The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-12-18


Among the more important, are the fol-
flowing:
''That the postofiice department be
lgiven exclusive jurisdiction over the Sc
lection of the sites for public buildings
to be used wholly for postoffice purposes,
and joint authority with the secretary
of the treasury in the selection of sites
for federal buildings to be used jointly
by the postal and other branches of the
government service.
"To amend existing law in order to
allow $1,000 indemnity for accidental
death of any officer or empi9ye of che
postal service or for death within one
year as the result of injuries sustained
in the service in the line of duty. Pro-
vision is also made for leave with full
pay for period of one year for in
! iuries sustained in the line of duty and
then at half pay for not exceeding one
year additional. This is an imPortant
recommendation for the reason that the
existing law applies only to railway
postal clerks, sea post clerks and post
office inspectors.
"The elimination of surety bonds
now required of postal officers and en-
ployes and the substitution of guar
anty fund established and maintained by
assessments prescribed by the postmas
ter general.
"To authorize the postmaster general
to contract for experimental aerial mail
service, for which an estimate of $4,000
has been submitted
'To permit the postmaster general to
transfer clerks from postofiices of the
first and second classes to the railway
mail service at salaries higher than the
entrance salary in the. railway mail
service The purpose of this legislation
Is to bring about an interchangeable per
sonnet between the railway mail service
and the postofiee service, with a view
to more effective Utilization of the en-
tire force Of postal employees and to af-
ford better opportunities for the adj
yancement of worthy and efficient clerks |
in postoffices.
"To extend the provisions OF existing !
law so as to provide substitutes for rail- |
way postal clerks who are absent with |
pay on account OF sickness, the expense !
of employing such substitute to be borne |
by the government instead of by the |
clerk.
"To authorize the issuance of postal |
money orders payable at any money or
der office.
"To authorize the removal of the linn |
itation on the amount of postal savings !
deposits with the proviso that interest |
shall not be paid on more than 81 900. |
This will permit postal savings deposi- |
tors to deposit any amount"
Parcel Post Growth Phenomenal.
The report indicates that the growth |
of the parcel post business has been phe-
nomenal "The experience gained in the
operation of the system under the re-
vised rates and weights has shown that
a further reduction of rates and increase
of weight limit is justified" says the
postmaster general.
ut is believed that the parcel post
should be made eventually to serve the
people as fully and completely as pos
sible without interfering with the eff
Gent conduct of the postal service, and
that changes in the regulations that will
have the effect of increasing the volume
of parcel post mail should be made grad
ually and only after experience and in
vestgation have shown that they may
be put into effect without loss or detri-
ment to the service"
In connection with what is referred
to as the "prodigious growth" of the
parcel post service, particularly, Mr..
Burleson discusses additional compensa-
ton to the railroads for carrying the
mails He says that data is being Sc
cured by the department which will en-
able him to lay before Congress at a ,
later date his conclusions "as to what
will be just and adequate compensation
Tor all services which the railroads have
rendered or viii be called upon to rem
Ter the government"
1t is pointed out that the mailings at I
The one cent a pound rate and free in /.
he county of publication, "for the first
lime in the history of the postal service
exceeded a billion pounds during the last
iscal year" 4
In connection with the transportation Z
If magazines and other bulky second ,
lass matter by fast freight, instead OF
by the regular mail routes, the post
master general expresses earnestly the 4
nope "that Congress will remove the 4
against the extension of this
ystem of handling second class matter
md enable the department TO apply it
where found practicable" 4
Free Delivery in Villages.
1t is the announced purpose of Mr..
3urleson not to encourage the extension 4
# free delivery of mails in villages, be- 4
ause of the inferiority of the service 4
nd the impossibility to secure economi-
al administration of it. 1t is his in
ention. therefore, wherever practicable
o utilize the services of rural carriers 4
or the delivery of mails in small towns. =
On that phase OF the service, the re- !.
ort says:
Gas rural routes emanate from prac- =
ically all of the places where this viii =