Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-22
100000 DEFICIT
FORCED BY NEEDS
OF POSTAL SERVICE
Shortage of Funds Real and
Not Theoretical, as
in Past.
NEW OBLIGED TO SPEND
DESPITE LEGAL BARS
Vast Increase in Business Compels
Department to Exceed Con-
gress Appropriations,

When Postmaster General New goes
on his vacation. toward the end Of
this month, to be gone, in the Michi-
gan woods. until June 10. he will
leave behind him two or three mil
lion dollar deficit in the postal serv-
ice
Ofhand. one might be inclined 10
think that the postal service always
has a deficit" but this is a real
deficit, not a comparative one. For
instance, II the postal service takes
in s500,000.000 in revenue during
fiscal year, and it's expenses were
$564,000,000. Congress will have APP
propriated s564,0O0,000 Such a def
cit" is how much the service lacks OF
breaking even"
Spend More Than Voted.
Owing to the necessity for more
clerks and carriers, due TO increased
business throughout the nation, the
postal service has been forced to
spend more for these items than II
has appropriated for them. There
will still be the old theoretical def
cit"-probably about $35,000.000 for
the year to end June 80 next. and
then there will be this new and real
deficit of 100000 to 100000,
which will represent money expended
which Congress has not appropriated
The Postmaster General now knows
the full force of that old saw about
what would happen If an Irresistible
force meets an immovable object. IL
1t comes to moving the United States
OF he
Mails Must Move.
1t was because Mr.. New was faced
with a modern problem a great deal
like the old classic that he knows more
about it today than most people. When
he became Postmaster General the
postal service realized that there were
not enough funds to carry its work on
until June So the end of the fiscal year.
But the mails must be moved. There
is law TO that effect And there also
is law to the effect that no government
department must exceed its appropria-
fetal involved-at least, theoretically
| in bad way.
Irresistible Force Wins.
The irresistible force of the neces-
sity of moving the peoples mail has
met, during the last few months, the
immovable object of not exceeding the
appropriations. both regular and de-
ficiency
The Irresistible force wins,
Despite the lack of money and the
law against exceeding the appropria-
lions. the postal service has kept the
mails moving on schedule.
Acted Without Fear.
The Postmaster General and his
assistants did not hesitate a second
when they discovered in April that
the money was giving out. They econ
omized as far as possible-and then
determined to keep the United States
postal service at its normal high
standards, despite the lack of money.
Where new clerks and carriers
have been absolutely necessary the
Post Office Department has author
ICED them. A striking example OF
this is right at hand here in the Ma
tional Capital.
No Other Way Out.
At the end of this week the Wash
ington city post Office will place on
duty 100 new clerks and about score
of carriers. in order to handle the
increased mail of the city during the
Shrine convention week. The work
has to be done. and it will be done.
! let the deficit fall as it may.
So, when Mr.. New goes on his va
cation shortly, he will not worry
much about Uncle Sam. detective. be-
! ing on his trail for violating that law
! about not exceeding his appropria
tions. He has obeyed that other good
| law, that Uncle. Sans mail must be
/ kept moving. If the worst comes 10
! the worst. he can put that old prob
| lem about the Irresistible force and
| the immovable object up to Congress-
and there is no doubt in the world
that Congress will side with his So
/ luton of the problem.