Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-09-26
PRESIDENT PLACES
CORNER STONE At
POST OFFICE RITES
Hoover Describes Mails as
Foremost Factor in U. S.
Development.
BROWN AND SMOOT ALSO
GIVE TALKS ON PROGRAM
Executive Places Huge Stone With
Trowel Used by Washington
in Capitol Ceremony.

Laying the corner stone for the Sl0,-
100000 Fost Office Department Build
ing this afternoon, President Hoover
described the postal service as a fore
most factor in the development of this
country.
Postal facilities were looked upon ny
our early statesmen not merely as an
end in themselves, but as powerful
fundamentally for national unity and
national growth" he said. In the first
years of the Republic, the mails followed
the pioneers into our inland territory,
and as the great tide of migration set
toward the West it. was the rapidly
multiplying post routes and the depend
able communication which they afford
ed with the Eastern seaboard that made
possible the eventual extension of our
frontiers to the Pacific
Audience Fills Streets.
Surrounded by a distinguished list
of guests from official and civil life,
the President spoke from flag -draped
stand at Pennsylvania avenue and
Twelfth street, where the building IS
rising, to huge audience which filled
the streets from which traffic had been
cut off. Amplifiers carried to the crowd
his address. which also went out on
the National and Columbia broadcast
ing chains. Mrs Hoover accompanied
the President to the ceremony, which
came on the 143d anniversary of the
establishment of the postal service
under the Constitution.
Speaking with the President were
Postmaster General Walter F. Brown,
who saw the postal service as a power
full inStrumentality in the success of
the Revolution, and Senator Smoot Of
Utah, chairman of the Public Buildings
Commission
At the outset of his speech President
Hoover, as did the speakers who fol-
lowed him, recalled that the corner
stone IS bsirg laid during the celebra-
ten of the 200th anniver-ary Ct the
birth CT George Washington, in whose
nnistration tie postal service had its
origin, and that the building itself fits
in a plan for great Capital which
Washington visioned
Sketching the difficulties under which
the service at first operated and its
advance under the vigorous direction of
the leaders of those times, the President
declared since these early days the
postal service has been a factor second
to no other in the upbui-ding and de-
VetCpnent of odern America
Lauds Postal Workers.
President Hoover lauded the postal
workers Of the country, declaring the
esteem and affection in which the
postal service is held by all our citizens
is deserved tribute to the unfailing
fidelity of these efficient and honorable
public servants"
Detailing the growth of the service.
he said it must constantly be enlarged
and extended to satisfy the increasing
demands which are made upon it, and
IN this connection, he added, it lis an
fundamentally which exists to serve
all the people, and which in its proper
sphere should require little or no sup
port from the Treasury"
The Presidents address came Just be-
fore he placed the huge stone, using
the trowel used by George Washington
in laying the corner stone Of the Capt.
tol, and loaned by Alexandria Washing
ton Lodge, No %, A. F. and A. M.
Postmaster General Brown gave the
Introductory speech, and he was fol-
loyed by Senator Smoot.
Postmaster General Speaks.
Describing the Inauguration of Co.
1onial Postal Service in Massachusetts
in 1889 for the transmission of mail
to England, Postmaster General Brown
told of its growth in the next IA years
when two postal districts were created
one extending north from Virginia to
Canada, and the other south from the
CarOlinaS to the Bahamas
BENJAMIN Franklin he continued
'who had served as postmaster at
Philadelphia, was appointed Postmaster
General for the Northern district, where
he continued in this capacity until
1774
Under Franklin, the Colonial Postal
Service became an efficient system OF
communication, breaking down the
isolation Of the separate Colonies and
building up a national sentiment with
cut which there never could have beer
a successful American revolution.
That 1t was eventually tremend-
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