Evening star., 1938-04-21

age on matter relating to the census
when sending it to the Census Office
or on articles sent to the copyright
once in pursuance of the provisions
Of the copyright law. Certain books
and periodicals in raised characters
for use by the blind may also be car
.ried free.
With few exceptions, all free mail
must relate exclusively to the business
OF the Government, but there is legally
no way to enforce this provision
against members of Congress. Some
years ago it was found that the secre-
tary Of Congressman was enjoying
fresh vegetables grown in the Con-
gressman's district by having them
mailed to him at the expense Of the
Federal Government in packages
labeled Public Documents"
Opinion Prevents Abuses.
The force Of public opinion, how
ever. Is usually enough to prevent such
fragrant abuses. When discovered,
they are called to the attention of
the member of Congress, with the
request that he pay full postage for
all the matter improperly franked.
He usually complies. There is no
penalty.
Although penalty is plainly pro-
Vided for the misuse of the free mail
privilege by the Government depart
npntc ~ hoe caIlpy,,
In order to collect the fine it would
be necessary to sue the offender and
obtain judgment against him. Mel
son B. Wentzel, superintendent of the
classification division of the Post
Office is able to remember only a few
indictments and no convictions on
this charge during his 81 years of
service with the department.
The most celebrated case occurred
within the Post Office itself Twelve
years ago Arch Coleman was First
Assistant Postmaster General. He
delivered a political speech in Detroit
and sent out several hundred COPIES
OF 1t under the penalty mail privilege.
The postal official was called upon
to pay full postage on every copy.
Counts OF franked and penalty mail
are made at regular intervals in Wash
ington and New York post offices, as
the department has, since 1890, been
permitted to claim credit for loss of
revenue in this way in its annual finan-
cial report. The amount of free mail
has more than doubled under the
New Deal. Most of this increase is in
the penalty mail and is due to the
creation Of the many independent
agencies.
Last year the department carried
1,l07,252,468 pieces of mail, which
would have brought in a revenue of
s33,7l3.305 if regular postage rates
had been charged OF this, $50 9,352,0 ,068
pieces, worth 32,236.26e, were charge
able to the Government departments
and establishments, while members of
Congress were responsible for S751,579
worth, of 29,747,4l1 pieces.
Precedent Continues.
Congress shares the franking privil-
ege with widows of Presidents. who
alone have the right to mail personal
letters free of postage This practice
dates back to Martha Washington.
Al the expiration of the first Presi-
dents second term. a special act was
passed providing that all mail sent to
or by him should be carried free for
the rest of his life. This privilege
was extended to his widow upon his
death. Former Presidents were per-
mitted TO frank their mail until 1873.
and the precedent thus set Of giving
the privilege to their widows has con-
tinued until the present day Begin
ming with Mrs William Mckinley,
however. the privilege has been ap-
plicable only to matter mailed by
these widows and not to them.
Widows of Presidents who now
possess the franking privilege include
Mrs. Calvin Coolidge, Mrs. Woodrow
Wilson, Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Mrs
William Howard Taft. Mrs. Benjamin
Harrison and Mrs. Thomas Preston
jr. twidow of Grover Cleveland). In
the fiscal year 1896 they wrote 4,73s
letters on which they saved s246 in
postage.
Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert Hoover, how
ever. must purchase stamps for all
their mail. But if the former Presi-
dent should be the first to die. a spe-
cial act Of Congress will probably per-
nit his wife to join that select group
of widows who can put their sigma
ture on an envelope in lieu of stamp