The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1915-12-12
P0sTOFF|CE Chief
MAKEsA GOOD SHOW
DESPITE WAR Loss
EUROPEAN WAR HAS COST MIL
LIONS BUT SYSTEM OF RE
TRENcHMENT HAS CUT DOWN
THE HUGE FALLING-OFF.

Washington, Dec. u-Postmaster
General Buxlesons annual report,
made public today, says the European
war has cost the American postal
service $21 ,000, 900 but that economies
Of administration have reduced the
audited deficit to . little more than
III ,000. 900 for the fiscal year which
ended last June. Consideration Of
service, the report says, were placed
shove al othsrs and notwithstanding
adverse revenue conditions, expansion
and improvement Of postal facilities
continued. Had II not been for eco
nomical Reorganization begun before
the war started and continued since,
the postmaster general says the au-
dited deficit would have been at least
IA 900 900. OF the total deficit, how
ever, his analysis Of the departments
finances declares that all but . little
more than $500 600 was the result Of
increases Of postal salaries and addi-
tional railway mail pay required by
law.
Chief among recommendations to
congress are q renewal Of previous
proposals for a change from the
weight to the space basis Of fixing
pay to the railroads for carrying
mail; renewal Of recommendations
for government ownership of tele-
graphs and telephones; removal Of
the four-pound limit on first class
mail, and the adoption Of more lib
eral limitations on the weight and in
surance of parcel post packages.
The greatest expansion in the post
ONCE, the report shows, was IN the
parcel post. Statistics gathered from
fifty principal post Offices show II to
be half ofsall tho postal business, and
that more than billion parcels are
being transported every year. Before
the parcel post was established not
more than one-fourth that number
were handled. The amount Of post
age collected from that source APP
preached 100000 during the first
fifteen days Of October Of this year
alone.
While the war has crippled the
money order system It has doomed
the postal savings banks. The NUM-
Der Of depositors and the amount de-
posted exceeded any year since the
banks were established. More than
b half million depositors were on the
books at the end Of June, 1915, q
gain Of 85 per cent for the year, and
they had on deposit nearly $66, 000,-
600, gain Of more than so per cent.
The increase in deposits in some cities
was remarkable. They increased In
New York 100 per cent, Bridgeport,
Conn.,, 1873 per cent; Brooklyn, 1877
per cent; Patterson, 1872 per cent;
Jersey City, 122 per cent; Detroit,
liz per cent. Other cities showed
gains ranging from so to 100 per
cent. OF all the depositors more
than 58 per cent were foreign born
and they had more than II per cent
Of the total deposits. The figures are
represented as showing plainly the
attraction of the postal banks to the
immigrant.
The activities Of the post Office de-
partment in suppressing fraudulent
use OF the mails are unabated The
report says the department is work.
ing In close cooperation with those
interested In purifying advertising
columns and that during the year 81
concerns or persons were banished
from the mails and 1900 lotteries
were barred out.
The subject Of railway mai pay,
which Is one Of spirited controversy
between the post Office department
and the railways, the postmaster gem