Imperial Valley press., 1913-11-14
Burleson Striving
to Make a Record

III
ing a great record for efficiency in his
department. The time of the year is
approaching when Mr.. Burleson will
submit to congress his first annual
report, and it is believed that this
document will show the record of re-
forms and progress such as the Post
office Department has not known for
years.
At any rate, now is good time to
catalogue the achievements of Mr..
Burleson, and thus, by summing up his
activities, show how he is shaping
this important government service
to Democratic ideals. He succeeded
man who in many respects was a
superiar postmaster general, be-
lever in economy, and the first man
in many many years to make the post
office department show an apparent
surplus.
When Mr.. Burleson took hold in
! March, his first idea was to gain a
comprehensive grasp of the work of
the department. This he accomp-
lished by having his subordinates con-
duct an analysis of the postoff1ce bus
mess in all it's branches. The first
result of this study was to show Mr..
Burleson that the service was not as
| efficient as the public had the right to
| expect. This was due to a mistaken
idea of efficiency held by Postmaster
General Hitchcock. In order to save
money Hitchcock had cut the operat-
| ing force until it was not adequate
| for the enormous business.
| Further investigation showed, too,
that the surplus shown by the last
| administration was only an apparent
surplus, brought about by bookkeep-
| ing. In other words, the books failed
| to charge against the receipts hold
| over bills from the preceding year,
| and carried to succeeding year OBJ
legations rightfully due in the year
| showing the surplus.
| In addition, the former administra-
ton had refused promotions, kept en-
ployes at the lowest possible wages,
and sacrificed efficiency for cheap
| methods of administration.
Mr.. Burleson promptly asked con-
gress to vote him an emergency ap-
preparation of 100000, to take care
of obligations which should have been
met by his predecessor, and then be-
gan his more liberal administration,
which almost Immediately resulted in
increased efficiency. When he had ac-
complished this he began from an
even start to work some of his re-
forms.
One Of his first actions was to in
crease the weight limit for the parcel
post and to reduce parcel postage in
the first and second zones. The pub
lie is familiar with these innovations.
He next turned his attentions to post
masters Of the country.
| He found 22OO vacant postmaster
ships of the presidential grade, and
some 800 additional commissions have
since expired. Prior to filling any of
these positions, Mr.. Burleson pro-
mulgated his famous order that men
applying for positions as postmaster
must be prepared to drop all other
work and give their entire attention
to the work of the government. This
was revolutionary, since preceding
administrations had regarded these
lucrative positions merely as sinecures
to be bestowed upon political favor
ties. The real work Of each Office was
conducted by the lower paid clerks.
Mr.. Burleson's order has greatly
increased the efficiency of the service.
and has relieved the department of
he necessity of hiring additional
clerks to take care of increasing post
office business. And he has obeyed
his own rule by working always eight
hours, and sometimes twelve hours,
a day.
Mr.. Burleson found too, that the
executive orders issued by Presidents
Roosevelt and Taft, covering fourth
class postmasters into the civil serv-
ice without examination, had result
ed in establishing many incompetents
in office. On Mr.. Burleson's instiga-
ton President Wilson issued an order
calling for new civil service for
these officials, and providing that ev-
cry one must take examinations in
competition with all candidates for
the places. These examinations are
soon to begin.