The Washington times., 1920-12-14
BIG INCREASE
|NP.O.|NCOME
Revenue for 1920 Was $751;
l50,2l2, Burleson's Report
To Congress Shows.

I6luuink Tic tC'ehe>S
orders and postal-savings business
amounted to $437, l50,2l2.Ss, as
shown by the annual report OF Post
master General Burleson submitted
to Congress yesterday. During the
preceding fiscal year the receipts
were s436, 23s, 1880, which include
collections of ST. $4,000 war tax
derived from increased postage on
first class mail, the ordinary postal
receipts for 1919 having been
1854 BAT 1850.
REVENUE SHOWS INCREASE.
For comparative purposes, there
fore. the postal income for 1920 shows
an increase OF s72 1903, os61S over the
preceding year-war tax excluded
or 1881 per cent
The present postal administration,
the report says, has been one of con-
tinuous and permanent progress and
Improvement.
The air mail service, inaugurated
In 1918. has been extended across the
continent and collaterally and further
extension by contract service in
augurated.
The parcel post service. both do
nestle and international, has been
greatly extended. $50 foreign coun-
tries and colonies now being reached
by this service.
Salaries of employees have been in
creased in all grades and working
conditions and conditions improved
wherever possible.
tins IA
General has asked for increased
salaries for supervisory officers and
clerks In the Postoffice Department in
Washington commensurate with the
Importance of the Offices in order
that the compensation paid may be
adequate not only to retain capable
employees already in the service, but
to secure others needed.
RECLASSIFTCATION URGED.
Urgent need of Redistribution of
salaries is emphasized in the report
In view of the failure Of the Post
master Generals recommendations
providing for 35 per cent increase in
compensation where unusual condi-
tions prevailed, which was opposed by
the organisation of postal employees
who desired a fat increase through
out the service for all employees.
I'm the department it has been the
earnest effort of the Postmaster Gen
eral to fix the standard rates OF pay
for the different classes of work at
average rates paid for similar serv-
ice by the leading commercial insti-
tutions Of the country" says the re-
port. wherever an employee or
group Of employees is found to be
receiving salaries below the stand
ard, the Postmaster General has
made an effort to secure appropriate
increases"
1.-THE Postmaster General renews
the recommendations heretofore made
that organizations of postal employees
be prohibited by law from utilization
with outside organizations, and again
calls the attention of Congress to
the improperly Of government en-
ployes owing allegiance to any or.
ganization which might stand be-
tween them and the government and
TO the actual clash and conflict which
inevitably must come between gov
ornamental authority and that which
is involved in such an utilization"
Otherwise, the Postmaster General
believes the employees should be per-
United to organize for their social
and general welfare.
CIVIL SERVICE RULES.
Enactment Of legislation which
will extend the classified civil serv-
ice to postmasters Of all classes also
10 recommended in the report Appli-
cation Of the civil service principle to
the appointment of all Presidential
postmasters, the report says was a
most progressive step and increased
tho efficiency Of the service" The
Postmaster General adhered rigidly
to the civil service rules in the APP
pointment Of postmasters of all
classes, and the army of postal en-
ployes throughout the United States,
tho report declares. are receiving
their appointments, assignments and
promotions strictly on the basis of
merit and qualifications.
with respect to the extension OF
the civil service to postmasterships"
tho report continues, ut should be
stressed that 1t now includes all post
masters of every class, aggregating
b3,0S4.
Advantage has been taken of the
retirement act, and the department
recommends retention in the service
Of employees over the age limits speci-
fled only in cases where "the con-
tiruance of such service would be ad-
vantageous to tho public service" or
where retention for period not to
exceed two years would give the en-
ploye a total Of fifteen years serv-
ice. the minimum upon which an an
nuity is granted.
There was decrease of 3,62o,192
letters and sealed packages sent to
the dead-letter office, as compared
with the preceding year; the number
received was 19.353,413. The total
revenue of that office was $237.161.47,
An increase of S2774o.2o. The serv-
ice is more than sclf-supporting.
The net amount OF postal savings
IN deposit June 90 1920, was s157,-
o7s.322 as compared with S167,323,-
go on deposit June 30, 1910. While
tbis amount Is a net decrease there
WAS a greater amount deposited with
the system than during any previous
Siscal year.