The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-12-13
WAR CRIPPLESU.
BurlesOn Says Clash Has Lost
POstOffice 21 Millions.
Official Declares Administration
Has Held Deficit Down.

Wrashingt on Dec. 13-Postma ster
General Burleson's annual report, just
made public. says the European war
has cost the American postal service
100000 but that economies of ad-
ministration have reduced the audited
deficit to little more than 1,OO0,-
600 for the fiscal year which ended
last June. Considerations of service,
the report says, were placed above
all others and Notwithstanding add
verse revenue conditions, expansion
and Improvement of postal facilities
continued. Had it not been for eco
nomical reorganization begun before
the war started and continued since,
the postmaster general says the aud
tied deficit would have been at least
$24, 100000. OF the total deficit, how
ever, his analysis of the departments
finances declares that all but IA little
more than 100000 was the result
of increases of postal salaries and ad-
dftional railway mail pay required by
law.
Chief among recommendations to
congress are a renewal of previous
proposals for change from the
weight to the space basis of fixing
pay to the railroads for CARRYING mail;
a renewal of recommendations for
government ownership of telegraphs
and Telephones; removal of the four
adoption of more liberal limitations
on the weight and insurance OF parcel
post packages.
The greatest expansion in the post
office, the report shows, was in the
parcel post. Statistics gathered from
fifty principal postoffices show it to be
half of all the postal business, and
that more than a billion parcels are
being transported every year Before
the PAL eel post was esta blished not
more than one-fourth that number
were handled. The amount of postage
collected from that source approached
$2,000,O00, during the first fifteen
DAYS of October this year alone
While the war has crippled the
money order system it has doomed the
postal savings banks. The number of
depOSitorS and the amount deposited
exceeded any year since the banks
million depositors were on the books
at the end of June, 1915, a gain of
So per cent for the year and they had
on deposit nearly $66,000,000, n gain
of more than SO per cent. The in
creases in deposits in some cities was
remarka BILE. They increased in New
York, 1919 per cent; Bridgeport, Conn,
1873 per cent; Brooklyn, 167 per cent;
Patterson, 1872 per cent; Jersey City,
122 per cent; Detroit, 112 per cent.
Other cities showed gains ranging
from so to 100 per cent. OF all the
depositcrs more than SIS 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 tC the immigrant.
The activities of the postoffice de-
partment in suppressing fraudulent
use of the mails are unabated. The
report says the department is working
in close cooperation with those in
terested in purifying advertising col
umns and that during the year 81
concerns or persons were banished
from the mails and 1900 lotteries
were barred out.
The subject of railway mail pay,
is one of spirited controversy be-
tween the postoffice department and
report treats at length. 1t describes
the situation as acute and urgent,
pressing for immediate adjustment,
but expresses regret that the railway
mail reorganization bill was killed in
the last congress.