post measure authorizes the reform or classl- tications. limits rates or zones by the Postmaster General, subject to the con sent of the interstate commerce commls- sion.' From this it appears the commis- sion has the power to veto any change in the rates, zones or elassifications.
 Not only is the commission strongly in- clined to the fiat rate system, but so is Postmaster General Hitchcock. He op- posed the zone system when before the Bourne committee of the Senate last No vember He said that so intricate sys- tenn could not be carried out except at q ''very high rate of cost Moreover the Hughes commission doubted the practlca- bility of the zone system.
 Under the circumstances. therefore ana with all this backing the Postal Progress siye league is not entirely pessimistic about the matter of getting Congress to : adopt d flat rate parcels post system. Secretary James l.. Cowles of the Postal Progressive league is here and was re- centlv heard by the interstate commerce commission. It was after that nearing that Chairman Prouty expressed his view on the ouestion. MT. Cowles is an enthu- slast upon the subject and he intends making a campaign to arouse public sen timent between this and the meeting ot Congress in December.