Evening star., 1915-01-01
POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT.

Exceptional financial achievements
claimed by the Post Office Department
during the year were the virtual saw
ing of 35,000,000 by legal victory in
the Court of Claims, which sustains
the departments contention in esti-
mating the daily average weight Of
the mails, known as a change in 'the
divisor," whereby seven instead Of six
days Of the week are considered in
making divisions to ascertain the
average, and the conduct of the serv-
ice with a surplus Of receipts over ex-
penditures estimated at $3,600,000.
Increase in the limit Of weight and
decrease in the rate of postage on
certain classes OF parcel post matter,
as well as the covering into the par
fore counted outside. such as books,
led the Postmaster General to estimate
that the department is now handling
in the parcel post service more than
the method of handling and close su-
pervision thereof, it is claimed, have
reduced the loss by damage in the
service to 7-100 Of 1 per cent on
weight limit was increased from eleven
to twenty pounds in the first and sec
ond zones, and to twenty pounds in
the remaining zones, and reduction was
u,
fourth, fifth and sixth zones. which the
department believes will become an
important factor in cheapening the
food supply of great cities.
Brought Farmer in Touch.
Much also was done in experimental
cities to bring the farmer in touch with
the city consumer.
notwithstanding extraordinary con-
ditions, the foreign mail service has
been handled to the best possible ad-
vantage and with but little complaint
after matters became in a measure set
tied. Efforts have been made in the
. interests OF commerce to improve the
money order service with countries Of
North and South America and as far as
possible secure the two-cent rate for
letters, which 1t Is believed will de-
velop trade relations with the Latin
American countries. In the domestic
service an Improvement has been made
whereby money orders may be cashed
at any money order Office, instead Of
! solely at the Office upon which they are
drawn.
The postal savings system has been
improved by increasing the amount of
deposits that may be received in a
calendar month from single depositor
cepted in deposits. A further extern
sion along these lines is now being
sought by congressional action.
During the year progress was made
| in the extension OF what is known as
the two division system" in post
Offices, which, 1t Is claimed, makes the
working force more pliable and capable
Of much better results, especially when
| coupled with the departmental policy
| of requiring all postmasters to direct
actively the affairs of their own Offices,
which has been enforced. The depart
ment during the year restored the plan
| Of suppressing the fraudulent use Of the
mails by liberal return to the fraud
order practice, which, it Is claimed, Sc
cures better results than criminal prose-
cutions.
Rural Carrier Service.
| The attention of the Postmaster Cen
eral has also been given to a plan for
saving probably an annual expense of
$40, 600. coo year in excess Of revenues
in rural carrier service, due, it is
claimed, to increasing the salaries Of
the rural carriers improvidently. This
plan is now in shape for congressional
action.
Some progress has been made, it is
claimed, in the direction Of compensat-
ing railroads for mail transportation
on the basis Of the car space used
rather than Of the weight Of the mails.
Reorganizations and improvements In
the railway mail service have also been
made which, It Is claimed. materially
facilitate the handling Of parcel post
matter and preventing matter Of higher
h hAtvr to-