South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-09-01
BURLESON DEFENDS
HISPOSTAL REGIME
Flags Republican Congress
For Failure to Aid
Him.

the follow ing statement today.
Durin. election years criticism OF
the postmaster general and the pos
tai establishment IS always INDUCED
in by the opposite party, the hope
being that 81 VIII serve pertisan pur-
poses. This year will prove no ex-
ception. Whore the criticism is just
IL will be admitted. whore Il is base
less II VIII be exposed. OF course
in accordance with customs long es-
tablished no attention viii be paid 10
selfish interests who have attempted
discharged employees. or TO those
20 exploit the postal revenues. but
every charge made by responsible
al thOrity will be answered.
The Madden Attack.
Representative Madden. Of Illi-
nois. "A member Of the postoffice com
rnittee. and also Of the republican
steering committee. day before yes
terday became nearly hystcrical in
denunciauon Of the postmaster gem
e.al for what he terms his high
handed autOcracy. or despotic or
Czar-like conduct toward postal en-
plOyes. because the postmaster gem
cral promulgated a notice Of warn
ing issued by the Civil Servise COM
mission against pernicious. political
activity on the part Of pOstmasters
and postal employees. The postmas-
ter general published the notice. AS
has been done Of his predecessors,
Of the government. not one word
and the heads OF all departments
WAS added by the postmaster general
10 no mi hnI
just as issued by the Civil Service
commission. II is left for each in
the charge of tyranny and czar-like
telligent reader 10 decide whether
action directed against the pOstmas-
ter general is baseless.
Representative Madden in this
mornings CD papers criticises the
postmaster general for what he
terms "a penny wise and pound fool
ish" policy. claiming that at the cost
OF two millions 90 the public by slow
and delayed mails the postmaster
general has saved small sums 10 the
department. that instead Of adding
facilities TO handle fast mail he has
slowed the service 10 meet facilities,
and that ne would urge the handl-
ing OF fast mails by fast trains and
the parcel post by slower trains"
Failure OF Congress.
II the department has failed 20
add facilities 70 handle fast mail il
IS because the congress has failed to
provide them.
Both first class mail and parcel
post mails are now handled on the
fastest trains. The postal estab-
lishment does not control train
schedules. Delays have occurred
through the demoralized train serv-
ice which has not yet fully recovered
from the effects Of the war. The in
telligent public is fully cognizant OF
this condition. The postmaster gen
eral is not fin accord with represen-
tative Madden.s policy Of sending
parcel post by slower trains"
Express companies use the fastest
trains for express matter 20 send
parcel post mails by slower trains
would not serve the interests OF the
public. but such slower service would
serve the express interests which is
m active competitor with the parcel
post service. The postmaster gen
cral prefers 70 serve the public.
Now as 70 adding facilities 20
handle fast mail, what are the
facts? The postmaster general urged
that he be authorized 20 arrange
with telephone and telegraph COM
panies for transmission between Il
p. N. and a. m. OF letters by wire
service 70 be handled on the first
morning delivery alta rate not 10 eX-
coed so cents for 100 words. This
would have been fast mail indeed.
and would have proven Of incalcUl-
able benefit % the business public;
but the republican congress denied
this facility. although this service
would have been conducted At pro-
fit
The postmaster general urged that
he be authorized 10 provide a Sys
tenn OF tunnels for New York City.
IN egateway Of so percent Of our
foreign mails. and where the mails
have increased 90 percent since the
war. q facility that would have aided
wonderfully In exporting mail hand
ling. but the republican congress re-
fused this IN the face OF ;he fact that
the New York office produces mil
Hons OF postal revenues in excess of
the costs or its operation.
Chicago Building.
The postmaster general urged thar
he be authorized TO provide for the
city or Chicago, the great gateway
of mail for our western section. a
building which has hcen long needed
and often asked for, with platform
facilities for mail handling. and
which would materially expedite all
mails handled there. hut the rcpub-
lican congress refused this request
s-------