Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10

and this is largely in defiance Of con-
sistent rates or policies.
For example, a letter can be sent to
England, Ireland, Scotland and Spain
for 2 cents, but letter coming back
from England costs 3 cents. and one
going to or coming from France or any
other part of Europe costs cents.
Before the war the rate to and from
Germany was cents (while to France
it has always been 5 cents, but dur
ing the war the German rate was in
creased to 5 cents. and has never been
changed back, following the treaty OF
peace.
There are many observers who fail to
appreciate the policy Of subsldlz1ng
railroads and steamships by paying an
arbitrary rate for carrying the malls
a rate much higher than paid by the
public for frst-class freight or express
cargoes. Critics of the present low
postage rates, involving an annual def
cit, declare that President Hoover will
recommend the readjustment OF post
age so that the beneficiaries Of the
service, and not the general taxpayer,
shall pay for that service. If that
principle be adopted, will it not also
apply to the railroads and steamships,
so that they shall be paid by the Gov
shippers for a similar class of ship
ments? Why should the general tax
payer, living thousand miles or three
thousand miles from a certain railroad,
be taxed to support that railroad?
A few years ago there was a great
hue and cry over the financial loss on
second class matter at the postage rate
of l cent pound for newspapers and
periodicals. Thereupon, the express
companies stepped in and offered to
carry second class matter any distance
not exceeding 500 miles from the pub
fishing Office for a half cent pound,
and they did it as commercial enter
prise giving them a profit. They did not
deliver papers to individual subscribers
but carried in bulk from the presSroom
to the newsdealer. Post Office service
requires the publisher to haul his
papers to the post Office for mailing, but
the express companies did that hauling,
taking the load at the presSroom. and
doing the transportation at half price
for a profit. barring the final distribu-
ton to individuals.
The persistent growth of the postal
service is shown by the revenue in
1906 and the fiscal year. ended June 80.
able) In 1906, the total revenue
amounted to s167,932, 1925, while in
1928 it was $693, 633, 921 .45-an increase
to four times as great in % years. A
century ago, the total revenue was less
than $4,000,000.
There are so many improvements in
the service today which did not exist
prior to the last few years that 1t Is
hard to realize the fullness of the serv-
t.
service was begun in 1855; free delivery
in cities in 1868; money orders in 1864;
special delivery in 1885; rural free de-
livery in 1896; postal savings system in
1911: parcel post in 1913 and air mail
in 1918.
The newest service is the air mail.
In 1925, laws were enacted providing
for the transfer of air mail lines to
private contractors. Payments to such
contractors in the fiscal year of 1926
288 and in 1928 to $4,042,777. Appro-
priations for contract air mail for 1929
totaled $11 ,430, 900, and for 1880, $13,-
100000, exclusive of $4,300,000 appro-
priated for our foreign air mail service.
Postmaster General Brown has ex-
pressed the view that too much is be-
ing paid to some of the air mail con-
CraCCOrS, DuC PTeSlQenC HOOVER Is pdTCldl
to the continued improvement Of that
new branch of the service, and Is un-
derstood to oppose the curtailment of
the subsidies to commercial aviation in
the form of a liberal allowance for
carrying the mails.
X r X
In 1927 and 1928, American ships of
contract ocean carriers received between
100000 and $7,000,000, of which at
least half was understood to be subsidy
for the maintenance of an American
merchant marine. Appropriations for
ocean mail have increased from $780,
900 in 1928 to s23 200, 600 for the fiscal
year now running, to expire next June
80. Hence it is apparent that while
the annual deficit of the entire postal
service is viewed with alarm" the
hberality in subsidies, in the guise of
carrying the mails. continues to prevail
with undated zeal.
So long as complete control over
postage rates and classification of mail
matter is retained by Congress and not
intrusted to experienced post Office ex-
pertS there must be deficits and in
eQualities. Efficiency and economy are
subordinate to political considerations
In every branch. The whole matter
viii be very live topic in the coming
session of Congress, opening on the
first Monday in December.