Evening star., 1924-12-25
SPEED HEARINGS
ON MAIL PAY BILL
Senate Committee to Hear
More Publishers Rep
recsntativeS.

sibie with it's consideration OF the
proposed postal rate bill. designed TO
raise the revenue needed to pay the
increased wages of the postal en-
ployes uader the bill vetoed by Presi-
dent Coolidge and stifl awaiting final
disposition in Congress. the senats
post offace, subcommittee will hear
representatives of publishers organi-
cations again tomorrow.
Arthur J. Baldwin, president OF the
National Publishers' Association, ap-
peartng yesterday before the com
mittee, opposed the proposed rate in
creases. He declared thatNin seeking
to make the Post Office Department
self-sustaininesth Government 10 un-
mail users pay for special privileges
granted by Congress to other classes.
The cost ascertainment report, he
charged. had been framed" with one
idea In mind of showing that the ex-
pense to the Government OF handling
second-class mail was very great
Rural free delivery and parcel post
costs as outlined in the cost ascer-
tainment report were especially at
tackled by Mr.. Baldwin. He asserted
that the first service had been in
augurated for the specific benefit OF
the rural population and that Con-
gress should tax all the people for
it's maintenance instead Of attempting
to make only certain classes bear the
cost.
Attacks Parcel Post Figures.
Citing computations made from a
service by the Government. Mr.. Bald
win declared the estimate in the cost
report that only 1,001. .0oo, 900 pieces
OF parcel post were handled in the
last fiscal year was manifestly erro-
neous. A greater increase in the cost
OF handling this service. he contended,
should have been proposed when the
department computed the rate ad-
vances necessary for IL to bear It's
proportionate share of the increased
salary cost.
Asserting that rates on magazines
are now. so high that many Of the
larger ones deserting the mails as
a means Of distribution, Mr.. Baldwin
told the committee this class of mat
ter already is paying too high postal
rate He suggested that the Post
Once Department arrange a through
freight service for handling the
magazines, now being sent by com
mercial freight, and provide deferred
delivery in cities as a means Of keep
ing them In the mails.
Incidentally, the publishers asso-
citation president called attention 70
the report Of the Post ONCE Depart
ment that only $500. 900 was lost"
IN handling magazines as mailing the
'tfalsehood" that the magazines are
enjoying a large subsidy, amounting
In the case OF the Saturday Evening
Post to s25.e00,ooo a year. He said
he had heard this statement with
respect to the Post stated on the floor
Of Congress.
Recalls Free serviceA
Going into details as to special
privileges for certain classes, Mr..
Baldwin said Government depart
ments were permitted to mail their
literature free of cost; that special
rates are given TO scientific. religious
and educational journals not pub
lished for a profit; free transportation
given to literature for the blind and
free county service given TO news
papers.
Moreover he pointed out that the
Government IS giving certain special
services, such as registry letter and
money order, at a loss in order to
maintain the business. Asserting that
he would have none OF these aool-
ished, the witness declared the Gov
ernment should approach the matter
from a business and common-senee
these special privileges and services
a tax on all the people and not against
certain classes who use the malls.
Citing that many magazines, par
ticulariy trade papers, contain current
information OF value, Mr.. Baldwin
protested against q different treat
ment for them from that given news
papers py reason OF the charge on tn %
reading matter OF the magazines
the mails.
Calls Cembination ssyicious."
Finally, the witnesses described
as vicious" the effect to combine
both postal-rate increases and postal
rate advances in one piece OF lesisls-
ton.
THE bias for one must warp tho
sober Judgment regarding the other"
he said.
Asserting then that he was not op-
posing the pay Increase for postal
employees, Mr.. Baldwin said he be-
lieved Congress had q mandate 10
make the salary increase.
"If anybody has q mandate it Is
the President OF the United States"
remarked Chairman Moses. He is in
terpreting that mandate as one TO in
crease postal rates to meet the p2y
increase
Farn Bureau Opposes.
Proposals to increase fourth-class
parcel post rates to bring in $4,000
900 annually, although the Post Office
Department cost ascertaiumeut report
showed q loss OF only s7.ocA.ooo in
handling this class of mail, were de-
scribed in u statement last night by
the American Farm Bureau Fedora
tion as "an effort again to saddle on
to the farmers an unjust proportion
Of Government expense"
The statement cited recommends
tions for increases in second-class
mail rates 20 bring s1f,oo0,oo0 addt-
tionzl a year, against loss placed
at about $74,ooo, 900 In the report. and
for an $1S,e8e,0oo increase on third
class mail to cover a loss put at 49,,
600, 900, as evidence OF unreasonable
ness in the proposed raise in fourth
class rates.
Although we have not had access
to the detailed figures of the depart
ment," the statement said, I'VE believe
that the greatest loss incurrd in ham
ding parcel post packages cannot be
charged to the use made of parcel
post by the farmers. Even IL IL could
be so charged, there is ample argu-
ment for connecting the city and the
country even at some actual expense"