The evening world., 1920-06-03
CHUTE CLOGGED
BY FRANKED MAIL
OF CONGRESSMEN
So Many Greetings to Con-
stituents Extensive Repairs
Had to Be Made.
20 TO 80 TONS A DAY.
800 to 600 Clerks Work Ex-
4 clusiyely on Mass of Free
'0J Matter Sent Out.
Cepseial from a staff Correspondent
of The Evening Worldly

of The Evening Worldly
WASHINGTON. June s.-The old
Joke about the member OF Congress
who attempted to frank piano
through the mails may have been a
little far fetched, still the originator
Of that story showed a capacity for
appreciation of Congressional nsplra-
tlons.
There is another story which illus
trates the prodigal manner in which
the members soon learn to avail
themselves of the privilege Of senoing
letters free at taxpayers expense. A
few sessions back n newly-elected
member from the West, who began to,
realize his own Importance as soon
as he was assigned office quarters
in the House Office Building, hired a
sstenographer and duplicating ma
chine and spent several days in
turning out letters literally by the
thousands conveying his greetings to
his constituents. After thousands OF
the letters had been heapod upon the
floor he had them carted to the mail
chutes which carry the mail to the
House Post ONCE had employed
boy whose only business it was 10
post letters. 1t was not long before
one of the mail chutes became so
clogged that 1t had to be torn down
at an expense Of several hundred dol
Il. Ngtr hn.
fore 1t could again be operated.
These instances may be slightly
magnified, but they we'll illustrate the
manner in which members soon learn
to- avail themselves of the franking
privilege.
Hundreds OF extra mail clerks are
required even in Mr.. Burleson's fru-
gal organization to look after the
Congressional mail, and, at times ex-
ira mail cars required to haul this
matter from which the Government
derives no revenue.
An investigation OF the situation
last year. at the instance Of Repre-
sentative Alvin T. Fuller of Massa-
chusetts, who is rampantly against
70 thirty tons Of mail matter was be-
ing sent out OF the House Omcd
Building each day. Now that cleo
tion time is drawing near, it is estl-
mated that from thirty to forty tons
of this free mail matter moves from
lhe Representatives offices each day
In ON effort to inundate their dis
tricts. About One-fourth of that
amount,-possibly a little more-goes
N out of the Senate Office Building each
i day. One Congressman, according to
IEt. Fuller, sent out 100000 parcels
l4f literature and one political party
a one election sent out $4,000, 900
Bpeeches.
arhe number OF mail clerks occupied
ID handling franked matter runs as
high as 500 to GOO, according to Mr.
E,uller's investigation.
Mr. Fuller, by the way, is not
-tegular' Congressman. He has
shown a spirit since coming to Wash
fngton about three years ago which
ehuses other members to sneer be-
Sbind his back. He is not chubby" and
Has undertaken to show up a number
81 profiteering practices dear to the
average members heart. He has re-
fused 10 accept any salary, pays all
his clerks out Of his own pocket de-
clines TO avail himself OF the frank
ing privilege, and puts a two-cent
stamp on every letter that goes out
be his Office. and even stamps bulky
Government documents which he
bends to constituents, Being a man
of means. he does not particularly
heed the salary OF the office. The
hbuse of the frankino privilege haL
convinced him that it is a crying evil
hnd he has endeavored from tine to
tine, with Indifferent success to con-
kince his fellow members.
Iif Not only is Fuller against the badly
hpused franking privilege, but he is
against other forms OF Congressional
prohteering. He is against memb 1rs
pocketing" clerk hire.
When the proposal to increase the
appropriation for clerical assistance
ghs up in the House last year this is
What he said:
II know that an allowance of 1000
IDr a secretary Of a member and
200 for a clerk is not an extravo-
ant allowance provided a man takes
IRE Of tho requirements OF his con-
htuents and the money is actually
ppid to a secretary and a clerk. as.
nme, however, that many members
sill continue to hire secretaries and
clerks at less figure than the allow
hnce and pocket the difference and
n ptilize as heretofore the names OF two
" relatives or one as decoys for the
H payroll 1 sincerely wish that we
eould reorganize the machinery and
j Improve the methods Of Congress 70
that II would function efficiently and
Economically and thus re-establish It.
" GContinued on Twenty-frst Page.)