Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
High Postage Rate Opposed
AS Means of Meeting Deficit

Desire to balance the books of the
Gent reason for raising rates on first-
class mail in the opinion Of most OF
The commentators on the subject. Much
OF the debate on the subject stresses the
need of the present service at present
low rates, regardless of the fact tina:
there has been a deficit in the fiscal
year.
1T appears that the business of con-
veying letters and packages and papers
about the country Is an extremely costly
one, and that the revenue falls to meet
the operating expense" comments the
Atlanta Journal. Just why this should
be true is a matter for debate. It may
be because the rate is too low, or 1t may
be because of inefficient management
Naturally, the people will want that
question validly answered before add
tional postage costs are imposed. II
an increase becomes imperative. It's
form still remains to some extent a
problem. Several suggestions already
have been made. One Is that a 21z
cent rate would serve the double pur-.
pose Of increasing postal revenue and
of creating the convenience Of two.
for-a-nickel purchase" The Journal
finds that the "specter of higher rates
has become the target OF enough nos
tility to demolish any but stubborn
spirit"
ut is more than likely that Congress
will have something to say in this mat
ter and political considerations will in
fiuence the final decision" declares the
Santa Barbara Daily News, with the
explanation that 'in the past, under
most administrations, the Post Once
Department has not paid its way" and
the conclusion that Sin any event the
people will pay the postal bill. either
in the form Of increased rates or by
taxation"
People found the 3-cent war rat,
burdensome and England still does so,
remarks the New York Evening Post.
Somewhere behind the popular protest
against increases in any postal rates is
the general conviction that they are
intended to pay for inefhciency and
abuse of privilege at Washington. While
the ranking right is still allowed TO
verbose Congressman, who glut the
mails with tons Of matter which rev OF
their constituents trouble to read. the
average citizen will show small entnusi,
asm for new denominations IN postal
stamps on his personal and business
correspondence"
"Desirable as it is to make receipts
and disbursements more nearly bal.
ance." argues the Salt Lake Deseret
News "it will be unacceptable to effect
this by making the people pay more Tor
postage, or by any cheeseparing OF the
Service. which at present is good, but
none too good. Neither will there be
favor anywhere for the suggestion that
a saving should be effected by reducing
employees salaries. One trouble Win me
fiscal showing Of the Post Once De
nartment is that 1t is burdened with
the load of other departments, such as
public printing, and especially with the
tremendous use, or abuse, Of the FRANK
ing privilege"
the baltimore Sun, that President
Hoover entertains the idea, attributed
to him by some, of trying to convert the
postal service into moneynaking IN
stitution. And it is even more unlikely
that he could succeed even II he mar
bored the notion. In dealing with 9
postal deficit, the major consideration is
net It's size, but what the public is get
ting for its money: At present that is
NOT clear, because of loose methods OF
presenting Federal accounts. When the
accounts are ironed out, all subsidies
labeled, and the operating efficiency q
the post office clearly pictured, 1t Will
oe time to decide on postal-rate change.
whether a Government service
should pay its own way or not as
viewed by the Houston Chronicle. lis to
be determined by the social value OF
that service. In the case Of the Post
once Department, 1t seems that the
service It performs far outweighs the
necessity for its paying its own way:
The same Is true Of the Departments OF
Commerce and Agriculture, the Coast
Guard and the Army and Navy.
Il would not be surprising to find that
Mr.. Hoover had something else than
post once 'Sprofits in mind when he
sroke Of tiaeydeficit. The Democrats are