The daily Alaskan., 1922-12-26

Postmaster General work in ms an7 {! nual report recently to Congress.
 Not only would a policy of public ownership relieve the government of much of its present housing cOnges- tlon. the postmaster generalssaid, but it also would make for financial economy since rentals of more than Sl2.OOO, ,OOO now being paid over an- nually without tangible return could be invested instead in property of a permanent value.
 Government owned buildings, he pointed out, are free from taxation, while the government as a lessee, must pay enough rent to enable the landloard to meet his tax bills. In the same way he asserted that whereas the government could bor- row money lon practically a per cent basis" to build pOstofices, when it leases it pays a rental sufficient to permit the lessor to borrow money at 2 per cent, and in some cases as much as 10 per cent"
 Other legislation recommended by the postmaster general included pas sage of the bill pending in the house to increase the interest rate on postal savings deposits from 2 to 8 per
 cent and rate on postal savings
 bonds from 9 l-2 to 8 1-2 per cent
 establishment of system of pensions
 for postal employees who have been in the service more than thirty years;
 reclassifcation of departmental em-
 ployes: a salary readjustment to per init full pay for overtime; authori-
 zatlon for motor vehicle rural mail
 routes up to 75 miles in length; main
 tcnance of guaranty fund, derived from assessments levied upon postal officials accountable for funds and property, to make good losses from the failure of such officials to prop erly perform their duties, and to take the place of the present bond ing system; imposition of additional postage on improperly or insutii-
 fcientIy addressed mail; and the eX-
 tension of insurance and colect-on- delivery privileges to third class
 mail.
 Reviewing the departments activi- ties during the last fiscal year, Mir. Work reported that reduction of $2O.57I,9SG in the deficit of the de- partment had been eGected by econ
 omies in administration.
 Notwithstanding the decrease, the
 deficit is still large, the report said, and unless revenues increase in great CT ratio to expenses there Is little nope of materially reducing it in view of fixed charges over which the department has no control.
 During the fiscal year there was an increase of $2I,362,266 in postal receipts, but expenditures were only S7SO.S35 in excess of those of last year. Considering losses of postal funds through fire, burglary and other causes, the deficit for the year
 was SGO,SI5,4OO.
 The average per capita expenditure ! for postage during the fiscal year
 was S3.92, Mir. Work reported, mak- ing a total of postage collected through stamps alone SS91,159,4lS. Matter mailed without fixture Of stamps aggregated $4l,4O2,6O1. To-
 tai receipts were 5.l6 per cent over those of the previous year. The pub iIic bought I4,26I,94S,SI3 postage stamps, 57.4OI,25O special delivery stamps and 1,11I,l2f,439 postal cards.
 Postal savings deposits and out standing savings stamps at the end
 of the year totaIled Sl4O,4SO,I67.93.
 compared to $155,OOI548.65 year previous, the curve of deposits and
 withdrawals following the same lines
 as among the country's savings banks.
 Appointment of postmasters has become current, as nearly as civil
 service laws permit, and of the T. 492 presidential appointments con- frmed by the senate, l,1O5 were Of women and 933 of former service men of the World war.
 The constantly extending rural de
 livery service continued to take the place of the fourth-class post offices. The rapid reduction in post offices
 n recent years is shown by the fact
 that there were in the United States and its possessions on July 1, 1922, I5l,947 post offices, compared with l 75,924 on June 30, 1902, a decrease
 of almost one-third in 20 years.
 During the year city delivery sery-
 ices were established in 70 additional
 post offices, affOrding this advaD- t,~-z +o OAE 9EO .01YfTO0a1 nnODIa