Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-31
No Full Financial Statement.

I'm addition to this. the department
should be able to make complete state
ment Of its financial status, which should
include the administrative expenses OF
the department. the expenses of the
auditors office. and a fair charge for the
maintenance of federal buildings used ex-
clusively or in part for post office pur-
poses as items Of cost. 1t has not been
the custom to include these in the bal
ance sheet. Furthermore, due credit
should be given the department for the
service performed in handling and carry
ing franked and penalty mails
sin line with the policy of unwise ad-
ministrative economy which the former
administration had adopted, vacancies in
the clerical force of the department We're
permitted to remain untitled, and the
lapsed salaries were turned back to the
Treasury. The Withholding of deserved
promotions caused dissatisfaction among
the employees. and undoubtedly to some
extent lowered their efficiency and con-
tributed against keeping current the
work of the department.
The report declares that the failure to
fill vacancies in the latter part of 1910
and during 1911 was not justified, and 1t
goes on to say thata instead of making
deserved promotions. considerable num-
ber of transfers from other departments
entrance grade. of men unframed in the
work of the Post Office Department.
Transfer System Criticised.
1t is further stated that I'm order to
effect these transfers the Postmaster
General certified in each case where the
transfer was at a salary in excess of
the entrance grade that the person rec
commended for transfer was especially
equipped for the work to which it was
intended to assign him. and that the va
cant position could not be adequately
filled by promotion Many Of these GER
tifications We're un justified. it is declared.
The records show that during the four
years from March 4. 1903. to March 1,
1913. vacancies which We're allowed to
exist for periods of from one month to
more than one year aggregated the equiv
dient of thirty-four clerks employed con-
t.nuously during the above period.
The committee asserts that Immediate
IN before the time when the new admin
istration was TO take office there was d
complete reversal of policy, and tina,
all available places in the department
that had remained vacant for months
We're filled.
January 81. 1913" says the report
urgent verbal instructions were giver
by the Postmaster General to report fol
immediate final action every possible ia
under these instructions. over one hun.
dred rural mail delivery establishments
We're authorized in three days. Directions
were given to expedite as much as posi-
BILE inspectors reports on all cases theI
under investigation of rural delivery
routes and of allowances"
\ considerable section of the report is
devoted to an account of the measures
taken by Postmaster General Hitchcock
to impress upon the service generally the
announcement that economy would be the
watchword of the administration.
Economy at Expense of Service.
Notices to this effect. the committe,
says. were carried by the press. deliver
ed personally by representatives of the
department at postmasters' convention:
and in official letters to postmastels a
first and second class post Offices. 1t i:
assumed by the committee that the stres.
laid upon this matter induced many post
masters to exercise drastic economy a
the expense of the service. The resul
has undoubtedly justified such complaint.
of imperfect and unsatisfactory servic,
as have been received recently from New
York, Philadelphia and elsewhere.
During the early part of the admins
tration,' the committee says action wa:
deferred on all cases involving the estab
lishment of city delivery service in whict
there might be any excuse for delaying
action, Notwithstanding that the peopl,
We're entitled to the service, and that it:
esta blishment had been recommended by
post Office inspectors. Many such case.
were acted upon only after persistent re
quests of senators and representatives.
similar condition obtained, according
to the committee. with regard to request:
| from postmasters for additional clerk!
and carriers though the committee think:
il safe to say that these requests Wer,
| made in most cases only when the add
tional help had become absolutely neces
sary especially in view of the Postmaste
Generals repeated injunction in resart
| to economy" The committee adds b. tn.
way: Since June. 1911. the practice ha:
| been changed TO the extent OF allOwns
| temporary assistance pending the investi