The Washington times., 1924-12-17
CONTINUED from First Page.)

movement for the Sterling rate in
crease bill was started for the pur-
pose OF cooling the ardor which
many many newspapers have shown
for the Edge pay increase bill.
Want Action on Pay Bill.
The chances today, however, for
postponinG a consideration of the
pay increase bill in the Senate until
the Senate Committee on PostoRfic Us
and Post Roads can report on the
Sterling rate increase bill did not
seem bright.
Among Senators favoriny an i'm.
mediate consideration of the pay in.
crease bin are such Republican stall.
warts as Reed Of Pennsylvania. Nc.
Kinley OF Illinois, Cummins of Iowa,
Stanfield of Oregon, Shortridge OF
California, Edge of New Jersey,
Jones of Washington, McNary of
Oregon and Wadsworth of New
York, in addition to a large number
of irregular Republicans and Demo.
Gratis.
This composite group today seemed
likely to be able to force q con.
sideration of the pay increase bill
long before the Senate Committee
on Postoffices and Post Roads can
get through the tedious process of
a statistical inquiry into the costs
OF carrying the various numerous
olITerent sorts OF mail handled by
the Postoffice Department.
Mr.. Hanson Indignant.
This seemed today to be par.
ticularly true in view of indigna-
ton and determination of Mr.. Han
son, as the Washington representa-
tive of the American Newspaper
Publishers Association, in the mat
ter of the Postoffice Department
statistics.
Mr.. Hanson notes that in the
cost ascertainment" forwarded by
the Postoffice Department to Con-
gress the users Of the second-class
mail, Including newspapers. are
charged with 1912 per cent of the
salaries of assistant postmasters
while they are charged with 1885
per cent Of the salaries of post.
masters.
Does a postmaster worry more
and work more over newspapers
than an assistant postmaster?"
That is the problem that Mr..
Hanson has been bordering without
success.
Other Discrepancies.
Further, in the Postoffice Depart.
ment's cost ascertainment," the
users Of the second-class mail, in
Guiding newspapers, are charged
with 900 per cent of the salaries
Of postoffice clerks, while they are
charged with 9.46 per cent of the
salaries of postoffice temporary
clerks.
1t would thus appear, Mr.. Han
son Surmises, that a temporary
clerk gets enthusiastic about news
papers and spends more time on
them than a clerk.
However, it appears further that
in the Postoffice Departments "cost
ascertainment" the users Of the
second-class mail, including news
papers, are charged with 1896 per
cent Of the salaries Of city delivery
carriers, while they are charged
with only 11.56 per cent of the
salaries OF city delivery temporary
carriers.
1t would thus seem to appear that
a temporary carrier pays less atten-
ton to newspapers than a perma-
nent carrier, although a temporary
clerk pays more attention to them
than a permanent clerk.
Temperament Of Clerks.
This difference between the tenn
peraments and attitudes of clerks
on the one hand and Of carriers on
the other toward the handling Of
newspapers has furnished Mr.. Han.
son with great deal Of anxiety
and bewilderment. which he intends
to transmit in full to the Senate
Committee on Postoffices and Post
Roads as soon as 1t begins its hear
ings on the Sterling rate increase
bill.
Mr.. Hanson Is further puzzled
know how it is that the users
secOnd-class mail can be CHI