Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-04-05
Our Government
How 1t Operates
BY William Bruckars
HANDLING THE MAIL

Inere are regular mails
now between North and Central and
South America. service operating
with much more frequency than did
the transcontinental mails a little
more than half a century ago. And
there is the projected transatlantic
mail, something more near realiza-
tion than is generally anticipated.
These facts are cited merely to
show that the postal service never
stands still, either literally or fig.
u%ratively. 1t is growing at all times,
even as u nation expands. / be-
lieve its history justlies the asser-
ton that no service of our govern
ment has greater flexibility, none
that can adapt itself so quickly to
conditions, as can this agency of
government.
More than 90 per cent of the work
ers of the postal service hold their
places by reason of having met civil
service tests, making their appoint
ment n of permanency.
So much attention has been de-
voted to this class, the bulk of the
postal service, as a means of con-
trastlng them with the political ap-
pointees who hold higher posts by
title but whose Importance to you
and to me is not nearly so great. |
believe that the majority of the po-
litical a%ppointees among the post
masters throughout the country rem
der a patriotic service. 1t is un-
fair to criticize all of them for the
shortcomings of some of their num-
Der, but too often has 1t been found
that a postmaster, supported by the
political leaders of a community, Is
not the person whom the majority
of the patrons of that Office would
select. But in our country, the
spoils of a political victory go to
the winning party at the polls, and
postmasterships constitute no small
part of the patronage that can be
used to pay political debts.
The fiexibillty of the postal serv-
Ice has permitted 1t to operate on
a basis as nearly like private busi-
ness as possible. 1t has to have
several rules, Of course, and these
have to be rather rigid, but con-
slider how a postmaster Is author
lied to arrange for the receipt Of
letters from ar established firm
without requiring them to be
stamped and how It receives the
newspapers without payment of
postage in advance. Private busi-
ness would operate that way; 1t
would extend credit" so to speak,
to reputable patrons. So the post
master is permitted to arrange for
''metered' mail, avoiding the use
of stamps, and for collection of the
postage at stated times. Newspa-
pers are handled the same way.
The "metering" of mail is a COM
paratively new practice. Arrange
ments having been made by the firm
or individual who desires to use the
privilege, the letters are received at
designated points, either the main
or branch office, and they are run
through q meter for counting and
cancellation of the place where the
stamps are placed by individuals
posting only one or a few letters.
That machine stamps a cancellation
that AYERS that the required post
age has been paid, which, of course,
1t has not been, but the postmaster
knows 1t will be. Millions of pieces
Of frst-class mail are sent that way
each year and the practice Is in
creasing because 1t does away with
labor to attach the stamps.
In handling newspapers, weight is
the governing factor, and the post.
master requires periodical reweigh-
Ing to arrive at a determination of
postage due. 1t avoids Weighing
every shipment, thus saving time,
and the postage is paid at intervals,
thus avoiding bookkeeping and
transfer of smaller amounts of
money.
Congress has kept its finger on
the pulse of the postal service by
retaining the right to fix the rates
that shall be charged, except with
respect to the airmail service. 1t
has granted many privileges, such
as those mentioned above. however,
to meet everyday business require
ments. Control Of the rates, 1t must
be said, properly remains In con-
gress because the federal legislators
are supposed to represent their o n
stituents, and rate changes have
such a far reaching effect that the
power to make them should rest
with the representatives of those
who pay the toll.
With the airmail, a different cir
cumstance exists. 1t Is In the ma
ture Of a special service. 1t must
be done by special contract, and
none knew when 1t was initiated
how successful II could be made or
what the cost would have to be- So
the postmaster general fixes the
rate we all pay when we want TO
send a letter or package In such a
hurry that we mark 1t for dispatch
by airplane. This delegation of
power to the postmaster general has
enabled the gradual expansion of
the airmail service until now 1t