Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-02-28
POSTAL SYSTEM FRIENDS
ACETATE MOVE AGAINST
RAISE IN FOREIGN f2A TIES
you'd Establish Common Charge in 81 Nations of
Western Observation-Disclosures to Boost Relations
II Between United States and Pan America
ny OSCAR KING DAVIS,
fetnry National Foreign Trade

Council.
Ehe establishment OF a common rate
postage on mail matter or the first.
pond and third classes Throughout,
twenty-one republics OF the West
II Hemisphere: the defea; OF the
iposal TO double the rates paid In
United States on mail matter
originating here for foreign dis
4 patch: the formation OF a Pan Ameri-
81 can Postal Federation: and the great
4 est boost to cordial relations between
the United States and the other ma
) lions OF Pan-Amcrica that has ever
been accomplished, were the chief
achievements of the United States
delegation at the Universal Postal
Cong which WAS held recently in
Il Madrid. 1t is no cNaggcration to say
that too much credit cannot be given
z TO our delegates for the intelligent
understanding OF their problems
which they displayed. or the skill and
nssiduity with which they met them.
The annual meeting OF the Advis-
CRY Committee on Foreign Mails will
be held at dinner during the con-
vention OF the National Foreign Trade
Council in Cleveland. May 4, 5. 6 ana
q There Will be 4 general discus
sion OF the. foreign mail situation =,
that time. and the new governing
board OF the committee will he
\ named. Otto Pracgcr, Second Assis-
tant PostmasterGencra is general
chairman of the committee, at the
present time, and II. H. Morse, chair
man OF the Boston Export Round
Table. is chairman OF the governing
board.
When Otto Praegcr. formerly
4 WashinEton correspondent OF n Texas
X newspapers. was put in chief charge
sAof our foreign mail service. one OF the
II rst ambitions with which he was
ISfired was that of putting the United
SSt4tes at least on par with Grea,
iSPritain in the matter OF international
%parccl post. The United States then
had that service with only forty
seven territorial divisions OF the
earth, whereas Great Britain enjoyed
Is 1t with about 200. Right after the
signing of the armistice Mr.. PracGcr
went to work. lie called a confer
encc of exporters and representatives
OF national trade associations ana
Laid his problems before Them As a
result OF this days Very practical de-
-monstration OF tho raluc o. co-opcra-
tion between government and bust
ness our international parcel post
service was considerably expanded
/. Also VIC formed a perrnancn; advis-
DRY committee on foreign mails for
regular consultation and CO. operation
with the department at WASHINGTON.
In the early part of 1920 the Post
master General appointed Mr.. Pracscr
Fand Stuart NJ. Weber. chief OF the
IaXision OF Foreign Mails. rs dele
= gaWs from the United States To the
!. Universal Postal Congress. Mr. rrac-
ger asked the advisory committee TO
meet him In Washington for consul
station. He submitted to'us the copies
OF all the proposals which had been
made In advance by dincrrn; nations
for action at the congress Several
OF them werc very interesting. and
one was positively alarming That
was for n substantial increase in the
rates OF foreign postage. MIR. Prac-
ger explained that the congress had
the power % 81 the rates that shall
: be paid by citizens of the United
states on their foreign mails. even
though no; a cent OF tho money so
collected by our government goes TO
T any foreign country. We pay for
cisn countries for handling our mail
In their territory by handling their
mails IN ours. =. i.
This was very Serious PROPOSE
ton. There are many firms and husi-
ness concerns in the United States
which pay thousands OF dollars every
-syear for postage on foreign mails
.-and the prospect OF having to dou-
able such payments in these hard
times, without being able TO pass n
nickel OF it along to the consumer.
= was far from attractive. So, after
ga long night OF hard work Ola the
the advisory committee
= submitted 10 MIR. rracscr this RECON-
mendation:
4. "inasmuch as low postage rates
Fftend to facilitate international com
{ munication and 70 promote more cor
~ ia, relations between nations. We
are opposed 10 any increases on any
rate of postage from any country TO
any other country. II. however. cor
tain countries which arc suffering
from the effects or imitation feel the
need of increased postal revenue, We
sSu bmlt that II can be obtained hy re
curing the payment OF international
postage in gold or gold equivalent,
without the disadvantage unavoidable
'attendant anon an increase Of rates
which must remain in force until n
later congress can reduce them"
We pointed out that for the prescn,
this would produce more revenue than
the dosaling OF rates proposed. that
at would correct itself AUTOMATICALLY
as dehation Is accomplished: that il
would not be an interrupt!ve prece-
dent in the long course OF downward
reVisions OF rates, and that 1t would
automatically and permanently end
Fall speculation in international reply
A coupons such as Ponzi tried.
~; Mr. Praeger was enthusiastic about
our recommendation. The next qucs-
8tion was how 10 get 1t adopted II
was evident that our delegates AT
!, Madrid were going 10 he NE, by an
organized bloc" OF Europeans in
flavor or doubling rates
THE hes, thing We can DO" said
X Mr.. Pracser. is 10 maze friends with
s some OF our neighhors from the South
# and see II W. can't get al the Amer
u leans to stand together"