Evening star., 1930-12-07
Capital Sidelights


busiest unit in Congress these days get
ting out the big supply bills, which Is
the one particular Job Of the present
'1ame-duck" session.
For example: When the doughty lit
tie warrior, Representative George Hol-
den T1nkham Of Massachusetts,, with
some reputation as q clever amateur
boxer and tmplacable foe Of prohibi-
ton, who is o member of the Appropri-
ationS Committee, has always ridden
hard the prohibition enforcement offl-
cials as they came annually to justify
th2 appropriations asked for. was in
troSuced the other day to Col. Amos
w. w. Woodcock, director of prohibi-
ton, ne bristled up to him with chest
thrown out and mock forensic attitude,
and the following pleasant dialogue
was overheard:
Representative Tinkham: 80 you
are my adversary?"
Director woodcock: "Oh, I wouldn't
Say that. Haven't heard that you are
q big game hunter7"-referring to the
fact that the Massachusetts, scion Of
several MayfioWer passengers has a
wonderful collection Of trophies of his
hunting prowess in Africa and other
rugged lands.
Representative Tinkham with char
acteriStic r1odesty): "Yes, have done
Q little Shooting, but what has that to
do with my being your adversary"
Director Woodcock: "Oh, 1 was Just
wondering why an elephant hunter
cock?"
An echo Of the recent campaign crept
through the keyhole Of the hearing
room when John w. Philip, one Of the
Assistant PostmAsters Geeral, was testi-
| tying regarding q IL per cent in
crease in postal savings deposits. Chair
man Wood recalled that during the
campaign he had read q statement in
the newspapers that seemed to him
| paradoxical. Mr.. Philip knew lust what
ne referred to and explained that
| one man In the campaign said that
the money in the country was in the
hAnos or rich people instead of pool
people. He said that All the money in
the savings banks belonged to rich
people, but We showed that there had
been an increase Of II Der cent plll,
u postal savings. OF course, rich people
90 not uss postal savings"
AA&
You have often noted that little
leather pouch from which the lette,
carrier abstracts your letters. and thu
strap ne uses to hold securely together
. packet Of letters or papers. You are
now advised by experts in the poSta
service that It viii cost Uncle San
xzoo,oOO next year to supply the pro.
portion Of new satchels and straps that
VIII be needed.
AND the corner letter box-it is eoine
20 cost 100000 next year for new iettej
boxes TO replace those that are bevonc
SAFE use ana to install q few at new
actually weighed, there is so '" no,,ct al; u;
the bulk Of mail that has to be weiobeG
oaly that 1t will cost $46,O 900 next veaI
service. pU' ~
~ costs nearly half million dollar,
year to buy twine and tying device,
ior the postal service, H. r. Nichol
Deputy Fourth Assistant Postr1aste,
General In charge Of procurement told
the congressman who questioned him
owing to depression in India the Unite
staoes government is buying its tWinI
supply 2 cents under the normal cost.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster Genera
5nnp dlsclosed that the Bureau OF
STANDARDS has been asked to work oII1
special lightweight and soft-cotton
tw1ne that could be substituted, and the
department Of Justice has been AskeT
70 nave the cotton twine made in United
states peniSentiArieA. "Of course. cot.
ton Is one of our distressed products r.
tnls country and we would like tn IIEa 1,
II we could" said Mr.. Philip.
! "a 3
uncle Sam figures that he ha,
cleaned up something over $500, ,00t
through the operation of the Philateij,
agency In Washington. Frederic a
Lhton, Third Assistant PostrtastA,
General, explained to the members d
Congress that there was a s1bstantis
increase in sales at this agency las
year, which totaled S317,l73.35. n,
pointed out that the stamps solC
through this agency are not used fol
postage and. consequently, to that ex.
tenC represent q net gain for the Gov.
ernment except for the cost of manu-.
facturs.
The small adhesive stamps which
you use on your letters are made a
the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
Wnere all paper money and bonds ot
tne Government are engraved aIc
printed. Postal cards are printed at the
! Government Printing ONCE. The
stamped envelopes are made by q prt.
vate contractor in Dayton, Ohio, from
die furnished by the Government.
| y \
The special delivery stamps result in
fees paid to messengers Of Approximate
~ quarter Of q million dollars a year
The boy gets Q cents and the Govern
n1A0t HnAAfVAN 4
the Post Once Department figure lust
about meets the cost of handling the
special delivery letter. Most of the spe.
cial delivery boys In big centers have
cars and average around 114O to $3.50
. month. In the smaller cities the BOYS
use bicycles and received from $40 tn
$40 month, according to Arch Cole
man, First Assistant Postmaster Gen.
eral.
Uncle Sam has special appropriation
every year out of which rewards are
paid postal employees for inventions
which anect material economy or in
creased en1ciency. The amounts paid
70 the individuals generally run S2b to
sou. Inc largest amount paid was five
ardiOed pay tables for use in ali post
omces, by which in addition to irlsur-
ing much greater accuracy, labor In
making out the semi-monthly pay rolls
mas been greatly reduced.
For safety guard device for use ON
punch presses at the United States mail
equipment shops, through which the
regular annual list of accidents to per
sonnel mas been reduced to practically
Zero $3.50 reward was paid three years
ago. Rewards Of 500 each were paid
Tor the development of q new and high
speed form OF cutting device for lacino
coroS for mail bags; and for the in
xentlon OF the double-faced facing table
for the New York post ONCE, wherein
10 men are accommodated at each tahls
lnALo2A Of q hn.AkaA..