The Washington times., 1924-12-23
%. RATE BOOST
IS PRQTEsTED
CONTINUED from First Page9

continued from First Page.)
Christian Herald; Guy Z. Harring-
ton, of the MacEadien publications;
B. A. McKinnon, Of Pictorial Re-
view; w. o. Warner, of McCall's
Magazine; E. Kendall Gillette, of
Woman's Home Companions: John.
Howie Wright. Of Postage, and
George G. Lucas, Of Traffic Man
ager.
The protest filed by the publish
ers association pointed out the al
legged unfairness Of hasty hearings
on the new BILL. Bryan declared
the Postoffice Department had.
taken two years to prepare the
schedule and that the publishers
were being allowed only two weeks
to answer it.
Took Two Years to Prepare.
THE provisions for additional
revenues are based on the findings
of the cost as certainment report
recently submitted to Congress by
, the Postofice Department, said the
association protest. This report
prepared in secret over period in
excess Of two years, was not made
available to the representative of
the publishers until 4 o'clock on
Saturday afternoon last.
s'It is our feeling that no emer-
gency confronts Congress at this
! moment which compels such hasty
legislation with relation to postal
rates; and, being Of this opinion, we
respectfully request that your com.
| ling bill, which substantially doubles
the cost Of delivering newspapers
by mail in nearby zones, grant to
these proposed rates sufficient time
to study this report Of the Post
office Department.
We viii submit ample evidence
to the effect that the increases in
rates on daily newspapers, IL en-
| acted into law. not only will fail
OF their purpose to produce addi-
tional revenues, but win cripple and
unquestionably destroy, in part, one
of the most vital businesses Of the
country, without any corresponding
benefit to the National Government. =
To shorten the time usually given
to preliminary consideration, both
! L1OuSC dlQ 0SlhIG E-OSIOILlCG com"
/ mittees were represented by sub.
committees at today's hearings. BY
| this arrangement, members Of both
branches were able to hear Post
master General Harry S. New OK
plain his recommendations for the
| rate increases, which were written
into the omnibus bill. New was
the first witness called
1 haal1 80 a.,
increases would fall upon news
Gals because of sharp advances on
second-class mail.
In the first and second zones,
| the increase would amount to 100
per cent with a as per cent advance
| ditional increases would be levied
against all publications, except
| newspapers, on the amount of
reading matter published.
Despite the protest of publishers,
Administration leaders do not ex-
pect to change the Postmaster
Generals recommendation.
I'VE do not anticipate any re-
auctions in these new rates." said
Senator Sterling Rep.) of South
Dakota, who introduced the omni-
bus bill. They were carefully pre-
pared by the Postmaster General
to meet deficits in the postal serv-
ice The largest advances were
made where the greatest losses
| were incurred.
1--WE plan to get the bill reported
to the Senate favorably by January
5 when debate starts on the postal
| salary bill. We then plan to sub
stitute 1t for the salary bill in
order to meet the objections raised
by President Coolidge when he ye.
4 toed that bill"