Evening star., 1932-08-07
Capital Sidelights
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

Consider the humble envelope-so
rtIthlessly slit open and cast aside.
The manufacture Of those envelopes
is an important industry with an in
teresting historical background.
Uncle Sam himself Is a big consumer
of envelopes. Contracts are made for
envelopes in tremendous quantities by
two agencies of the Government. The
Post once Department makes four-year
contracts for some 10000, 100000 en-
velopes at cost Of Sl3,000,000. The
Joint Committee on Printing Of Con-
gress opens bids annually for the en-
velope supply for the Government
Printing Offlce-approximately 50,000,-
900 envelopes at a cost OF approximately
$60,000
Now this so important container-the
envelopes a comparatively recent in
novation which revolutioniZed the postal
service. While crude, handmade en-
velopes made their appearance early in
the nineteenth century, the historians
C.. M. Hammond and others-record
that the first efficient machine for the
manufacture Of envelopes did not make
its appearance until 1845.
Until the days of the sealed envelope
there was little or no secrecy in the
mails, and it was the usual practice
rather than an exception for any one
who handled letter in transit to boldly
read 1t. Not only was secrecy thus vio-
lated by individuals but, according to
tradition and biographies, the post
master generally gave wide publicity tc
matters Of public interest or gossip In
such letters. The postmaster was
usually the publisher of newspaper
and cleaned most Of his news out Of the
letters that passed through his hands
This advantage in getting the news was
decidedly helpful to the postmaster in
breaking down any opposition by rival
newspaper publishers.
Benjamin Franklin, in his autobiog-
raphy, complains that Bradford, riva
in the publishing business in Phila-
delphia, 'aS he kept the post office, had
better opportunities Of obtaining the
news" This seems to have made quite
an impression upon Franklin ano
aroused his business sagacity, because
subsequently he accepted the postmast'
ership in Philadelphia, even though the
salary was small. He gave this reason
1T facilitated the correspondence thai
| improved my newspaper"
The advent of the sealed envelope
while it cramped the style OF the post
master publisher, gave a very health!
impetus to the growth OF the posta
service by encouraging the transmits
matter which formerly required thu
employment Of special messengers. To-
day the sacred secrecy Of the mails
| with the thin sealed envelope as tht
only barrier to prying eyes, but with
| the Government mandate against any
| tampering with the mails in transit, il
a strong business bulwark. Without i
business could not be transacted a.
promptly and economically. Withou
| the sealed envelope our modern posta
system would never have grown 10 IL
gigantic proportions
The growth Of the envelope manu-
featuring industry in the United State
| really dates from the introduction O
the efficient folding and cumming ma
chine in 1845, and even then its groWtf
was halting and draggy until 1858: II
| that year a uniform rate OF postage
regardless of distance. was adoptee
and the use of the mails began u
increase by leaps and bounds, with :
corresponding increase IN tne oeillali.
| for envelopes.
There's another little illustration fol
youth of how stick-to-itiveness orlng'
big results.
Former Senator Atlee Pomerene o.
Ohio the new Democratic ch1ef OF tns
Hoover Reconstruction Finance Corpo,
ration forces, was years ago interested
In the rent investigation IN Wasnlns
ton because it affected the great army
of Government employees, which lnVeS'
, tiration has Just been resumed py
Special Senate Subcommittee headed oI
Senator Capper of Kansas, by dlrectlor
of a resolution unanimously passed o1
the Senate. -.
Pomerene had been punctuating thu
Congressional Record with daily IN,
dulgence in debate regarding the peace
treaty and the League OF Nations. III
GRATED proliflcally, VERSATILITY ana ire
uuently on the subject, and the Word'
! League Of Nations" were won't to nov
as fuently from his tongue as the pro-
verbal water from ducks back"
When the anti-rent-prohteering pro
posal as a rider on the food control Dill
was under discussion Senator Pomerene
with habitual acceleration, jumped Il
, his feet and Joined in the debate. Sen
| ator Norris, or Senator Smoot, or Sen
ator Gronna, or some other Senator en-
gagged in the forensic tussle had sug
| geSted that the mighty army OF Gov
ernment employees in Washington hat
precipitated the housing shortage which
had given an opportunity for rent goug
! ing and profiteering. and that it Nigh
be a good solution to discharge larg
part of these girl workers, then known
! as war workers" most OF whom nav
long since disappeared from the Gov
ernment pay rolls.
Then Senator Pomerene very earnest
| " began: II share the view of the Sen
| ator from Minnesota CMr. Kellogg, sine
Secretary of State) that there are 10
of supernumerary clerks" etc, and h
continued: II share the opinion of th'
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Norris.
! and the Senator from North Dakot;
| (Mr. Gronna) that we should be yer!
derelict in our duty If we did not dC
something for the League Of" anc
then he heard chickering's and saw hi
colleagues given over to mirth. Quickly
he checked his errant tongue and cor
rected himself do something fol
| the relief Of the people in the Distric
Of Columbia in their distress"