Evening star., 1923-10-10
CURB ON POLITICS
BY POSTMASTERS
New Tells Convention Here
Meetings in 1924 Banned
to Avoid Suspicion.

Postmaster General New today
voiced his determination to keen the
Post Office Department absolutely
free from politics next year during
the national elections in an address
welcoming first and second class
postmasters of the country. who
opened the twenty-third annual con
vention OF the National Association
Of Postmasters at the New National
Museum.
Announcing the discontinuance
next year of the postal conference
conventions of postal workers, which
have been held during the past year.
the Postmaster General declared that
if the gatherings of workers were
held during tho national elections
motives would be ascribed 70 the de-
partment which no officials had In
mind.
Resume Meetings Later.
81 am going 10 keep the Post Office
Department absolutely FREQ from sus-
picion of being involved in politics.
Postmaster General New said. He
stated that after the elections he
would recommend, if still Postmaster
General, that the conference conveu-
tions be resumed.
Maj. j. Franklin Bell. Engineer
Commissioner of the District, vel
ccmed the postmasters 10 Washing
ton. The invocation was given by
Rev. bernard Braskamp. pastor Of
the Gunton Temple Memorial Presby
terian Church.
Mr. New predicted that within ten
years the business OF the postal serv
ice will be considerably more than 4
billion dollars. The Post Office De-
dollar department" he declared. THAT
will come within ten years, at the rate
we are going.
Sees Future PROFIT.
Mr.. New said that he believed that
by 1925, provided there are no un-
usual changes made in the expenses
Of the department. the department
will be more than self-sustainine.
The deficit OF the department will oc
not more than s3l,000.00o this year
Il decrease OF S36,0gp,Opo from Iast
year. Mr.. New said.
The Postmaster General received an
ovation when he arose 10 speak. Ad-
dressing the delegates as my fellow
! postma stcrs." Nr. New said that the
past year has been probably the bus
| lest in the life of any postmaster
present, due to the great growth of
| the postal business.
! The work has been difficult, he
! pointed out, because, while the postal
! receipts have increased 10 per cent.
denoting increased business through
out the country. the increase in per-
sonnel of the postal service has been
| but = per cent in clerks and less than
| that in letter carriers.
Puts Service First.
/ the postmasters. ITO see that the pub
! lie gets the service which il has Il
right to expect \ breakdown i'll the
postal service is altogether unthfnk-
| able and would be intolerabic.' The
postal service. he continued. is prob
ably the one business in the world
/ that can never stop. and the progress
1 Of the country is to be measured by
postal receipts and the volume OF
| mail matter carried
| The Postmaster General then pre-
| sented TO the convention his four as
| sistants-John II. Bartlett, first as
| sistant postmaster general; Paul Hen
derson, second assistant; w. Irving
Glover. third assistant. and Harry Fl.
BiIlany. fourth assistant.
| Postmaster Frank !. Book Of New
| ark y. j.. president of the national
| association, commended the Post Off
ce Department for the nationwide
/ weighing of mail matter now under
way, to ascertain the actual cost OF
the handling Of the mails.
VIII Visit Coolidge.
Work of first and second class
| postmastcrs is being discussed by
Mr.. Bartlett. John 3. Nullan, post
master of Rochester. y. Y. and
| Charles NJ McCabe, postmaster of
Nashville. Tenn, this afternoon.
At .12:45 PIN. tomorrow President
Coolidge will receive the postmasters
at the White House. Postmaster VIII
liam NJ Mooney of Washington. Is
chairman of the local committee on
| n rra nPn nlentS