The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-12-05

his previous stand rs to ZOn" rates on
publications.. Mr.. BurlcSUn SAID: rae
Postmaster General has always p"tie>-
ed that low. fiat rate OF postage
should apply 10 reading matter. for tIIc
reason that its primary purp"sr Is the
dissemination Of news and is cducAt!un-
nj. bat he is also firm III the bclict that
this law rate Of postage should not APP
plv to that portion of the publication
devoted 10 advertising or commercial
uses The law which fixes a zone rate
for advertising matter is eminehtly falr,
as the rate Of postage is Increased in
the proportion that the publication is
CONNER ialiZcd and according TO tho
distance it is transported and the pub
Usher. therefore. TO certain extent
fixes for himself the rate OF postage on
his publication. The Postmaster Cen
cral earnestly recommends that action
be- taken by Congress to increase the
rate II postage on III" portion q! publ
cations devoted to advertising. sufh-
cirntly to pay the cost Of transporting
and handling same.
With reference to tho application OF
civil service requirements 70 post
masters. the report said: In order
wee Nigh. he conscicntiousIy carried ;
out as far as practicable. and pend ing
ena. ment by the Congress of lrG!sia-
tiuu which. though repeatedly urged by
the Postmaster General, failed of pass
age. several Executive orders hay" been
issued by the President extending in
effect the classified civil service to
poStmastershps Of all classes and re
during that tn DSc who were bsank"tcd
into civil service by Executive orders
under previous administrations without
having been subjected TO any ciNii-scr-
vice or merit test whatever Sha'i he re
uuircd to pass Civll-Scrv!cc CNamI-
nation. This is believed /" I've a long
step in the direction of higher stand
ards in the Government service and Il
more businesslike administration OF
postal affairs.
Mr.. Burlcson dcvotcs considerable
space 10 development Of tn" ar mail
service. concluding with this statement:
"Tha Aid Mail Service Il the CoHc4
sta,JS is the cnly feattS-as .,in!nrfCtaf
ncrOpl;ue service IN the world. No
serve" in foreign countries COMPARES
with II in magnitude. in continuous de-
pcndahIlity and IN benefits 10 COM
mcrce. It's record OF performance cur
ing the fiscal year OF 1919 was -r.Ht per
cent and this record WAS rhtr.n"l w!;h
more .hun 80 per cent Of the trips made
In rain fog, m!StS or other Curd!lloNS
Of poor vIs .bility. The operation OF IN"
service by months for the fiscal year
ending June 80. 1919, is gwen III n"
accompanying table.
The report also discussed at length
the operation Of the teicphun" and tcic-
graph systems under the department
during the war period. Mr.. l;urlcs9n
reassertine his opinion that these COM
munlCatlon l0CllltlcS SUtuIu bS EpHtlh-
ment owned. OF the government con-
troll period nc said: "Th"r" is quite
difference between Government owner
ship of the wire systems as a part or
the Postal Establishment and Govern
ment control for n limited and very I'M
certain period. The recent temporary
control affords no more test Of the
virtues Of Government OWNERSHIP than
could had through temporary re-
ownership In a court proceeding.
That the contention OF tn" Post
master General for complete urlhcl-
ton Of the various WIRE systems - both
wise from an economic standpoint and
supported by sound business principles
has been confirmed by the ahl"St "Nr"lts
on electrical Transmission il America.
That il should be brought anuu: the
Postmaster General still nciI"N"s.
through Government ownership and
operation as part Of tn" Postal
Establishment. and 10 that emf rencWS
the recommendations in previous an
nual reports. that thr, t"l.rh"m" and
telegraph systems OF the United States
be Incorporated into the Postal EStab-
lshment"