Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20
SENATOR EXPLAINS
POSTAL SHORTAGE
Mcclellan, Committee Mem.
Der, Tells of Service Over
Radio Forum.

Charging that the Interstate Com
Tnerce Commission was exceedingly
generous" to the railroads in fixlng
postal rates, Senator Kenneth Nickel
lar, member of the Senate committee on
Inended over the National Radio
Forum last night, repeal of the act
giving the commission jurisdiction over
such rates, and transfer to the POST
master General of that authority:
Speaking through station WMAL
over a Nation wide network OF the
forum, which is arranged by The Star
and sponsored by the Columbia Broad
casting System, Senator Mcclellan also
questioned the wisdom of giving to the
Postmaster General the power to grant
subsidies to the steamship lines for
carrying foreign mail.
These two factors were charged by
the Senator as being partly responsible
for the large postal deficit, which, he
said, had also been partly caused oy
building up the air mail service ana oy
increasing and building up the rural
route system.
Deficit Not Alarming.
Referring to the $95,000,000 postal
deficit for 1929, the Senator said, Tnere
Is nothing to get excited about IN TINS
particular post office de1cit, ana no
reason whatever for raising rates or
cutting salaries"
THE speaker was particularly insistent
that no salaries in the postal service De
cut. as he felt that the relatively hlgh
salaries paid were we'll JUSTIFIED IN the
eficient service rendered to the whole
American people Praising the work OF
the postal service employees, senator
Mcclellan said, There is no department
in the Government that is as emclenuy
rim as is the Post ONCE Department.
"CJnder no consideration" he de-
cIared. should there be thought OF
cutting the salaries in our post once
The power of fixing postal rates,
which the Senator would take away
from the Interstate Commerce Commits,
sion by repeal of the act, he proposed
to give to the Postmaster General.
Would Be Efficient.
GAS every one knows" said the Sena-
tor. the Interstate Commerce Commls-
sion as 1t Is at present organized, is ex-
ceedingly generous to the railroads IN
aging rates. The Congress made q
commission to regulate the postal rates
The service could be better served and
more efficiently served II the Postmaster
General had the power to make rates Dy
contract with the various rallroaos
carrying the mail"
The operation of a recent law giving
the Postmaster General power to grant
subsidies to the steamship lines Tor
carving foreign mail has been expen-
sive. the speaker said, adding that the
wisdom of this subsidy system Is ex-
ceedingly doubtful" This matter" he
said. Should be carefully recanvassed by
the Congress- and greater savings would
be manifested by our Government"
Text of Address.
The text of Senator McKellar's ad-
dress follows:
So much has been published in the
papers lately about the tremendous
postal deficit of $95 100000 for the
year 1929 and the probably large deficit
for the year 1880, and SO much has aisc
been written about the increase In the
cost of postage stamps that I have
been asked to explain the postal situa-
ton. I have served as a member OF
the post ONCE and post roads COM
mittee all during my Is years service
in the Senate, and I suppose my IA
niliarity with the workings Of the
Post ONCE Department is the reason
for calling on me to make this talk.
I want to state to you in advance that
it is a dry subject, and for that reason
ask your indulgence. I want to make
the story as interesting as I can.
am simply the guest, so to speak, OF
The Evening Star, and I am talking on
a subject that that splendid paper has
chosen.
The Post ONCE Department of the
United States is the greatest business
institution of this or any other govern
ment. The year 1929 shows postal
business of over 100000, 900, and the
activities of this department reach every
corporation, every man, every woman
and every child and every institution
in the United States. Its connection
with the people is the most intimate
connection that the people have with
their Government. The President OF
the United States could go off for a
three-month trip, and the Government
would run just the same. The Con-
gress could stand adjourned six months
in the year, and the Government would
run without material change. The
Supreme Court of the United States
could fail to hold sessions for a year,
and only few. would be delayed or
injured. The Department of State and
Sundry other departments might cease
to function for a year, and not any
one would be especially hurt, but IL the
Post Once Department were to cease
its operation for one single day, the in
terestS of more than hundred millions
of people would be affected. Such are
the ramifications of this great institu-
ton into every nook and Granny of this
great Nation. don't believe the people
of the United States realize the enor-
nous value and the almost perfect con-
venience of our great postal system in
the United States BY long ODDS 1t Is
the greatest postal system ever inSti-
tuted under any government in all the
world.
History of the Department.
None other than DIR. Benjamin Frank
lin was the first Postmaster General in
the United States. He was appointed
in ITS for the Colonies, and he was
given compensation of 81 900 per an
mum, with secretary at $40 per an
mum. The mail service was by con-
tract and on horseback. as there were
few or no ads at that time. The
postage was almost prohibitive,y being
about IS cents to carry letter from
Georgetown to New York, and increas-
ing ! cent for every IL miles. When
Mr. Washington appointed Samuel Os-
good first Postmaster General under the
new Government, the receipts from the
Post ONCE Department that year
amounted to only $4,000. At that time
there were but rs postmasters and 1000
miles of post roads. 1t must be re-
membered that it was very difhcult to
transport mail in the early history OF
our country. There were no steamship
lines, there were no railroads and very
few other kinds of passable roads. OF
course, there were no telephones, no
telegraphs, no steamship mails, no
railroad mails, no air mails, and it Is
easy to see what must have been the
great difnculty that our Government
had in transporting communications
from one part of the country to the
other.
From the very beginning it was de-
clared to be the policy of the Govern
raak IN ~ ko rnn1aev mt 0f the Y0StaI