Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-25
President Returns From Rap
idan After Hearing Depart
ments Outline Economies.
44-HOUR WEEK TO ADD
TO BROWNS EXPENSES
Senator Robinson Assails Redue-
tons in Face of Pleas to Spend
Money.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
President Hoover returned to his desk
today with little hope Of eliminating
the Post ONCE Department deficit this
year, but with the expectation of tria-
ming its expenditures by $4,000, 900.
OF this amount $3S 100000 has been
saved during the present fiscal year,
which ends June 30. and the remainder
is expected to be Topped of during the
next fiscal year.
The presidential party left the Rapi-
dan camp about daybreak today and
motored leisurely to the Capital over
dirt roads made slippery by last nights
severe rainstorm. Most of the officials
who participated in the conferences re-
turned yesterday.
Takes in $4,000, 900.
An official announcement of the con-
ference said the $15,o0O,oo saving for
next year took into consideration a
$l3,oo0,0o0 increase in expenses that
would result from enforcement of the
44-hour-work-week law passed by the
last Congress. Economies in the next
year are expected to reach $4,000, 900,
leaving the net of $4,000 900.
A comprehensive program to increase
efficiency was formulated at the con-
ference which Postmaster General
Brown and the four Assistant POST
masters General-Glover, Philip, Tilton
and Coleman-had with the President.
In the tentative schedule agreed upon,
neither decreased personnel nor salary
cuts were included
The official announcement said post
ONCE receipts this year probably would
be $58,0O0,0 900 below original estimates.
Postmaster General Brown had esti-
mated the department would have q
$3.50, 1000, 900 deficit this year.
Arch Coleman, First Assistant Post
master General, said the S38 ,oOO. 600
reduction this fiscal year was due large
~ to vacancies in personnel which had
not been filed.
Finds Service Overmarned.
A decrease Of z to Is per cent in
the bulk of mail handled since the
depression began, he said, had left the
postal service overmanned to some ex-
tent.
To meet this situation without an
outright reduction of personnel, va
cancies resulting from deaths, retire.
ments and discharges for cause had not
been filled, he added.
This policy had lowered the total
personnel by about 2.100. Coleman said,
adding that both the regular post of-
nee service and the railway mail serv.
ice had been affected.
Not single employee has been dis
charged except for cause" lie con-
tinued. He added the decrease in reve-
nues was apparent in both railway and
steamship mail, but airmail had shown
a steady increase.
The Interior Department intends TO
save $17,000,000 to $19,00O00 while the
Army consolidation campaign, involv-
ing the disposal of So military posts,
will add to the economies.
Robinson AssaiIs Hoover.
AS the post Office announcement was
made, Senator Robinson, Democrat,
Arkansas, criticized the President for
cutting down on post Office deliveries"
and decreasing Navy Personnel"
Although early in the panic" every
one was "exhorted to spend money"
Robinson said the government under
President Hoover's direction is engag-
ing "in just such campaign of re-
duction as he specifically bound private
industry to avoid"
Representative Kelly of Pennsylvania,
Republican member Of the House Post
Once Committee, said If the President
and Postmaster General intend to cur
tail service to effect the economy in
the Post Office Department it will be a
bad policy and will be opposed in the
next Congress.
Increased volume of mail is the an
swer to the postal problem of today. and
We certainly can't get an increase by a
reduction of service" he said
Meanwhile, Secretary Mellon, in the
face of decreasing income and a pro-
spective deficit of $500, 000, 900 this year,
called for revision of the tax system.
He also said another deficit could be
expected next year.
Last Thursday the deficit was
$685.. 67o,314.