New-York tribune., 1920-12-13
Postal Service
Has Deficit of
Sl7,270,482
Burleson Blames Congress,
Saying Expenditures In
cluded S33,2O2,6OO War
Bonus to the EMPLOYEES
Sees Bigger Loss in 1921
Says Legislative Bureau Must
Change Policy Or Depart
ment Will Be Burden

CT the United States postal service for
the fiscal year 1920 resulted in a deficit
of 17,270,482 the second largest in
the history Of the service, Postmaster
General Burleson shows in his annual
report today to the President, in
which expenditures OF the Postofice
Department are placed at S454 ,322 500
and revenues at s437 l5O,212. The Posi-
master General charges Congress with
direct esponsibllity for the deficit. ex-
planning that the expenditures included
approximately $33 POP 500 paid as war
bonus to postal employees and stating
that but for this there would have been
a surplus of $l6 APT ,9l7. Mr.. Burleson
says he declined to approve the bonus
action of the legislative department,
adding that he had offered suggestions
Of another plan for compensating the
employees which would have served tn :
purpose without at tie same time Civ
ing blanket increase in pay to "thou-
sands VINO already were amply com
pensated.'
For reasons that can be readily un-
derstood," he continues, the legislative
department rejected these suggestions
made by the Postmaster General, AM
hence is directly responsible for the
dehclt which inevitably followed the
indefensible action.
The Postmaster General feels con-
strained to point out that if prompt
halt is not called and such a policy is
WI 10
Tor the next fiscal year of approxi-
mately S36,0o0,000 and the postal es-
adjustment will cease to be self-sup-
porting, as it should be, and will be-
come constantly increasing burden
upon the general Treasury"
Railway Increase Also Blamed
Reference also is made to the deci-
SION OF the Interstate Commerce Com
mission granting the railways addi
tlonai pay aggregating S8,103 ,S89 fo1
carrying the mails. This served like
wise to offset increases in postal re-
ceIpts, Mr. Burleson declares.
tion Of the postal service. the Pos.
master General says:
The present postal administration
has been one Of continuous and Der,
manent progress and Improvement
Nothing has been left undone that was
within the authority Of the Postmaste,
General to do TO effect readiustment
IN the interests of the people as a
whole and not in that of any specia
class
The air mail service, which has been
operatet suceessfully since its inaugu-
ration, May u, 1918, has been oxtended
across the continent and colIatersllv
and further extension by contract serv-
ice inaUgurated
THE parcel post service, both do
mestic and International, has been
greatly extended and facilities for han
ding parcels improved, 2G0 foreign
countries and colonies now being
reached by this service
CITY delivery service has been ex-
tended. the established service in ali
snd the government owned motor We
hicie service, lnaugura.ed in 1914, has
been established in l63 cities
The railway mail service has beer
operated with increased efficiency TN.
DER the space system. facilities for the
fsnd'ing Of mail improved and the
service firmly established upon ! sciea.
tific basis.
War Conditions Overcome
War conditions nave been overcome
N the foreign n-il service. welcn ha-
been brought back to normal and IS
rapidly improving.
The money order service and the
postal SaNi"ss system nave rari ily r..
| covered from war conditions and are in
most satisfactory operation
The rural mail service was extend
ed during the fiscal wear to more .har
100000 additional persons and the ia
clllties Of the service systenatized and
improved.
There has been still further i'm
provement in the registry and insured
parcel post system and the methods D
/ handling dead letters.
"a large n~mbar Of imrortsnt i'm
proVeine nts have been made ID the n Al.
equipment shop, facilitating the work
adding to the compensation and the
comfort OF the employees, sna 1T the
same time lowering, by Efficient meth.
DDS, the unit cost OF production.
Salaries Of employees in all grades
nave been increased and working condi-
tions and conveniences improved wher.
ever possible"
Attention is again directed by the
Postmaster General to the growth OF
organizations among the postal en-
ployees, and he urges that steps be
taken to curb the malicious and per-
nicious influence" of these organiza-
tions upon the postal personnel. He
says they have operated to 'interfere
to a considerable extent with the eff
cient conduct" Of the service, adding
that much of the so-called 'democra-
tized postal service and 'dissatisfac-
ton exists only in the minds and i'm
aginations of paid agitators of these
organizations who instill and hammer
these doctrines into the minds of the
employees through the medium of their
publications"
Strike Is Called Menace
''The avowed purpose of these or
ganizations," continues Mr.. Burleson
''is not solely to advance the social and
economic welfare Of their members. but
to exercise coercive i2huence upon