The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-05-02
WHAT HE WOULD HAVE DONE
IF GIVEN HIS WAY.

IF GIVEN HIS WAY.
Postmaster-General Burleson il
greatly aggrieved at being baked il
graph, telephone and cable services
of the country to an exact scientific
basis by the substitution of govern
ment ownership and operation fol
the system of private ownership and
operation under which these services
were built up. Among the things he
announces he would have accom-
plished is the making of one pole do
the work that is now done by three or
four; the adjustment of various SUI
pervisory forces of the wire systems !;
the elimination of the operating cost
of the useless system; the thorough
coordinating of the remaining tele-
graph and telephone services; the
consolidation of offices and the utili-
zation of postoffice buildings where
practicable; the use of stamps, rem
dering much costly and complicated
accounting unnecessary; employment
of the present postoffice accounting
force on similar work of the wire sys-
TENS, whereby such savings could be
effected that would enable those in
authority, during normal times, to
materially reduce the cost of the wire
service to the people.
This, and much more, the postmas-
ter-general declares he would have
accomplished but for the fact that the
incoming congress objects to his pro-
gram, necessitating it's abandonment.
All he was able to accomplish during
his comparatively brief tenure of
power was very great increase in
the cost of the services and a great
increase in the rates charged the
been enjoined by the courts. Incl
dentally, the postmaster general has
accomplished some other things not |
enumerated by him, with which the |
press and the courts have been filled |
in the last few months, but which |
need not constitute a part of the rec
ord. The record itself, however, is
the negation of all that the postmas
tergeneral has promised to do If
there were to be any accomplish
ments along the lines indicated by
him they were wholly matters of flu
thrifty, of what was to occur, not of
what did occur.
Since the postmaster-general's rs
Eertion of advantages from his pol
icy is altogether matter of promise
and not of performance, it would be
to know what warrant he
has for making such assertion. If
here is any record of the govern
nent having done anything whatever
along the line it promises in the wire
services, the public ought to have the
'ecord in order that it may determine
he question intelligently. Simplicity, I
lirectness, elimination and economy
ire asserted for government opera
ion as compared with private oper-
LION uul oil lie puUllC huONS dHy
hing about is that the government
works in just the opposite direction,
md if the postmaster-ge general has
ONE other evidence to offer in be-
a1f, not of his good faith which is
Ot here questioned, but of his good
Judgment, the people ought to have it.
he nOStaI daDartmont alone which i
Ir. Burleson has been administering
,r some seven years, is estimated to
ost fifty per cent more than it would
ost under private operation. Through
ut the government departments
ON beginning to end and from top
bottom, from two to ten persons !
re carried on the payrolls for every
ne engaged in similar service in
rivate employment. Why should
e wire services, if transferred to
operation, be expected to
re any differently or any better?
hat is there that is going to ex-
apt them from the general laxity.
1thfulness, multiplicity unconcern,
travagance, waste and irresponsi-
ity that run through and through
: federal bureaucracy?
The incompetency, favoritism and
Utility that pervade the government
vice is one of the scandals Of the
). known of all men. Why should -