The sun., 1918-12-20
SENATE VOTES FOR
ANTE-WAR POSTAGE
Hitchcock Blames Delays Of
Mails to France on Rank
IncOmpetency.
WAR OFFICE DENOUNCED
La Toilette Tries Again to
Force Confiscation Of All
Excess Profits,
Special D,,pofch 10 The suS.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1s.-The debate
in the Senate to-day over the section
Of the pending revenue bill restoring
pre-war rates for first class matter
and reducing the rate OF second class
matter through elimination Of the
zone system was enlivened by bitter
arraignment of the Post ONCE Depart
ment, the War Department and the
War Risk Insurance Bureau delivered
by Senator Hitchcock (Neb).
The amendment was adopted finally
by a vote Of "a to 20, following a
persistent effort on the part of Sena-
tor Mcclellan (Tenn.) to obtain adop-
ton of his own amendment by which
only a slight reduction Of rates would
have been made.
The amendment adopted provides
that on and after July /, 1919, the
rates of postage on publications en-
tered as second class matter 'Cinclud-
ing sample copies to the extent of
10 per cent. OF the weight Of copies
mailed to subscribers during the cal
endar year, when sent by the pub
Usher thereof from the post Office of
publication or other post office, or
when sent by news agent to actual
subscribers thereto or to other news
agents for the purpose Of sale, shall
be one cent per pound or fraction
thereof for delivery within the first
and second zones applicable to fourth
class matter. and ~ cents per pound
or fraction thereof for delivery within
any other zone"
Faulty TransatIantics Service.
Senator Mcclellan had cited tho
overcrowded condition OF the second
class mail in the United States as in
part responsible for the inadequate
mail service to and from the soldiers
in France.
81 am afraid the explanation Of the
Senator from Tennessee Of the de-
fective mail service between the
United States and France will hardly
co." said Senator Hitchcock.
"As a matter of fact there Is COM
paratively little second class mall that
goes to France and therefore it could
not be held responsible for the failure
OF delivery there.
1T is due first, last and all the time
to the rankest sort OF mismanage-
ment and incompetency in the Post
Office Department and the War De-
partment. We might as well be plain
about that, 1t Is one of the things
that is causing this country the most
widespread dissa tisfaction and indig-
nation and no explanation for it has
been made and none can be made eX-
cept miserable incompetency.'
Senator Mcclellan replied that there
was a stupendous increase in the vol
ume of second class matter out of
proportion to the first class mail.
II know the Senator is correct in
his statement that there is just and
constant complaint from citizens all
over the country about the mails
between here and their boys in
Europe" Senator Mcclellan said,
and we ought not to be in a posi-
ton where complaints can justly be
made. 1 know the complaint is made
and 1 know 1t is repeatedly made and
wish we could in some way remedy
! that situation.
Breakdown Blame Not Fixed.
THE Senator knows from his ser
vice on the Military Committee" said
Sena tor Hitchcock. that repeated eff
forts have been made 10 ascertain the
cause of this miserable breakdown and
the committee has been unable to get
anything like an adequate cXpiana
ton OF who were responsible for il.
II is worse probably. but not much
| worse, than the breakdown Of the bust
! ness management in this country
which has failed to pay family allot-
ments TO the families OF soldiers who
are serving abroad. 1t is like the
( business breakdown which has re-
suited when. as We know, soldiers in
the service have gone one, two. three
four, five. six and in some cases seven
months without their pay"
Senator LaFollette CWis) intro
! duced his amendment to the entire
bill which he said he would discuss
| and explain tomorrow. In his amend
ment he has followed closely the lines
! of his minority report on the bill. lie
proposes to raise $4,000 10000 II is
based upon the $3.50 ratio OF taxa
! ton to bond issues instead of the
established ratio OF 80 l-3 per cent, OF
taxation to &c "a per cent. of bond is
sues. He adheres TO the opinion that
war excess profits taxes should con-
sumo all profits made directly out OF
the war.
1t is believed the LaFollette sub
stitute will not receive moro than a
| dozen votes.