The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-05
CALLS POST OFFICE
BUSINESS FAILURE
+. q. Il. Gordon Stirs Civic Ped.
Grafton. Attacking Govern.
ment Control.
ANNUAL MEETING OPENS

An attack on Governinrut ounci,bi,
! That had nothing OF the academic. nh,,,
II. although the speaker, T. q Il ,;ofd.,
| ~ Massachusetts, man had an IN.
statistics on the subject at his tof,.,,.
end, enlivened the proceedings OF ,he n,
tional Civic Federation. which began ~.
| fifteenth annual meeting yesterday If, tt.
| Hotel Aston. governmental versus 49,,
vate Enterprise was tn" subject o. ~,
discussion to which the federation, ir.,.,
after listening to the reports " Us p.,.
dent. Seth Low. and the chaitmcn Of ,l,
! various departments.
Prof Jeremiah W Jcnts ~ New Yo,s
University had reviewed present day Zen
denotes toward the substitution OF govern
mental control ~ private enterprise ana
Congressman David ! Lewis had d.cl,.et
FOR Government ownership of TELEGRAPH
and telephone lines when Mr Gordon got
his chance. Congressman LOWS mad
touched on Government ownership OF RAJ.
roads and Nj Gordon took Il passing 81.
at that as he warmed TO his subject. 2.
costs. he said as much to move a bush.
OF wheat mile on tho "soc,al'zed "a.
roads OF Australia as to send n bush.
from Chicago to LlverpouI' and be-
added THE statistics show that prao
tically every Government owned rsiiru~d
telegraph and telephone gives rotten zof
vice and pays poor wages
But Congressman Lewis had used tho
Post ONCE Department aS an example o.
the efficiency OF Government operation o,
public utility. and It was to this tha
Mr Gordon principally paid his respect,
worat Managed Big business.
They bring up the post office system
he said. why, It's the worst managed
big business In the country"
lie asserted that the Postmaster-Ger
ersl and his chief subordinates are paid
not from the proceeds OF the business the,
manage but by the Treasury Department
ana that the salary l'st thus "maIe
present or amounts to about $4,000 900
year He said that s59.0oOOOO mai
been expended for buildings occupied by
the Department but not paid for ont ~
its earnings or charged against It and he
added
Down 10 1918 $4,000 900 mad been
spent by the Treasury Drpartm.rt foe
the benefit OF the Post Oiilcc Department
From 1865 to 1913 the Drpal. m,., -.
ceived In revenues s3.715.Oo0.O00 auI -S-
pended s4.555. 900. 600 IN EXPENSES d luss
OF about s279.O0O,0 900. Ada Der cent
interest on public buildings ana sa.aii-.
OF officers and the loss from 1860 has been
Sl4.OOO.OO0 year. Ana YOU call Il
sociaiistic success. How'd YOU Ike &"
raise potdt on that scale
He explained how tn. railroads hei
to carry tho parcel post free tor ~
months or more because contracts lre
figured on basis OF weight and g..
weighing is done once III four Yeas
and he went on. while III. members =
the federation laughed ana applAU.
III shoe manufacturer could g. lis
rent free and have to pay Ou.% &C., ger
cent, OF his Transportation charges. N....d
II be any wonder II ne made .. hoWnug
success. while his competitors went Utr,
rupt?'
Mr.. Gordon picked flaws m Cou-Ies--
man Lewis's statistics ot telegraph and
telephone cost her" aud 100 .purtr...
where the lines are operated D., iI, GOV.
eminent. He said that Iu Great Britain
the system had pad no dividends str,e
the Government took II over, ana had
lost 5000, 100000 In forty-thrcc years
Government owned Telegraph systems n
Germany. France and Australia, are ran
a, "A loss, he said. and the sumo Is true.
In New Zealand for both tclephun, ana
telegraph And he sted tha: making
a fair comparison, rates are little n any
higher here. while the service IL better
beyond compare.
In conclusion he said
Everywhere Cover meut oNnC-,r.p
has been characterized by in,fr!sipncv
ana cursed with red tipe.sm has pro-
vided low wages and has shown ct t,.-a
deficit The half baked socialists
preach /; are merely helping the red rt-
revolt that many people bel s,, BE-. .n..
Ing This country.