Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-09
By LOWELL MELLETT

BY LOWELL MELLETT
United Press STAR Correspondent.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 9.-"what do yoi
want to talk aboutT asked the Post
master General.
"Politics,"
Nothing doing" said the Postmaster
General. cordially,
why not7'
II absolutely can't and won't talk poll
ties said Mr.. Burleson. "Try something
else"
IAN right; but why do they call you the
politician OF the Cabinet7"
~ suppose that is because you writing
people have to coin catch phrases to de-
scribe. catalogue, classify and In some
degree dramatize public men In the public
eye. That's only my opinion. You folks
did II and ought to know why"
"speaking Of politics.
1--WE aren't speaking of politics." said
the Postmaster General.
"-What means this holler In the rural
districts about restrictions Of the rural
free delvery7'
The Postmaster General had been at
least half Interested In the papers on his
desk, but now he swung sharply around
In his chair. He removed his nose glasses
--probably to save them from the heat of
the sudden blaze In his eyes
'There has been no restriction! Who
says there has been? revision Is
under way which gives service to many
hundred thousands who are entitled to
It, but heretofore have been denied 1t,
This Is being done without increasing the
cost OF the postal service and without
taking away service from any. one who
now has IL. II Is accomplished with
money saved by eliminating waste eff
fort. extravaganza special favors and
privileges.
"Just for example: Parts of hundreds
OF rural routes have been travelled daily
by two or more rural carriers. There
are cases In which as many as six or
seven carriers, each getting from $1,000
TO 1890 a year, have been going over
the same eight or ten miles Of road.
Politicsl This vicious duplication OF
service was built up through a series Of
years by political influence, BY cutting
out these Implications we get a bal
ance available for service in territory
that has long deserved It.
ELIMINATING THE "RETRACEs."
"po you know what retraces are7 No.
Well. I'll tell you. John Smith is
wealthy and influential farmer, living n
half-mlle from rural route. John uses
his influence and gets an order requiT-
ing the rural carrier to go the half-mile
to his gate. deposit and collect mail and
return to the main road-a full mile of
extra travel Eliminating % such half
mile retraoes is equivalent to eliminating
an unnecessary rural route and special
privilege amounting TO 1920 a year
'Betwen April / and July 10. the read
Justment of the rural service and inau-
guration of motor vehicles service left
1921. lA for establishing new routes, With
part OF this money 7S5 new routes have
been put In operation. serving s5,74s ad-
ditional families, or 42s,74O additional
"what of your fight with the rail-
roads?"
II wouldn't call 1t fight"
To an Innocent newspaper reader II
looks"
mo, It isn't a fight, The question OF
railway mail pay is purely and solely
business qaeRtion, to be decided on It's
merits after thorough Sitting, dellbera-
lion and analysis OF the facts. The de-
partment desires TO pay a rate reason
ably compensatory to the railroads. taxi
ng into consideration all OF the conditions |
u the service. Mails are not a commod- |
~ OF commerce, and hence the question |
II whether different yardstiek should |
DE- applied to them is a debatable one. |
have always held that while the malls |
nay not be commodity OF commerce. |
undoubtedly is, and that |
when the postofiice needs transportation /
t should pay a fair price for it.
1.-THE department Is entitled, however, 10
he lowest rate consistent with the busl-
esa equities Of the case, High-cost artl-
les OF commerce. which move In small
olume and In the exchange OF which a
arge margin Of profit is involved. bear
igh transportation charges, The mails
aove In large volume, are easily handled
impose little risk on the carrier and con-
ttute a traffic into which the element
I proht does not enter at all To pay
he roads more than a reasonable COM
on the basis ! have indicated
iould amount To levylng an indirect tax
pon the seneral public for the benefit OF
rivate interest.
"a painstaking and thorough lnvsstiEa.
an has been made. running over a long
sliod OF time, The tests OF Feasonable-
cas- have been completed, both as 10 the
ates and the methods OF adjusting paw.
nd the results have fully justified the
ostal authorities In resisting the claims
the FallFodads,
EMPRESS COMPANIES FAVORED.
srhe Government a. 3 shippkF OF parcel
eat should not be required % pay more
han Is charged other shippers Tor sub
|antially the same service. There have
cen many instances where the railroads
ave carried the same matter both as ex-
fess and as mail, and have charged Al.
lost double for Il as mail, Why should
cost the railroads any more 70 haul a
iYen package because Il carries the Cow
lnment ianeif How dees an express come
any's label reduce the expense 70 he
allFaad7"
There being no apparent answer % this.
- Postmaster General was asked what
IS next step would be.
Largely because OF the opposition to
e railway mail section. the entire post-
nice appropriation bill Was defeated in
ie Senate last winter aud the whole
lestion went over % the coming Cons
Hasa. he said. Needless % say, j shall
Heu nay recommendation on the subject.
me railroads are sneseeaful N their
|mpaien for mere pay Il viii seriously
lmner the pfcaeF development of the
feel pastH
fiis hFoaghf ua Flsht up q the Pest
isF sieaerais fafQFite ionlr. Hr ad-
lted he hal taken more pleasure from