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

suits OF an improvement, and eXpan-
u 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,l4S for the year ending June 50.
NJ operation OF the Jones-M hite
merchant Marine act. designed to
stimulate American shipbuilding with
aid from postal revenue. was not re-
ilected In the report as new con-
tracts could not be made to begin
during the period. The five cent
rate on letters sent BY air also was
made effective since the date Of the
report but Mr.. New said that the
contract air mail service appears to
Justify his opinion that private en-
terprise a perform the work
crcditably.
The postmaster general recon-
mendod amendment of the March s
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
~1oAs a uElD hANUs anu UtLMGG0
hey West and the Canal Zone. ask
ing authority to make contracts for
routes between the island possess
SONS 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 administration 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 ate per cent"
The revenues OF the servic were
PLACID at 1898. 1888 .92l. an increase OF
l.54 per cent over last year when
the increase was 1853 per cent. The
audited expenditures were S725, $685.
165. The final estimate of the sum
needed to run tho department was
ST~60.973.279 and the amount carried
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 ii
%convenes.
IL The average per capita expendi-
kure for postage vss S5.1l. A re-
of So per cent in the num-
uthof of unbelievable letters was not
Pres.'ut these dead" messages total
20 ais, 3~.6i9.0I4 pieces. The decrease
,rrew .scrsbed to the departments
D. align TO induce mail adyertis-
80 use envelopes bearing return
"nie' ises. Money found in dead
. Dull or loose in the mails total
I Lare S9s,67S and 46i AL parcel
ears. es went unclaimed.
Papers Aided
SAN Bl'ys of all matter mailed free
,ok forv ~ penalty privilege by the
inning government departments,
e;t;e der the franking privilege nc
tn. r members Of congress show
! estimated number of 520.ll7.-
res pieces Of mail Had postage been
collected the revenue would have
been l7.634.5l0. it was estimated.
The postmaster general asked au-
thority 10 extend the free mail
privilege 10 the ~dinlomatic corps and
consuls Of Pan American countries.
Mr.. New reviewed the revision of
postal rates under the act of May
% of this year. Significant changes
made were restoration Of the one
cent rate for private mailing Of
post cards. reduction in rates on
newspapers and periodicals when
mailed by the general public and on
the advertising portions when mail
ed bv publishers. and merger Of
the special delivery and ypecial
handling charges On matter other
than first class.
American exporters ARE placed at
a serious disadvantage with those
Of competing countries" he said. by
termination Of the parcel post con-
vention with Cuba. Cuba refused
to extend the agreement, he point
81 out. because would not
ieb~Al the law prohibiting importa-
tion Of cigars and cigarettes in
quantities Of less than 5000 to the
package. He termed the law cob
noxious and archaic" and said tit
is hoped that congress will. az the
forthcoming session. realize how un-
necessary and Objectionable the
present law Is and how contrary il
is 20 the real interests Of our peo-
pic"
Advises Changes
A long list Of recommendations
for legislative action were made.
among them one T. prohibit the
sending of unsolicited articles
through the mails for sale. Others
asked were: More drastic punish
ment for mail robbers: a fee for
inquiries made for patrons concern
ing registeed. insured or collect-os-
delivery mail and postal money or
ders: demurrage charges on unde-
livered collect-on-deliverv parcels:
punishment for those attempting "a
extort money through the mails by
means of "blackmail": authority to
require steamship companies 20 car
~ the mail when rendered and u
impose fines on steamship compa
les and air mail lines for u%r
able and unnecessary delays and
other delinuuencies: permission 70
hire motor vehicles from carriers
for use in the service. and power
TO define moro clearly the author
ity for requiring the delivery. IN &C
cordance with the requirements ~
the department. OF foreign mails
brought by steamships from abroad.