Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-26
POSTAL SERVICE SHOWS
BIC DEFICIT LAST YEAR
Second Largest in History of Coun-
try, Says Buricson in
Report.
CONGRESS GETS TIE BLAME
i'ostmastcr-ticncrnt Says But for
Payment Of War Bonus TO En-
pioycS, Surplus of S1S,OOO,O0U
Would BE Shown.
CONGRESS GETS TIE BLAME
IRy NssoclntcL prnss-1

$1,000 Va ss.N.iSs-t second
largest in tie history of tile service
i"St'naStcr-Gcncral Burlcson shows
IN ms annual report TO the Pr,Si-
uth,' IN which expenditures of the
ioSt-l'ilcc Department are placed ut
Si5+,322,50?, and revenues at Si3..IJO,-
~. The Pcstinaster-Gcncral CHARGES
congress with direct responsibility
Tor the deficit, explaining that thccN-
p~enditnres included approximatciy
s33.2u36oo paid AZ a war bonus TO
poslai employees and stating that hut
i9r TINS there would have been u sur
ne dcciincd TO approve the bonus ac-
ton OF the Legislative department,
adding that he had offered SugE.S-
IONS OF another plan for compeT$at-
ing the employees which would have
served the purpoSe without ut the
same time giving Il hI"HEct increase
IN Pay TO thousands who were al
ready amply compensated"
For reasons than can he readily
undcrstood." he continues. the leg
isiatirc. department rejected these
suggestions made by the Postmaster
General and hence is directly rcspon-
sihlc For the deficit which inevitably
followed the indcfcnsihlc action.
The Reconsideration feels con-
strained to point out that IL a
prompt halt is not called and sucl, a
policy is persisted in. there will he Il;
deficiency for the next fiscal year OF
POSTAL establishment vii, cease to be
sei-snpporting, rs II should be. and
VIII become a constantly increasing
burden upon the general Treasury
reference also ig made to the de
ciSiou of the Interstate Commerce.
Commission. granting the railways
.ddilionni pay a~EEreEnii"E SS'lo5;SS3
receipts. Mr.. BUrloSon declares.
DurIrSou Discusses Job.
In his discussion oC his administra-
ton OF the postal service, the POST
! i.'tStCr-ii'icra. SAYS:
The present postal administration
has been or" OF continuous and
mcnt. Nothing has been left unaonc
that was Within the authority o! the
Observation-Disclosures to do To effect
rcadjustmcnts in the interests OF the
any special class.
"Thc air mail service. which has
been operated successfully since its
! transformation. May II. 1918, haas been
extended across The continent and
! collatcrally and further extension by
contract service i~naururatcd.
"Th. parcel post service. both do
m"s,ic and ~international. has been
! grcatIv extended and facilities for
handling ?%arccls improved, 2GO for
o!gn countries and colonies now being
! reached 10y this service.
city delivery service has been en-
tended. the established service I'm AL
the larger cities materially improved,
and the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES motor
4 ' ' 49, $500
has been established in 1863 cities.
'Thc railway mail service has been
! operated with increased efficiency un-
der the space system. facilities for
The handling OF mail imrroycd. II
the service firmly established upon a
scientific basis.
come in The forciG" mail service.
which has been brought back 10
normal and is rapidly improving.
"Thc moncy-ordar service ana the
. ,A..t,l b. ,.g,a.. -,s-fstN inNH. rnt31lN
recovered from war conditions and
are in most satisfactory operation.
The rural mail service was en-
tended during the fiscal year to more
I than 100000 additional persons and
tho facilities of The service systcma-
tizcd and Improved.
There has h"rn still further i'm
irovcmcnt in tho registry and N
surcd parcel post systems and the
methods OF handling dead letters
"A larr" %nurnhcr Cf important m
mail equipment shop. faciliQtlnrF the
work. adding to the compensation and
the comfort. of tn" cmrl"yes' aiH q.
lilo same time lowering. Ivy efficient
methods. tho uni, COS, Of production.
"Snlnrirs of employees in all grades
I HAY" been increased and
conditions and convrm!rhte I'M
DcpiorcS ORGANIZATIONS.
Attention is again directed hv the
Observation-Disclosures to the growth OF
] ,..H.iDItlrI tIlbls1r li' i''Hh.i 'i'
ploycs and he urges that steps b.;
nl:cn TO curb the malicious and
pcrnicious influence" Of these or
Gani@ations upon the, postal PER
sonnet. lie aayS/thcY have op.ratcd
90 ..ini.rfcre 10 "A considerable cX-
tom, with the efficient conduct" of
the service; 'ddinE tina, "Im"eh OF
service and dissatisfaction exists
only in the minds and imaGinations
Of paid aGjtators of these "rEanlZt-
lions who instill AMI hammer these
doctrines into The minds of the cm-
Iploycs through the medium of their
publications"
The vowed purpose OF. these or
ruZinutionS. continues Mr.. Hurlo-
son. lis not solely to advance III"
social and economic welfare of their
I M MIXERS. hut to exercise a cocrciHe
Influence upon the department t.
>ompcl submission to their demands"
Tie postal service head declares
the ws" OF the strikc against the gov
ton is a menace to the welfare Of
the republic. as ii not only results
in II divided allegiance. hut cnEcn-
d"rs dissatisfaction. discomfort and
arrest and in h lowering OF ell
Postal employees have become
bold because Of this a'Nliation and
have within recent years threatened
to strike Mr.. Burlcsun adds. In
one case. they actually did so by
rendering their RESERVATIONS and
leaving in Il body. y this case. hey
We're promptly induced and pro-.
cutcd in the Federal courts.
while strikes in the postal SER
vice may be averled FOR the time
being. yet they will come. and the
public will then be brought face TO
face with Il most serious situation
one which will be a menace To our
government"
MIR. i;urlcson also rccounts in his
report tn" development of the for
rign mails service of which a fca-
,urc is the T~ranspacihc. South Amer
lean and Mexican services. He says
that in the past fiscal year the mum
Der OF countries and olonics
reached hy American service was in
creased from foriy;iivc to 200. II
lrat more rapid transportation was
5 given because OF a rchabililatcd
merchant marine service.
Room for Improvement.
With respect to South America. the
Observation-Disclosures says there is
Stiii room for Improvement through
). the medium OF faster sea transDor-
tation. especially to Argentina. Bra
I'll and Paraguay. Similarly. he
says. mails TO the west coast Of
South America are moving better
:. than hitherto. ss they now are trans
ported without transshipmcnt. but
tn" complaint of slow sea service
) again is noted,