Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-04-01
PLANNING TO DELIVER
LETTER THAT NEVER CAME
n Postmaster General Hays Means 5usi
ness He Can Get the Best Men In the
Country to Help Him

Hays. after announcing that Robert VI.
Ashton, former president Of the Chicago aud
Northwestern Railroad Company, was being
urged upon him for the second assistant
postmaster gcncralehp. said that every
effort would be made to got some man Of
the STA year typo for the office.
The second assistant postmaster general
has charge Of the parcel post, railway, ship
transport aud air mail service. In any pri-
vatc corporation department handling 10
much business would be in churgc Of an
expert who had proved his fitness and
largo eHlnry would hc paid to him
Th" government pays salary Of 5000
year to the second assistant to Mr. Hays.
This Is not lnrgo enough TO command the
services of n man big enough for the place.
Indeed tho salaries paid 10 the members of
tho cabinet itself arc petty in comparison
with what the men could get in private en-
ploympnt. Secretary Mellon, of the Treas.
ury Department, for example, could easily
command $4,000 year as tho president
Of bank. but he is serving tho government
for S1@.5OO. Secretary IIughcs of tho State
Department. could make many times his
salary by prncticing law, aud Secretary
Hoover can command his own terms as a
mining engineer.
The government rau secure the services
Of first class men when il puts them in po
stionS of honor and primary responsibility,
It is not so easy to find mon Of the right
type for the subordinate positions. II Mr..
Hays can appeal successfully to tho same
kind Of patriotism which led the biggest men
in the country TO serve the government for
nothing during tho war and can induce them
10 devote themselves to the peace activities
Of tho government. he will deserve all the
fine things that can BE- said Of him.
II has long been notorious that sound
business brains arc needed in the PostoffCe
Department. The collcction and distribu-
ton Of the mail is one of tho most important
functions in which the government is en-
gagged II affects every citizen. There is
much dissatisfaction with the way the work
is being done, dissatisfaction that began
long before Mr.. Burlcson took charge of
the Postoficc Department.
4 parcel post package mailed in New York
today IS not likely To be delivered in this
city until next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Vet the two cities arc only ninety miles
apart with trains on two railroads running
between them every hour. 1t takes about
as long TO get a package from Philadelphia
to Atlantic City or to Baltimore or Wash
ingtOn.
\ letter mailed at the corner of Sixth and
Chestnut streets at noon of one day was
not delivered at the corner of Tenth and
Chestnut streets. only four squares away
and within one square of the postoffice
itself. until the morning Of tho next day.
| y letter mailed in the city in the morning
| addressed to LanSdownc, for example, Is
not delivered until the morning of the next
day. 1t would get to New York or Boston
or Washington just as soon.
| In Now Jersey, where many suburban
! pustofiro, have been consolidated with the
| 81. ~ II
worse The citizens of Collngswood arc
| just now complaining TINT q letter mailed
| to West COlinSSwood. only mile or two
away, is not delivered for thirty six hours
| Thus lottcr dropped in the box In the
! afternoon is collected by the carrier and sent
| in to Camdcn. and from Camden it goes out
TO West Colngswood on the morning of the
| day after.
This cannot bc called efficient service. But
We have had this kind Of service for years,
and no ono in authority has seemed to think
! thut there is any way to improve il. When
| tn" Postofiice Department has been criti-
ri."d We have been told Of the speed with
which letters are cHrricd between Now York
| and Chicago and Philadelphia and Wash
| ngtOn. as though Il removed the grievance
Of a business man who wished 10 have IA
| letter mailed to correspondent five or six
sQuurcs away delivered u Iittlc sooner than
'ott"r mailed to II correspondent ninety
| miles away.
There is an opportunity in th" depart
mont presided over by Mr.. Hays for the
display of III" highest kind OF organizing
| business genius l. may hC objected thar
the politicians do not wish business eff .
cheney to Interfere with tho distribution OF
the spoilS They have not let il interfere
very much in tho pat, tor they nave had