The Washington herald., 1917-12-06
BURLESON ASKS
U.S.OWNERSHIP
OF WIRE LINES
Postmaster General Saws
Action Should Be
Immediate.

Government ownership of the tele-
graph and telephone lines OF the
country is recommended by Post
master General Burleson in his an
nual report for the fiscal year ended
June 3. which was made public last
night.
The report states that recent de-
velopments have made it all the more
imperative that government owner
ship of telegraphs and telephones
should no longer be delayed. and
action by Congress is again recon-
mended.'
The annual report shows an audited
surplus for the year of S. SCI, I'll. %. the
largest in the history of the postal
service. This is the fourth surplus
produced in the past five years, ana
AIDED 10 suTpluses of $500, 900 for the
year 1918. SS,5OO,OOO for the year 1914,
ana $4,000 for the year 1916 makes
total Of s22.S56.21l.sO.
Conserving Revenues.
In conserving the revenues Of the
government. the report continues. il
has been the aim of the department
10 not only take into account the
natural growth of the establishment
and normal needs, but at the same
time TO meet the present emergency
and provide for the constant enlarge
ment OF the service and a greater in
crease in postal efficiency So vital
10 the successful prosecution of the
war
No estimate mas been submitted for
tuhas Tor the transportation of mail
Tor the reason, the report states ssthat
to further continue this extrayaSant
eHpendituSe for an antiquated, unre-
liable and unnecessary service a in
defenstbtes that BY disseminating the
use OF We tubes the efficiency Of thaI
nostai service can be sfnaterf4ff, mn
proved, as great quantities OF Inn
portant letters of the hsancial and |
commercial districts are delayed
through their use" ]
AerOnautic Mail Service.
A careful study is being made by
lhe department. the report states, |
IN connection with the National Ad-
NIsory Board of Aeronautics looking
10 the development of practical type
Of aerOplanes for CARRYING mails. and \
the details are being worked out for
the establishment of n number of
areoplane routes between several Of
the commercial centers. to be put /
INTO operation as speedily as satisfac-
tory machines can be obtained.
IL IS estimated in the report that
the operations of persons who have
been prosecuted by the Department
for fraudulent schemes have involved
s-O.OO0,h"o. The arrest of COZ persons
engaged in such schemes was made
curing the year.
Projection to Employees.
Other important measured advised 2
BY the Postmasters General include
ones:
To more adequately protect the
government and afford relief to the
officers and employees of the postal
service it is recommended that the
department be authorized to bond its
own employees through the estab-
ilshment and maintenance of a guar
anty fund derived from assessments
leNled against and collected from
such employees in lieu of the present I
pan or securing bonds from CONNER
cial bonding companies.
To further eliminate partisan poll
Ties from the postal service, to rec s
ognize merit and efficiency, and in '
The interest of the public service. it /
IS again recommended that the neces- I
iary legislation be enacted to in I
,lude in the classified civil service I
he position Of postmaster at presi-
iential Offices; and to extend and
'erfec Mthe efficiency system obtain
nS the Postofice Department l
proper at Washington it is also q
recommended that the positions of ;
assistant Postmasters General and [
hat Of Purchasing Agent of the a
'ostofice Department be included in u
he classified Civil Service.