The Washington times., 1915-12-12


States and the Latin-Amerlcan coun-
tries. and no effort has been spared
or will be spared 70 Improve and cx-
pand mall facilities In this field to the
fullest extent practicable.
Notwithstanding disarrangements In
the transatlantic steamship schedules
caused by the war, frequent mail serv-
ice to each of the various European
countries was maintained throughout
the year. The malls for belliEerent
countries were so routed as not to re-
quire transit through any country with
which such countries we're at war.
Short Paid Postage Evil.
Special attention Is being given to
the short-paid postage evil. Nothing is
more disadvantagSous to those conduct
Ing business correspondence with per-
sons abroad than having those persons
subjected TO heavy postage charges
when the correspondence 10 delivered to
them. In these circumstances It was
deemed advisable to take every POSSIBLE
step to insure the full prepayment of
foreign postage; hence orders were is
sued to postmasters requiring them
whenever practicable to notify the send
Ing OF shOrt-paid letters and give them
an opportunity of fully preparing the
postage.
AT present the United States ex-
changes postal money orders with Brit
and salvador in Central America, and
Bolivia, British Guiana, Chic, Peru, and
Uruguay In South America, and nego-
american countries with which money
order business is not now transacted
looking to the conclusion of conventions
Tor that purpose.
Billion Parcels n Year.
Notwithstanding the adverse BUSH
ness conditions resulting from the war,
the year Just ended records desirable
and gratifying growth Of the parcel
post In operation less than three
years, this service has become a trans
pOrtation agency of the greatest i'm
portance.
To enable the department to ascer-
tain the growth of the service as we'll
as its revenues and costs, periodical
counts have been made and detailed in
formation obtained at all first and Sec
ond class offices and at q number OF
representative third and fourth class
offices of the number Of parcels han
died, tho amount of postage thereon,
and the costs Of the service. Statistics
IN the minutest detail are compiled
IHTKGgE
ofhces, which represent approximately
one-half of the entire postal business.
| The latest count, from October l to
10, 1915, shows that 3O939, 730 parcels
were mailed at these offices, on which
the postage amounted to 81 1856, 602.S2,
and the total weight aggregated A.
| SID. 452 pounds.
These statistics indicate that the
Postal Service is now handling 1000
| 100000 parcels annually. When it is
? la VNRfA 90 H. III an,
ment OF the parcel post not more than
cne-fourth Of that number were hand
led, the immense popularity and growth
OF the service is at once apparent.
OF the 1,4l1 full railway poStoffica
/ cars in use and in reserve at the end
of the fiscal year, r. per cent were
either of all steel or steel undertrame
construction These figures represent a
| very substantial advance toward Sc
| curing stronger and safer cars through
out the service. In ALL ITO wooden
railway postoffice cars and fortY-seVen
SnS nnsPPsx n ssTS TSTS I retTsS
| postoffice cars, 1G0 all-steel Dartmcnt
cars and sixty-one steel underfrarue
apartment cars were put in service.
Rural Delivery Funds Ample.
"of the funds appropriated for the
maintenance of rural delivery during
the fiscal year 1915 there iE an unex-
pended balance of approximately $3.15O,-
/ 600.
War Hits MOney-Order Business.
| I'm no other branch of the postal
establishment has the disturbing effects
of the European war been more gener-
ally felt than in the money-order serv-
ice. The effect on domestic business
was similar in many respects to the
heavy falling OF in postal receipts that
commenced with the outbreak OF the
war and continued in varying degree
throughout practically the whole fiscal
year The recovery was more rapid,
however, for by the end of the year
internal transactions were again on a
normal basis. International business,
on the other hand. declined continu.
ously throughout the year. BY far
the largest part OF foreign money or
ders are drawn on the countries of
europe that are now engaged in the
war or seriously affected by It. The ex-
change of money orders with most OF
these countries is extremely difficult
with some Of them it is impossible.
FOreign-B0rn DepOsttOrs Lead.
"A compilation Of data with respect to
the nativity Of postal savings depositors.
made as OF June 30. 1915. Is noteworthy.
OF the total number of depositors. 58,7
per cent were born outside of the United
States and had to their credit S47,16l ,62l,
or as per cent Of the total postal saw
Successful as 1t is. the postal savings
service still falls short OF bringing to
the public its fullest possible benefit
The records show that at the close OF
the fiscal year approximately 5.4 per
cent of the total number of postal saw
inRs depositors had the maximum bal
ance allowable OF $500 to their credit
and under the present law no more
could be accepted from them. OF these
% per cent were foreign born.
Automobile Service Satisfactory.
1.-THE first actual test of the efficiency
and economy Of a combined screen
wagon. city delivery. and collection
service under Government owned and
operated equipment was inaugurated in
Washington. D. c., on October 10, 1914.
The great advantage in this combined
service is the Improvement of the city
collection and delivery through quicker
and more numerous dispatches of the
malls. incidentally eHecting vast saw
ing In the cost of operation.
The Postmaster General reneWs the
recommendations made in his last tive
annual reports that early action bC
taken by Congress declaring govern