Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-09
D. c., July 4-The news /
Nv papers and periodicals of the United

u
Nv papers and periodicals of the United
w States lost long drawn out and i'm
portant fight of many years standing during
the latter part of June, when the house COM
mittee on postoffices and post roads tabled
the Longworth bill which would have multi
fled the second class postal increases which
went into effect on July first.
Albert S. BurlesOn, postmaster general
throughout both Wilson administrations
fought long and ardently to put this measure
on the statute books, and won out with the
help of the then Democratic majorities in
both Houses of Congress.
The increase in second class postal rates,
which affects all newspapers and periodicals,
is the fourth Of a succession of annual In
creases. The first occurred on July l, 1918.
Prior to that date, the postal rate for sec
ond class matter was uniform for newspapers
and periodicals, no matter what distance it
was sent to the subscriber. The recent Post
master General and those who sided with
him attacked this system as subsidy
granted by the government, and commended
that in the transportation of this second class
mail the Postoffice Department actually Iost
a considerable sum of money.
The answer made to this argument was
that an increase of postal rates on this kind
of mail matter was putting heavy tax on
the dissemination of information. The mag
azines of national circulation were particu-
larly bitter against the increases. coming
system went into effect at the time, which
made it necessary to put much more postage
on a periodical sent, let us say, from a New
York office of publication to a subscriber on
the Pacific coast, than on similar perlod1-
cal sent to a subscriber in Newark, N. ].
The Zoning System
The system now in effect provides eight
zones The firt zone includes territory for
fifty miles in all directions. The second. zone
embraces an additional hundred miles, the
4I.s will
the fourth zone an additional three hundred
miles. Zone five takes in territory four hun
dred miles beyond the limits of zone four;
zone six adds another four hundred miles.
as does zone secen, and zone eight includes
all territory beyond the limits of the seventh
zone.
difference was made between pure read
ing matter and advertising matter but this
is of little benefit, as practically every news
paper and periodical today is made up Of
mixture of both. When the first increase
went into effect the rates per pound of mail
became n cents for the first and second
zones, Il cents for the third zone, cents
for the fourth zone, PA for the fifth IONS
2h for the sixth zone, cents for the sew
enth zone, and 81 cents for the eighth
zone.
The increase on July 1, 1920, carried
these rates up to q cents pound IN the
first and second zone with proportionate in
creases all along the line up to IA cents
pound in the eighth zone.
The rates which have just gone into effect
are, for each pound of second class mail, as
follows:
First and second zones, 2 cents; third zone,
cents; fourth zone, five cents; fifth zone,
cents; sixth zone, cents; seventh zone
cents, eighth zone, 10 cents.
The newspapers and periodicals have been
making last ditch fight to prevent the last
increase going into effect until the new Post
master General had time to investigate,
through a commission appointed for that par
pose, the justice of the second class rates,
and whether it was necessary to have them
so high for the sake IF postal revenue. Despite
the fact that Congress has been petitioned
from all over the country to this effect, and
despite the strong recommendation of the
Postoffice Department, the Longworth bill,
which had this for it's object has died in COM
mittee.
The Subscriber Will Pay
Except for the most prosperous newspapers
and periodicals, it is highly probable that sub
scrption prices will have to be boosted to
cover this additional burden. 1t was just
this point on which the main fight against
the increases has been based from the first.
The ultimate sufferer from the increases is
bound to be the mail subscriber to newspapers
and periodicals. It means making education
and the knowledge Of current news the re-
cipient of another tax.
Mr. Longworth and officials of the Post
office Department are utterly at a loss to I'M
Post Road Committee of the House. AS the