The Washington times., 1918-08-26
Why Has Mr.. BurlesOn So Few
Friends?
Answer, Because He Has So MANY.

you want to hear criticism of Mr. Bureson the Post
master of the United States you need not go far
Ask any official of the private telephone monopoly, and
he win tell you-f he is quite you not posoce
attache-that Mr. Bleson ought to be interned dan
gerous agitator.
For Mr. Buleson believes, Incredible It may seem.
that the telephone and the telegraph which part Of the
machinery of communication should belong to the peoples
postofice.
he also believes that perfect system Of communics
on enabling all of the people reach each other with the
utmost dispatch and economy is more important than the
development of big dividends based private monopoly Of
public property.
you happen encounter any of the patriots that
using the Congress of the United States to compel the
Government to buy assortment of junk known the
pneumatic tube system and you listen for few minutes
you will say Surey this Bureson person is earnestly
hated than anybody else"
The Postmaster talked so plainly conVincingy and
uhfuy about the effort sell pneumatic tube junk to
the Government that when the time the President
vetoed it a mere matter of course.
These gentlemen hate Burleson because they couldn't
find answer to his question:
"How is it that you always willing to sell to the
Government something worthlesS-and always unwilling to
sell anything worth having like the telephone?"
Ask any Individual who believes that all natural public
monopoes should be exploited by private schemers and he
viii tell you that Mr. Bueson the worst most dangerous
of all creatures for he the Government ownership enter
ing wedge"
the telephone and telegraph system appointed by the Pres
dent most wisely to coordinate the postoce with all other
means of communication.
He will do away with useless telephone and telegraph
Offices concentrating them in postofice buildings.
At the time he will greatly increase the number
Of telephone and telegraph Offices and add to the public
convenience
If it turns out that the people have brains enough to
retain in their hands as part of the postoce service the
telegraph and telephone systems every postoce in the
country will be the telegraph Office.
Every house, however humble, will have telephone,
and the idea will be- not How much get of it?
but How much can the people get out of it?''
Then there are the editors learned and wise Ask them
what they think of Mr. Burleson and almost every of
them will say, Sit down for hour it's too long tell
you in a few minutes while you standing"
Then will hear tale of woe, almost gTievous about
the added load that Burleson has put on publishers
1t is the opinion of this newspaper which happens to
have no selfish interest since crcuates here without post
ment Of publicity only because it will put down instead
OF increasing the postoce revenues and diminish publicity
so important to Government now.
But observe Mr. Bureson, regardless of what editors
may say ndferent to their praise blame proceeds to
place financial load their backs because right wrong
ne believes that the publisher should pay money
the use OF the peoples postoffce
When you find man in public life who really asks
himself, not What will big men say, what will news
papers say of me?'' but WHAT WILL, THE PEOPLE
SAY?' you will find usually man with few friends
Such man, however has few friends visible because
ne has so many friends that you do not see.
He has for his supporters in the long the of
people who know when public is working for those
he never seesthe little business far away workers on
distant farms, the crowds in the cities.
The wisdom courage and discrimination of President
wilson are shown especially in his ability identify and
select, his unhinchng will in uphoding such men as Mr.
Bureson Mr. Daniels and his other helpers that have chosen
for their friends the American crowd and American
corporation