Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1924-03-28
POSTAL SALARIES
VERSUS
POSTAL DEFICITS

since the establishment of the post
office department it has been the Gus
tom of certain interests to cry out
vociferously postal deficit" whenever
postal employees have sought a re-
adjustment of their salaries on the
basis of a living-not saying-but
| living wage, and in the same breath,
as an evidence of their sincerity they
ask for penny postage which would
increase the deficit.
Ii is still an unexplained mystery
why a deficit should be considered an
effective argument against paying
just and adequate salaries, but has
never been offered as an argument
against paying the railroads increased
compensation for Transportation or
against paying increased amounts for
the various postal supplies and equip
ment bought of contractors or in the
open market. Labor, transportation,
equipment and supplies are absolutely
essential to the operation of the post
office department, and when there is
a deficit, it can not fairly be charged
against any one of these items, least
of all to labor, for it is the high de-
gree of efficiency and loyalty of the
personnel of the postal service that
materially reduces the deficit from
what it otherwise would be. If the
tons upon tons of franked matter paid
the regular postal rates, very large
amount would be sliced off the annual
deficit. Another item in the deficit
is the we'll known fact that second
class matter (periodicals) does not
pay its way. These low rates were
40 biicbol tho thoprp tbaf the
public good is best served by the
fullest and easiest dissemination of
information.
Theoretically, the postoffice depart
ment should pay its own way with
neither deficit nor surplus, but III the
nature of things this ideal condition
will never be attained. 1t may be
more nearly approached in the future
than in the past but 1t should not be
sought at the expense of those who
have given the best years OF their
lives to the service. Wipe out the
deficit in business way by adjusting
postal rates to cover the actual cost
of operation, one item of which Is a
living wage for the worker. ms
was very aptly put by Senator Couz-
ems of Michigan, when he said, ANY
business that can not pay a hvlng
wage has no right to exist" Hence II
follows that a living wage should be
figured into postal rates instead OF
trying to reduce the deficit by made
quate salaries.
All departments of the government
are run for the benefit of all the peo-
| pie and of all them the postoftlce
department renders the most constant
and direct service to the people. Also
it is the particular one that is eX-
pected to turn back into the treasury
an amount equal to the total appro-
priation it receives from Congress.
Hundreds of millions of dollars. are
appropriated for the Army and Navy
but no one expects these departments
to turn back into the treasury even
small percent of these appropriations
nor will they be charged with dehcits
because they have rendered service,
have given value received. why
not be Just as fair with the postoffice
department which is run primarily Tor
service and not for proiit! II Is
service the people demand ana are
willing to pay for and the so-callled
deficit is the amount that service mas
cost them in addition to the postage
thew have paid. 1t would be proper
here to call attention to the fact that
the postal rates now are the same as
the pre-war rates Notwithstanding
the increased cost of almost every y
item of postal expense. This f@aet @
further explains the deficits OF the
last few years. .oon
From the foregoing it will be seen zen
that there is no logical connection
between postal salaries and pos,ta1I STA
deficits. The postal employe is entitled
to and must have an adequate 8 wage
to maintain a decent American stand STAND,
ard of living. This item when agreseo eco
upon is one that should enter into the