The Washington times., 1913-07-28
PARCEL POST TO Be
EXTENDED RAPIDLY
Increase in Weight of Mailable
Packages and Fee Reduc-
tion Is Expected Soon.

Rapid extension Of the parcels post
service, with increase Of the weight
limit and lowering of the rates, Is to
be expected. Indications are strong that
1t will not be long, perhaps within the
life of the present Administration, be-
| fore the country sees the transmission
OF parcels up to 100 pounds by the Post
| office Department.
In the recent hearing before the SEN
ate Postoffices Committee, Postmaster
General Burleson made It plain he ex-
pected the parcels post system to de-
velop rapidly; that he purposed to push
1t forward as fast as expedient, and
that he expected to see the 1Oo-pound
parcel eventually eligible for carriage by
mail. His attitude alone would not be
SO significant were IL not for the fact
that Chairman Clark, of the Interstate
Commerce Commission, made 1t plain he
favored similar development OF the sys-
TEN.
Moreover, It was made quite plain
that II the Postmaster General and she
Interstate Commerce Commission are In
accord. there is nothing to stop the de-
velopment of the system In the fashion
they want 1t developed.
Express Companies Losing.
The express companies have few
friends in Washington, and II the view
of the Government lawyers is correct
they will have no chance of hating the
development Of the parcels post system
through resort to the courts. The rail-
roads are complaining of the fact that
they are not getting adequate mail pay
for the increased haulage Of parcels.
The feeling in Congress Is that the rail-
roads have been too heavily paid for
hafr arxTn tn ra0Q
event II 1t should be shown they are not
being adequately paid, II would be up
to Congress to afford the necessary ad-
ditional pay, so that any controversy
with the railroads could be adjusted
without resort to the courts.
The statements of Mr.. Burleson ana
the revelation OF the attitude OF the
Interstate Commerce Commission nave
shed a new light on the possibilities
OF the parcels post. The truth Is tnat
was doing when 1t enacted the parcels
post law. That law was sort of COM
promise Many members voted for II
believing that IL would not seriously
interfere with the express companies
or make It possible for much parcel
few of them thought the rates were
such as to preclude the farmers OF
the country from purchases and sales
to any extent through mail order
system.
Foes of Law Fail.
Now that a Postmaster General and
Interstate Commerce Commission have
the enforcement of the law and pro-
pose to exert their authority to develop
IL, men in Congress who thought there
was such a check in the law that Con-
gress would be able to dictate rates are
surprised.
Efforts OF Senator Bryan of Florida
to get the section OF the law which
gives the Postmaster General and In
terstate Commerce Commission power
to modify the regulations as they
choose. will in all probability fail
Congress, for the most part, is glad to
see the parcels port extended and the
express companies hit, IL not put OUT
of business. The Bryan measure will
apparently not be passed. and II II
should be. President Wilson would
doubtless veto II. Meantime, demand
comes from the country to broaden out
the scope Of the parcels post system.