The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-28
PUBLISHERS ASK GRADUATED RATE
 pN NEWSPAPERS
)ffer To Draft Scale Gov ering Cost Of Use 0f
 Postal Service
tRy Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-Protest- nx against increases in second class hail rates provided in the administra- lion measure designed tJ meet salary |aises of postal employees, representa- lives of the American Newspaper Pub Fishers association proposed to a joint Congressional postoffice committee to- lay that they be permitted to draft a la, scale to cover the cost of their use 5f the postal service.
 The publishers entered vigorous ob- ection to the haste with which they con- ended congress was treating problem I.portant alike to the newspapers and he public. They said insufficient time had been given for the study of the lost ascertainment( report of the post Sffice department on which the proposed hate increases are based and that if kiven time they would draft schedule which in their judgment would more pearly meet the equities.
 While individual members expressed interest in the publishers offer, the Eommittee took no formal action. Chairman Moses announced the hearings would be pressed next week with Fiew to presentation of report to the Eenate committee in time for the re- porting of the administration bill to the Eenate before President Coolidge's veto If the postal pay bill is taken up Jan nary 5, under an unanimous consent agreement.
 Denouncing the proposed increase in Becond class rates, spokesmen for the publishers association insisted that the Administration bill would curtail rural circulation of newspapers and at the Bame time. fail to bring in additional revenue to the government.
 s. D. Thomson of Chicago, president bf the association, declared the increase would hit one class-"the rural readers bf metropolitan and other city publi- Cations" Only ten papers, he esti- mated would be able to absorb the proposed increase while other newspa- pers would be forced to pass it on to the subscribers,
 "We have an off-peak load,, regular and continuous, for the postoffice de partment,p MT. Thomson said, land i've feel we should receive a preferen- Eialgrate as other concerns give similar business"
 Mr. Thomson approved the thory of suggestion by. Representative Kelly, republican, Pennsylvania, for a graduated scale of rates on second class mail, fixed so that larger papers with greater circulation wouh be taxed heavier.
 Elisha Hanson, Washington repre- tentative of the association, and Jerome ID. Barnum of Syracuse, N. Y., chair man of its postal committee, presented data showing that the previous increases lin second class rates had curtailed the mail circulation of daily newspapers from 15 to 40 per cent.
 Pointing out that since 1912 second class mail was the only class on which congress had raised the rates, they contended that these advances had in- ! creased the revenue 125 per cent, but had been accompanied by large with drawal of volume from the mails, due Ito the rate increases.
 The argument was presented that should congress vote the increases Recommended by the postoffice depart ment it would find it necessary to re- @ vise them downward within two years because the revenues of the department are increasing sufficiently on the pres, ent rate structure to provide for the salary increases within that time.