The sun., 1918-07-30
DECEITFUL ACCOUNTING METHODS IN
THE POST OFFICE APARTMENT.
Telegraph and Telephone Management NUT
BE Closely Watched.

have been much interested In
reading your editorial article in THE
SuN recently. THE Government Again
Putting Itself to the Test"
suggest that you watch this
matter very closely. You viii note in
the article recently printed in your
paper that the Post Office Depart
ment proposes to put all the account
ing in the Office OF the post ONCE ac-
counting department and to permit
kilograms to be paid for with stamps.
This Is exactly what happened when
the Government went into the parcel
post business. For a brief time
separate parcel post stamps were
used. Then this was found to be
too much trouble, according to the
Post Office Department, and patrons
were allowed to use any kind Of
stamps.
Even with the separate stamps
there has been no method OF telling
what the disbursements Of the Gov
ernment were for operating and main
tanning the parcel post service. With
the discontinuance Of separate stamps
there was also no method OF ascertain
ing the revenue. so now in order to tell
anything about parcel post we are
compelled to estimate. When the es-
innate disagrees with what the other
man believes, he can always, with a
considerable degree Of success, de-
neunce the estimators and disbelieve
the estimate.
II you watch the telegraph and tele-
phone operation carefully, the way 1t is
now developing, you will note that in
no time there will be no separation
whatever OF the expenses Of the tele-
phone and telegraph and Of the Post
Office Department. My prophecy is
that within about a year after the
Government has taken over the tele-
graph lines and operates them the use
OF separate telegraph stamps will like
wise be discontinued.
Then we shall have the Post ONCE
Department.. the telegraph and prob
ably the telephone all wrapped up in
one huge ball. 1t will be impossible
TO determine separately the revenues
or expenses Of any particular depart
ment and all Of the revenue as a whole
will be subject to the errors due TO
the extensive use OF the ranking priv
ilege and free use by other Govern
ment departments, and by the Senators
and Representatives which will doubt
less begin right away.
Likewise IL will be impossible 10
show any separation Of the expenses
of running the particular departments
due 10 the lack OF any proper &C.
counting system in the Post Office
Department Notwithstanding the high
praise thereof which appears in some
Washington correspondents articles
on the subject, perhaps prepared by
the able publicity bureau in the Post
Once Department; and the total en-
penses will be subject to the two diff
culties which are inherent in anything
conducted by the Government-flrst
that they are usually measured by the
appropriation bill withou. taking into
account generally the deficiency ap-
preparation bills which come along
later and are passed with much less
public attention upon them, rather
than the actual expenditures which
due to the deficiencies of the Govern
ment accounting, are not ascertained
until about "A year after the money
has been actually expended. No boaro
OF directors would expect to Justify
its management OF the affairs o. a
property by exhibiting to the stock
holders its budget OF proposed ex-
pend!tures like an appropriation bill
instead Of its actual expenditures as
shown by its hooks--in governmental
affairs buried in the tones of the
Treasury Department
Second. the accounting OF the post
Office has been severely condemned
by numerous committees OF account
ing and also the Railway Mail Com
m!ttee, headed by Charles +. Hughes
No reckoning is made of large
amount Of free service furnished by
other Government departments, nor Is
any proper account taken OF the cos,
of accounting or buildings in which
post offices are housed. owned by the
Government and operated by and a,