Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-04-30

tanning. Then the distinctive post
are stamps were abolished by the
order to the Post Once Department.
Then the rates were cut down time
after time by order Of the Post
Once Department.
In ten years the parcel post mail
has grown until today 709t OF all the
mail carried by the Post Service IL
parcel post Last year almost hve
billion pounds parcel post mail was
handled by the Post Office Depart
packages in this mail. Post Ofhces
have been congested and millions of
dollars in rent for additional
quarters have been paid out. The
Post once Department estimated
that the revenues from parcel post
are $150.000,e00 a year. That
means 1895 Of the mail brings in
about $500 Of the revenue.
IF parcel post mail were COM
PEELED to pay the same part of the
revenues It takes in volume there
would be $150,000,000 Immediately
available to pay just wages to the
workers who make the postal ser
vice possible. That Is exactly what
the law required in the beginning.
The Post ONCE Department Is re-
sponsible for the present situation
in violation Of the law.
THE Postmaster General in his
statement insinuates that 1 and the
other members Of Congress fighting
for justice for postal workers are
favoring express companies. Such
an assertion Is made for purposes OF
brazen deception. Far more logical
is the retort that those who oppose
- Hniv - -
are in the service Of Mail Order
Trust.
These concerns have been sub
sidized to the tune Of millions of
dollars from postal revenues On
their catalogues alone, by a single
pest office order transferring them
from third class mail matter to
parcel post, they save over $4,000
900 a year. Their four pound cata-
logues formerly required 80 cents
postage each. Today they send them
through the mail for 8 cents each, a
saving Of "a cents on each catalogue.
Less than 1000 of parcel post
consists Of farm products. The vast
bulk OF this matter is merchandise
from mail order houses whose
profits have grown by leaps and
bounds In the past ten years." .
: Express rates have advanced
from 30 to 50eo during the past ten
years. Parcel post rates have de-
clined, A one pound package can
today be sent $50 miles by parcel
post for cents. The express rates
Is 81 cents"
Il propose in separate bill now
before the Post Office and Post
Roads Committee to put parcel fee
or nve cents on every parcel in ad-
dition to present rates. 1t will raise
$l00,OoO,00O for paying honest wages
10 postal workers and it will not
pring the average parcel post rate
within hailing distance of express
rates. 1t will not even bring rates
up to the original rates fixed by
Congress.
THE fact is that the Postma ster
General should be the outstanding
odvocate instead of the opponent of
just pay for the 100000 loyal postal
workers.
They have accomplished miracles
or devotion in the past ten years in
spite OF every disbursement, They
have taken an additional cost of
operation OF 200.000,00O a year on
their own shoulders. They have
speeoed up their work and carried
heavier loads. The mails increased
ooOTo In volume but very few addi-
tional workers have been employed.
IN lact the Railway Mail Clerks,
handling 16 billion pieces of mail a
year with $500 accuracy are fewer
ago" 'e'
Mr.. Kelly recognizes the fact that
whatever additional pay the postal
employees secure mast come from
some source. He should recognize
the fact that a postmaster general
bears a heavier responsibility in the
matter of giving advice than does a
congressman, that moreover he is
not 80 solicitous for the majority of
votes In any one congressional dis
trict. He must look to the entire
country and to all the interests at
fected. He may not have arrived
at the right conclusion but it Is not
strange that he has not formed an
opinion which accords with that of
the publishers or Of the mail order
houses. the congressman, or the
postofiice employees.
It would not be strange IL at this
time. when everyone wants taxes re-
duced and no one wants any less at
he were trying to think Of
the taxpayers. The government en-
ployes should have adequate pay.
Perhaps 1t may be admissible to say
that being government employees
they should have slishter better pay
than that given in private enter
prise. There are reasons why they
would hesitate to leave the advant-
ages. the prospect Of retirement and
all that, and seek other means of
livelihood. The conditions should
not be such as to warrant them in
doing so. other things being equal.
But to expect proper conditions
when those are subject to political
pull 10 to expect too much.
When the postal system was es-
tablished 1t was assumed that one
Of Its functions was as a medium
for disseminating information. In
accordance with this view news
have received favorable
recognition. A belief il finding
Judgement in some minds that the
also should aid in the
of merchandise, should
aid the farmer in distributing his
products. The parcel post makes
one Of its appeals to favor on this
plea that 1t aids the people in the
country to reach a market. As a
matter Of fact it probably has in eff
feet proved a greater boon to the
wealthy mail order houses. Dis