Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-22
PRESIDENT LAUDED
BY MR.. bURLESON
Tribute Greeted With Applause
by National Association
of Postmasters.
CONTRAST OF CONDITIONS
HERE AND IN EUROPE
Diners Hear Congratulatory Ad-
dresses by Speakers 5000 Miles
Away in San Francisco.

Predicting that the President, in MS
recommendations to Congress for ma
tional preparedness. would adopt a
middle course, somewhere between the
demands of the militarists and OF those
who depend alone upon the efficacy OF
prayer Postmaster General Buriesoh
assured the 800 members of the Ma
tional Association Of Postmasters OF
the First and Second Glass. attending
a banquet at the Raleigh Hotel last
night. that woodrow Wilson would
keep the United States out Of the Eu-
ropean war.
The Postmaster Generals tribute to
the President was greeted with ap-
pIause.
1T has taken a cool head, an IRON
will. a COURAGEOUS man. determined
that America should not be lnVoiNeu'
to keep us out of the war. ne sa.u.
las long as the Presidents stIen fsaa
continues we are going to be kept iree
of this horrible contest II may oe
necessary that we be prepared, not lor
aggression. but against being orawn
into the maelstrom. some pei sons a.
bowling up and down the lano to MAKE
America an armed camp. Others ce
pend upon the efficacy of prayer. l
have not seen the Presidents meSsaSe
to Congress, but 1 believe that ne VIZ
adopt a middle course. knowing MS
wisdom, l believe that he Will urge a
safe and sane policy that Will protect
our shores from an agsressor ana pre-
vent US from being dragged INTO the
struggle across the sea-.
Contrast of Conditions.
The Postmaster General contrasted
the conditions existing today in this
country and in most Of the countries
of Europe, where he said that 80 per
cent Of the peoples were engaged IN
war their commerce destroyed, their
industry paralyzed-
When the contest came on we were
seriously affected" he said We were
without q merchant marine, the vessels
of Germany were Withdrawn from the
sea. and Great Britain and France call
ed upoI! their merchant ships for mill
tary service. The stock exchanges
closed the banking interests OF the
country formed gold pool to prevent
the onrush of the sale of American Sc
curi.ies held abroad. Then II was GER
tain partisan calamity howlers were
heard throughout the land. They
charged that the legislation OF the
democratic Congress was responsible
for all our troubles Maledictions were
heaped upon US They charged that
trade conditions were here to stay But
unfortunately for these gentlemen they
have been proven false prophets. What
are the conditions here today? The
wage scale is higher than ever before
The great industries of the country are
in full swing. We have the greatest
agricultural crops we have ever had
with an unlimited demand for them.
Our banks are full to OVERLOOKING"
Traces Growth of Service.
The Postmaster General preached to
the postmasters the doctrine of eff
cheney. He traced the enormous growth
of the postal service from the days of
Ben Franklin, the first Postmaster Cen
eral Of this country. down to the pres
emit day. .t..---
Are you surprised that efficiency is
. necessity of this great postal serv-
ice?' he asked. Dishonesty is the
objectionable sin m the postal service
And ineficiency should be capital Of
Tense. / want you to be proud of the
postal service. not because of its size,
not because of its wonderful machin-
cry, but because of the opportunity
which II gives you for service to the
American people"
Mr.. Burleson said that he considered
the postmasters' association an unself-
fsh organization. seeking to better the
service, making no attempt to boost
salaries or lessen hours of work.
But when you abandon the princi-
Piles of the past and seek to influence
legislation 1 am against YOU" he said.
Mr.. Burleson told the postmasters
that he had no desire to save money
in the sense that statement usually
means. but that he did desire to give
the people of America the most efficient
postal service possible
But IL I can eliminate extravaganza,
cut out graft and eliminate inefficient