Evening star., 1933-04-18

20 no further in curtailment than Is
absolutely necessary to accomplish that
object No essential postal facility VIII
be disturbed I am sure that in TINS
period of emergency the department Will
have the forbearance and cooperation
of postal patrons and postal employees
alike in dispensing with facilities that
are not essential.
Now a word about postage rates. The
3-cent rate has brought us in some ad-
ditional revenue. On the other hand. IL
has discouraged business correspondence,
particularly in the local field, that is
mail addressed for delivery in the city
where mailed.
The cost of delivering local mail Is
very much less, naturally, than that for
out-of-town mail, and I am disposed to
believe that under any and all condl-
tions the public is entitled to rate not
exceeding 2 cents on local letters.
Valuable Business Aid.
In its normal sphere the postal serv-
ice is one of the most valuable busi-
ness aids. High postage rates GO far
toward destroying its usefulness in this
particular. The restoration Of the 2
cent rate upon first-class mail matter
would unquestionably contribute strong
ly to the revival Of trade and INDUS
try. l am glad to say that the ad-
miniStration proposes to bring this
about at the earliest possible moment.
AS preliminary step in this direction
it will recommend to the present ses-
sion of Congress the restoration Of the
2-cent rate upon local mail. At the
same time it will recommend that the
President be granted authority to re-
duce the rate upon nonlocal mail as
/ soon as this. in his Judgment can be
done without endangering the postal
revenues.
Now I think I have given you fair
picture of the poet Office layout. Be-
fore concluding let me say something
about the policy of the administration
in appointing poStmasterS. There are
Is 900 post Offices of the first, second
and third classes in which the post
master is appointed by the President,
subject to confirmation by the Senate.
There will be no change in the practice
of making such appointments from
lists of three eligibleS established by
the Civil Service Commission. In &C
cordance with the intention of the law
and with the unbroken custom, the ad-
miniStration'S friends will be appointed
to these places; but they must be ef-
ficient and capable men and women. OF
high standing in their respective COM
munities, and we know of no reason
for departure from the principle estab-
lished III 1917 by President Wilson Of
determining the fitness of applicants
by civil service examination. I may
add that the department has no inten-
ton of abandoning the historic custom
of inviting the advice of members Of
Congress with respect to the qualiflca-
tionS and fitness Of eligible applicants
in the various congressional districts.
Presidential postmasters are appoint
ed for a term of four years. There
are now approximately $500 cases in
which the term of the present incum-
bent has expired and the successors Of
these $500 postmaSters will be named
as promptly as circumstances will per-
nit. In the remaining cases it will
be the policy of the administration to
retain all postmasters with good rec
ordS until the normal expiration of
their terms. No postmaster at any
presidential Office who has been dill
gent and efficient in the performance
of his duties. who has refrained from
offensive political activity and who has
the respect of his patrons need fear
that he will be removed simply to
make room for some one else.
Summing up: 1 have sought to give
you fairly complete idea of our plans