Evening star., 1924-12-14
PUBLISHERS FIGHT
S68,O)Q,0lOPOSTAL
RATE BOOST MOVE
Virtually All But Letters Hit
by News Plan to Cover
Pay Increase.
MEANS BARRING PAPERS
FROM MAIL, OWNERS SAY
Edge Abandons Efforts to Push
Wage Bill as Vote Is
Blocked.

Of postal employees were suggested to
congress yesterday by Postmaster
General New. They would affect vir-
tually all classes of mail except letter
mail. ..,
simultaneous with the transmission
of the Postmaster Generals recon-
mGndations to Congress- the postal
committee of the American News
paper Publishers Association at
tackled the departmental measure, de
ciaring that the suggested increase
of s1o.s76,000 annually on second
class mail, consisting entirely of
newspapers and periodicals. would
have the effect of doubling the rates
of newspaper circulation going
through the mails.
Takes Papers From Mail.
This action by Congress-" said a
statement from the association, will
have the double result of reducing the
revenues accruing to the department
and absolutely forbidding the circula-
tion of daily newspapers in the
mails
Announcing that his suggestions
Tor advances were based upon the
conclusions arrived at by the cost as
certainment recently submitted to
Congress. Mr.. New in his letter trans
mitting the rate proposals to Chair
man Sterling of the Senate post Office
committee, gave notice that the de-
partment was ptepared ito explain
and defend" this cost ascertainment If
attacked.
AppOrtionment of Increase.
Specifically, the rate advances rec
commended would yield S66,Ss0,750, di-
vided a $ follows:
Second class mail-newspapers and
pcriodicals-S10, SIC, 200.
Fourth class mail-parcefs post
$4,000. 600.
Third class-circulars and direct
mail advertising-s1S,000 100000.
Post cards-sl2 800, 900, through in
creasing the rate from cent to i 1s
cents. .f5s ,,s#
Registered letters-s4.ooo,oo0
Money orders-S3, 500, 900.
Postal insurance-S3,05S,08 900.
Collect on. delivery service =
S1,103,000. ".
Attempt mt Vote Fails.
Before the Postmaster Generals
recommendations were transmitted to
Senator Sterling, third effort to fix
n date for a Senate vote on the en-
session by President Coolidge, had
failed.
Senator Edge, Republican. New Jer-
sey, proposed that the measure be
taken up on January under a
unanimous consent agreement, but
Senator Reed, Democrat, Missouri OBJ
jected on the grounds that there was
an effort to kill the measure at this
session by .hitching up to 1t the postal
rate increase measure.
The New Jersey Senator, who had
charge of the pay bill, subsequently
announced in formal statement that
he had washed his hands of the mat
ter, and 1t now was up to those
friendly to the bill but who have
opposed unanimous consent agfee-f
Inents to lead the fight.
Meantime, the vetoed bill retained
Its status of n highly privileged COM
lnunlcation, resting on the Senate
table, but not subject to considera-
tfon because of the Intervening unani-
nous consent arrangement for final ac
tion on both the Muscle Shoals bill
and the Isle of Pines treaty.
Changes In Rates. 80
Details of the various changes in
postal rates proposed by Postmaster
General New, other than as to post
cards, previously set forth, are as fol-
lows:
Second class matter:
No change in reading portion of
newspapers. now II cents a pound.
NO change in reading portion of
periodicals classified as scientific,
agricultural, religious, fraternal, etc,
not conducted for profit, now IL
cents a pound. ...-..-
Rate on reading portions of all
other publications increased from n
to cents a pound.
Rates on advertising portions of
publications now subject to zone rates
are increased cents per pound in
the first, second and third zones. and
! cent a pound in fourth, fifth and
sixth zones. No increase in seventh
and eighth. -.
Rates on advertising portions of
publications now subject to zone
rates will apply alike to advertising
portions OF all publications, except
where advertising matter is 5 per
cent or less OF total printed space.
Leewny Is Given.
Recommendation that any publisher
or registered news agent may elect
to mail portion or all of the issues
Of any publications entered as second
class mail under the rates recon-
mended for fourth class, or parcel
post matter, Such rates to be applfc-
able to each piece for each addressee.
This will enable publishers and regis
tered news agents to ship large
bundles of second class matter to a
single addressee at parcel post rates.
Rates on transient second class
matter are. changed from cent for
four ounces to 1h cents for each two
ounces, up to and not exceeding eight
ounces and parcel post rates to apply
to weights above eight ounces.
Third class matter. Limit of weight
changed to eight ounces, and rates in
creased from cent to 1h cents for
each two ounces, excepting for books,
catalogues, seeds. bulbs, etc, which
will carry the present rate of / cent
for each two ounces. All matter now
in third class Weighing more than
eight ounces will go at parcel post
rates.
Fourth class matter: Proposed in
creases in zone rates average approx
jmately cents per package for all
zones with increases averaging more
than cents per package for nearby
zones. with lesser. Increase in the
Continued on Page 4. Column 2)