The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-12-10

Postmaster General has always be-
lieved that a low, fiat rate Of postage
should apply to reading matter, for
the reason that its primary purpose is
the dissemination Of news and is edu-
cational. but he is also firm in the be
lief that this low rate Of postage
should not apply TO that portion OF
the publication devoted 20 advertising
or commercial uses. The law which
fixes a zone rate for advertisiig mat
ter is eninently fair, as the rate of
postage is increased in the proportion
that the publication is commerciaiized
and according to the distance il 5s
transported and the publisher, there
fore, to certain extent fixes for him
self the rate Of postage on his publi--
cation. The Postmaster General
earnestly recommends that action be
taken by congress to increase the rate
of postage on the portion of publica-
tons devoted to advertising, sufficient
ly to pay the cost of Transporting and
handling same
With reference to the application Of
civil service requirements to postnas-
ters. the report said: I'm order tlrat
the spirit and letter OF civil service
might be consciertNusly carried oiiI
as far as practicable, and pending er-
actment by the congress of legislation
which, though repeatedly urged bv
the Postmaster General, failed OF
passage. several executive orders have
been issued by the president extend
ing in effect the classified civil service
to postmasterships Of all classes and
requiring that those who were blank
eted into civil service by executive or
'ders under previous administrations
without having been subjected to any
civil-servfce or merit test whatever
shall be required to pass a civil-ser-
vice examination. This is believed to
be long step in the direction Of
higher standards in the government
service and a more businesslike ad-
ministration of postal affairs.
Mr.. BurIeson devotes considerable
space to development Of the air mail
service, concluding with this state
ment:
'The air mail service OF the United
States is the only practical CONNER
cial aeroplane service in the world.
No service in foreign countries COM
pares with it in magnitude, IN con-
tinuous dependabflity and in benefit
to commerce. It's record Of perform
ance during the fiscal year of 1919
was 1854 per cent, and this record
was obtained with more than so per
cent Of the trips made in rain, fog,
mists or other conditions Of poor vis-
ibility. The operation Of the service
by months for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1919, is given in an accom-
panying table,
The report also discussed at length
the operation Of the telephone and
telegraph systems Under the depart
ment during the war period, Mr..
Burleson reasserting his opinion that
these communication facilities should
be government owned OF the gov
ernment control period he said:
There is quite a difference between
government ownership Of the wire
systems as part of the Postal Estab-
lishment and Government control for
limited and very uncertain period
The recent temporary control affords
no more a test Of the virtues of gov
ernment ownership than could be had
through temporary receivership in
a court proceeding.
THAT the contention Of the Post
master General for complete unfit
cation Of the various wire systems is
both wise from an economic stand
point and supported by sound business
principles has been confirmed by the;
ablest experts on electrical transmits
sion in America. That it should pc
brought about the Postmaster General
still believes, through government
ownership and operation as a part:
Of the Postal Establishment, and to
that end renews the recommendations
in previous annual reports, that the
telephone and telegraph systems Of
the United States be incorporated into
the Postal Establishment