The Washington times., 1913-05-18
HITCHCOCK DEFENDED
BY c. P. GRANDF|ELD
Says Attack on Former Head
of Postoffice Department Is
Inspired by Politics.

An attack on former Postmaster Gen.
eral Hitchcock, alleged to have been in
spired by his successors in the admins
iratlon of the Postoffice Department.
met with a caustic reception today from
the friends Of Mr.. Hitchcock The pres
ent administration, in turn, is accused
of having inspired an unfounded and un-
fair attack In order to advertise Its
own alleged virtues"
The former Postmaster General is
charged with having crippled the service
in order to make showing Of economies
effected and a surplus achieved. The
present administration is at work, II Is
announced, trying to restore the service
to its one time efficiency.
DR.. Charles p. Grandfield, First AS
sistant Postmaster General under Hitch
cock. replied today to the attack by say
ing:
Defends Chief.
Mr.. Hitchcock did not achieve a
paper but a real surplus. 1t is easy to
deny this. but the books Of the auditor
for the department, Treasury official,
shows that there was a surplus. At the
same time, Mr.. Hitchcock brought the
service up TO the highest efficiency il
has ever known and he was the cause
Of work and was the head of the depart
ment when great postal achievements
like the postal savings and the parcel
post were instituted so successfully that
there has not been the least suggestion
! of complaint with respect to their ad-
ministration.
las to the charges that the postoffice
service has notably deterorated with re-
spect to the forwarding and delivery
of mail. the principal function of the
1t was not true during the administra-
ton Of Mr.. Hitchcock.
Mr.. Hitchcock, every vne in Wash
ington knows, was one of the ablest
executive officers the National Capital
has known in many years. and he made
country may well be proud. RecoS-
milton has been extended to him for
this work. and attacks now made on
him by successors in office will not in
In the attack on Mr. Hitchcock, al
legged to have been inspired by the
Postoffice Department, 1t is stated:
, Changed System.
"In an effort to eliminate the heavy
deficit which had annually been faced
by the department. former Postmaster
Hitchcock endeavored to meet the in
crease In business Of the department
by changing the system instead OF IN
creasing his working force.
As a consequence, men were with
drawn from one particular duty and
placed elsewhere, leaving certain
branches Of the service short-handed.
This made an apparent reduction in ex-
penses, but the new officials claim the
injury to the service Is now being re-
vealed. Complaints pour into the de-
partment daily, based on delayed de-
liveries. misdirected distribution. and
inefYiciency in the railway mail service
las a result of the changes the for
mer administration announced that II
had placed the department on self
sustaining basis. The new Administra-
ton however. has paused long enough
to examine the books showing receipts
and expenditures. and claims to have
found that the surplus upon which Mr..
Hitchcock looked as one of his greatest
achievements existed merely upon pa
per and not in reality
The Postoffice Department announces
that the working of eight-hour law for
clerks Is cause Of the present trouble
with the service and to save time back
stamping of mail Is orderd discontinued.
Business interests look with disfavor
on this reform. or at least some wears
ago a similar order was rescinded be-
cause of complaints.