Evening star., 1924-06-17
Press Regrets Failure of
Postal Salary Raise

General regret is expressed by edi-
out the country because President
Coolidge deemed it necessary to veto
the postal salary increase bill. which
had met with popular approval For
the most part Congress, and not the
President, is censured for the failure
of the bill.
I'm view of the work involved and
the general economic conditions. there
has been a general public belief that
the postal employees deserved better
compensation than they were receiv-
ing" according to the Springfield
Union tRepublican), which believes
that "it would be quite possible, to
occasioned by a readjustment of Ger
tain postal rates that possibly condi-
tions required in any case" but in
the circumstances there can be no de-
NAL that the position the President
has taken is entirely consistent with
his policy of keeping down increases
general taxation"
Those who are disappointed with
the Presidents present action, the
Philadelphia Bulletin ! independent
Republican, holds, should place on
Congress it's real responsibility for
the conditions which have led to the
presidential Veto" because Congress
refused to accept the plan of tax re-
vision, which would have insured
additional revenue along with relief
of taxpayers burdens, and indorsed
expenditures which will cause a
deficit at no remote period" THE bill
which should have passed was one
providing for a scientific adjustment
of postal salaries" in the opinion of
the New York Herald Tribune Gre
publican), which declares "the Presf-
dent favors such an adjustment and
so does the country, but the nation
wide distribution of public funds
which Congress had in view was an
anront. to common sense"
* X +
president Coolidge's objection to
the postal pay raise is at least con-
sistent,' continues the Reading Trib-
une independently, but "it was Ger
tainly wrong in practice" because
''it means the most trustworthy en-
ployes will leave the department as
rapidly as they can find better paying
positions, and it will result in worse
postal service than the country en-
joys today. as bad as it is" The
Brooklyn Eagle independent Demo-
cratic) finds it hard to believe that
1.-The money thus saved to the nation
jury to the department" but Con
gress stands convicted of insfncerity
in sending it to the White House in a
condition to make a veto certain
Rapids Press independently, which
claims that "even as a tax investment
the postal raise was not only justified
but essential" because, "demoraliza
ton of the postal service is a more
expensive tax than this provision for
postal clerks stipends could possibly
be-" The Milwaukee Journal Gnde-
pendent) "can think of a good many
government enterprises to which the
word .extravagant' may be justly ap-
Piled" but it cannot think of any to
which the application is more un-
postal men to obtain a wage that
pays their grocery bills and permits
them to lay away a little something
for a rainy day." and ito the extent
the Presidents action reduces the
through the loss of its best men, the
whole country will suffer from this
Veto"
The Omaha rid-Herald tindepend-
ent) regrets the veto because had it
been permitted to become law it would
have raised the pay Of minor employees
of the post office service, the hewers of
wood and drawers of water. the clerks
and letter carriers whose diligence and
devotion to duty make the postal service
the splendid thing it is The New York