Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-02
More Startling Disclosures TO
Come of the Departments
Hitchcock Regime.
ECONOMIES ENFORCED;
NO REGARD TO SERVICE
In Parcel Post System Are
Found Extravaganza and
General Inefficiency.
Star Bureau.
Metropolitan National Bank Bldg,
WASHINGTON June 2.

HITCHCOCK, TO make II appear llidL ttS
department was self-supportlng when
there was an actual deficit in the rev.
enues. there is due to be a general
readjustment of postal affairs in con-
nection with which other equally If
not more startling disclosures may be
made.
1t has been the policy of the new
administration not to start in with
any general shakeup in postal affairs.
In fact, the new postmaster general,
feeling his way towards establishing
new standards of service, has even
retained in office many Republicans,
who were assistants to Hitchcock, re-
CARELESS of their politics, and entirely
because of their familiarity with the
work of the department. The Re-
publicans retained include the
second assistant postmaster general.
Its Service Its Test.
The view of President Wilson and
Postmaster General Burleson is that
the test of the successful administra-
ton of the postoffice department is
the question of the service it renders,
To this end there have been appoint
ed in the department various COM
mittees made up of heads of bureaus
and divisions and experienced men
in various branches Of the service,
who for several weeks have been
working out plans for improving serv-
ice and reducing costs without AFFECT
ing efficiency.
Disclosures brought to light by
these committees go to show that the
economics forced by Postmaster
General Hitchcock to enable him to
show surplus in the department
were made with little regard to the
effect upon the service.
Among the subjects being taken up
by committee in the department are
railway mail pay, parcels post, or
ganization and supplies. Probably
the most interesting developments in
the near future in the work of the
new administration. in the postoffice
department, will be in connection with
parcels post, and number OF re-
forms calculated to cheaper and add
to the efficiency and convenience of
the parcels post service will be forth
coming in the near future.
1t was charged by parcels post ad-
vocates, when the system was estab-
lished last year, that the methods
adopted seemed to be intended TO
make parcels post failure rather
than a success. These charges are
fully sustained by conditions un-
earthed by the new administration.
Aside from the printing of stamps
and purchase of scales and tape
measures with which to weigh and
measure parcels, Postmaster General
Hitchcock made no apparent effort to
provide equipment for the carrying
of parcels by mail. Suddenly, without
preparation, the postoffices through
the country were told to accept par
cells by mail up to eleven pounds in
weight, and the public was invited to
mail it's parcels, with no preparation
for their collection, transportation or
delivery.
High Pay for Railroads.
The government is paying the rail-
roads the same price for carrying par
cells by mail that it pays for the car
rage of letters and postcards, which
is several times as much as the ex-
press companies pay for the transpor-
tation of similar packages.
The cost of delivery is high, be-
cause of the governments failure to
make collections, and of the limited
weight of packages delivered by local
parcel post. In Washington it has
cost an average price of five cents
per package to deliver all parcel post
matter.
In one city the department is pay
ing Sc, $50. 66 a year for the use of four
automobiles for package delivery, the
machines used being of the type that
retail for about 81, 1000 apiece.
Express packages are packed by
the companies in hampers and trunks.
Parcel post packages are thrown into
mail bags. The government insures
packages for ten-cent fee, but takes
no greater precautions to protect
them from damage from rough
handling than in the case of parcels
not insured.
These are some of the evidences
of the unprepared condition of the
postal service for handling parcel
post matter when the service was
established.
Plans for Reforms.
Under the new administration,
plans are being made for having par
eel post matter packed and trans
ported in boxes or hampers. The
committee is examining samples of
collapsible hampers designed for the
purpose. Plans are being consid-
cred for the collection as well as
delivery of parcels.
A readjustment of railway mail
pay is being considered. placing the
transportation on packages on a diff
ferent basis from that of letters. 1t
is not improbable that the depart
ment will recommend that the gov
eminent build, own and operate its
own postal cars.
To increase the parcel post bust
ness by degrees, it is probable that
a systematic plan of increasing the
weight limit will be proposed. The
first step in this will probably be to
allow parcels of more than eleven
pounds weight to be mailed locally
and in the first zone. where the rates
are lowest. This is expected to pro-
duce greater local business and de-
crease the cost per package of local
delivery.
A fight will be made in Congress
next winter for abolishing the zone
system and substituting a fiat rate
for any distance at about the pres
ent minimum rate. 1t will also be
urged that the telegraph system of
the country be taken over at once by
the postoffice, and that the letter rate
be decreased. so that all letters may
be mailed for one cent. This last