The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-12-06

partment from all sources during the
year are given as $3ss,075,062, against
9,726, ll5 for the 1917 fiscal year. To-
tai expenditures are reported at 1924.
S33,72S, against 1919 ,S3S,Tls in 1917. Dis
regarding the increased postal rates effec-
tive Nov. 2 under the war tax bill, the
actual increase in postal service business
during the year is placed at AL per cent,
while expenditures increased jog per
cent.
Mr. Burlesou for the first time official
" reports upon the use Of airplsnes for
transmission of mail and government
owned trucks for the operation Of rural
parcels post routes disclosing plans for
wide extensions Of both facilities, He
also renews his previously made recon-
mendation that postmasters now APP
pointed by the president should be Sc,
ected under competitive civil service ex-
aminations, and that the four assistant
postmasters general and the purchasing
agent should be likewise selected.
The volume Of mail carried during the
year was greater than ever before, says
the report, in commenting upon the sur
plus earned, which II places at more
than double the greatest profit ever
found by the department previously,
War activity in private business not
alone grew, but the government itself
put tremendous burden of matter into
the mails from the new efforts which II
built up, Postmasters and postoffice ia.
ciities alike were used for war service
that ranged from the registration Of
al 60 Ia nf hptf 81 aytI
government bonds.
Among new facilities the report asks
is an appropriation of 81 100000 for the
construction Of subway between the
Grand Central statiorte in New York and
the Pennsylvania terminal office, replac-
ing the discarded system of pneumatic
tubes, and devised 60 relieve congestion.
Authority is also asked for the estab-
lishment of guaranty fund within the
department, with Which TO bond EN-
ployes handling money and yaluabes
This is advocated TO relieve premium
charges which ara said by the report to
be excessive, and also to eliminate delay
and difficulty.
Dealing with complaint Of delays in
mail for soldiers in France, both before
and after the mail service was taken over
by the army, Mr.. Burleson's report says
that much Of Il was due to the handling
of mail by orderlies in military service.
Perhaps the most serious Of these
delays arose from the attitude Of the
military authorities" it says, who de-
clined to reveal to a civilian postal or
ganlzation the whereabouts of military
units, in many cases until their location
had been discovered by the enemy. There
was also good deal of trouble in OBJ
tanning motor transport, and at one time
the military authorities undertook to
take from the postal stations the small
details of enlisted men who were assist.
ing in the work on the ground that they
were needed for purely military service !"
In the United States, 1913 branch post.
Offices were established at camps and
environments TO deliver mail to the
troops. Censorship boards were estab.
lished at nearly all ports OF exit from
the United States, in connection with
military operations, and 1000 employees
were engaged in censoring approximate.
ly $4,000 pieces of mail daily during
most Of the period covered by the report
A very wide extension of the aerial
mali service mas Deen planned, the report
indicates and outlines are given for four
routes, two of which extend outside the
United States.
"The trunk line and feeders decided
upon for the aerial mail, the postmaster
general says, after describing expert.
mental operation between Washington
New York and Philadelphia, under the
present program are:
81 New York to San Francisco, with
feeders from la Chicago to St. Louis
and Kansas City, 3D. Chicago to st. Paul
and Minneapolis, (cl Cleveland to Pitts.
burg.
50 Boston to Key West, with feeders
from (al Philadelphia TO Pittsburg, (bl