Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-05
POSTMASTER
MAKES REPORT
TO PRESIDENT
Better Service All
Around, Particular
ly Air Mail, Is Re-
ported


sion program in the American postal
service. particularly IN the air
mail, were set out TODAY BY Post
master General New In his annual
report to President Coolidge which
noted an operating deficit Of $780,
So5,l4o Tor the year ending June 80.
operation of the Jones-White
merchant Marine act. designed to
stimulate American shipbuilding with
AID from postal revenue, was not re-
Elected in the report as New con-
tracts could not be made 20 begin
during the period. The five cent
rate on letters sent hy air also was
made effective since the date Of the
report but Dir. New said that this
contract air mail service appears to
Justify his opinion that private en-
terprise can perform the work
creditably.
The postmaster general recon-
tended amendment Of the March )
act under which contracts were let
during the past year for transport
ing the mails BY air between New
York and Montreal; key West and
a Juan, Porto Rico, and between
hey West and the Canal Zone. ask
ing authority TO make contracts fol
routes between the island possess
slons and foreign countries. between
such island possessions, and over
routes IN foreign countries.
Revenues Increase
The fiscal affairs Of the depart
ment indicate careful and economi-
cal administrator Of the service"
he said. Notwithstanding the de-
crease in the increase Of postal
revenues under those Of the pre-
ceding year. the operating deficit
increased at a lesser rate per cent"
The revenues Of the servic were
PLACID at 1898. 633, 92l, an increase OF
Id per cent over last year when
the increase was 3.53 per cent. The
audited expenditures we're SIPS, 699,-
765. The final estimate Of the sum
needed TO run the department was
sT6O.973.279 and the mount carried
IN the appropriation act, $755, $780,
200.
The task of ascertaining the reve-
nue. derived from and the cost Of
carrying and handling the various
classes OF mail was continued, Mr..
New said, and recommendations for
appropriate legislation will be sub
mitted to congress shortly after il
%convenes.
The average per capita expendi-
ture for postage wss SSH. A re-
duction Of SIS per cent in the num-
Der of unbelievable letters was not
ed, but these dead messages total
led 23.6i9.044 pieces. The decrease
was ascribed to the departments
campaign TO induce mail advertis-
ers to use envelopes bearing return
= ddresses. Money found in dead
letters or loose in the mails total
led S9s.67s and 461.441 parcel
packages went unclaimed.
Il Papers Aided
p Surveys Of all matter mailed free
i. der the penalty privilege By the
nrseral government departments,
1 under the franking privilege ac-
: ded members Of congress show
w ar estimated number of 520.li7.-
. pieces Of mail Had postage been
Lllected the revenue would have
ar en- SIT .634.5iO. II was estimated.
ie postmaster general asked au-
s ioritv TO extend the free mail
privilege 10 the Diplomatic corps and
consuls Of Pan American countries.
Mr.. New reviewed the revision Of
postal rates under the act Of May
20 of this year. Significant changes
made were restoration OF the n
cent rate for private mailing of
mat rorIa .nIvs. -
newspapers and periodicals when
mailed by the general public and on
the advertising portions when mail
ed nv publishers. and merger Of
the special delivery and special
handling charges On matter other
than first class.
American exporters ARE placed al
a serious disadvantage with those
Of competing countries" he said. BY
termination of the parcel post con-
v~ention with Cuba. Cuba refused
TO extend the agreement, he point
81 out. because congress would not
rvb-Al the law prohibiting importa-
ton Of cigars and cigarettes in
quantities Of less than 5000 70 the
package. He termed the law lob
noxious and archaic and said lit
IL hoped that congress will. AZ the
forthcoming session. realize how nm
necessary and Objectionable the
present law IL and how contrary il
is 20 the real interests Of our peo-
pie"
Advises Changes
A long list of recommendations
for legislative action were made.
among them one 70 prohibit the
sending OF unsolicited articles
through the mails for sale. Oth0rs
asked we're: More drastic punish
ment for mail robbers: a fee for
inquiries made for patrons concern
ing rcgisteed. insured ar COLLECTION
delivery mail and postal money or
ders: demurrage charges on unde-
livered collect-on-delivery parcels:
punishment for those attempting TO
extort money through the mails By
mean Of "blackmail': authority 20
require steamship companies TO car
~ the mail when rendered and 70
impose fines on steamship compan
les and air mail lines for
able and unnecessary delays and
other delinduencies; permission 70
hire motor vehicles from carriers
for use in the service. and power
10 define more clearly the author
ity for requiring the delivery. IN sc-
cordsnce with the requirements Of
a.. Soo,r1r,eo4 81 Fo~nfr, MALE