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

Postmaster General New today
voiced his determination to keep the
Post Office Department absolutely
free from politics next year during
the national elections in an address
welcoming first and second class
postnasters 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 Postma ster General declared that
held during tho national elections
motives would be ascribed to the de-
psrtment which no officials had in
mind.
Resume Meetings Later.
Il am going to keep the Post Office
Department absolutely free 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 conYen
tfons be resumed.
Maj. j. Franklin Bell. Engineer
Commissioner of the District, well
ccmed the postmasters to Washing
tor. 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. a
billion dollars. The Post Office De-
partmeHt is going to be billion
dollar department" he declared. "Tha t
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-sustaining. -
The deficit Of the department will be
not more than s31,000,O00 this year,
decrease of s36,0O0,00O from last
year, Mr.. New said.
The Postmaster General received an
ovation when he arose to speak. Ad-
dressing the delegates as my fellow
postmasters." Mr.. New said that the
past year has been probably the bus
lest in the life of any postmaster
~ X dI
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-
but per cent in clerks and less than
that in letter carriers.
Puts Service First.
'It is up to you." Mr.. New said to
the postmasters, ito see that the pub
lie gets the service which it has a
right to expect. A breakdown in the
postal service is altogether unthink-
able and would be intolerable." The
postal service, he continued. is prob
ably the one business in the world
that can never stop, and the progress
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 H. Bartlett, first as
sistant postmaster general; Paul Hem
derson, second assistant; w. Irving
Glover, third assistant, and Harry H.
Billany, fourth assistant.
/. Postmaster Frank J. Book. of New
ark. n. -, president of the national
association, commended the Post Ofi-
ce Department for the nation wide
weighing of mail matter now under
way, to ascertain the actual cost of
the handling of the mails.
Will Visit Coolidge.
Work OF first and second class
postmasters is being discussed by
Mr.. Bartlett, John B. Mullan, post
master of Rochester, n. Y, and
Charles NJ. McCabe, postmaster of
Nashville. Tenn, this afternoon.
At 12:45 pm. tomorrow President
Coolidge will receive the postmasters
at the White House. Postmaster Will
liam NJ. Mooney of Washington, is
chairman of the local committee on
arrangements.