Evening star., 1947-11-27
Donaldson S Selection
To Succeed Hanneqan
Smashes Precedents
Post Office Cureermun
Removes Tint Of Politics
From Monopoly Business
Bv David Laurence

dent Of long standing when he ap-
pointed a former letter carrier to be
Postmaster General. He really broke
. more important precedent-he ap-
pointed man who knows some
thing about the biggest business the
Government operates.
For years the Post Once Depart
ment has been the football Of party
politics. Republican and Democra-
tic administrations have brazenly
used the cabinet portfolio as polit-
ical reward. Then, to add insult to
injury, they have both permitted the
Postmaster General to manage the
political party affairs-all at the
public expense.
Every now and then one of these
Postmasters General would take q
deep interest in postal affairs. This
was the exception. Every now and
then there would be one who took
his duties seriously, but throughout
history most of them have felt that
their chief Job was to grease the
party machinery with postal ap-
pointments and to make speeches
advancing the party fortunes on the
political front.
Career Man Got No Credit.
During all these political misad-
ventures, career men did all the
work in the Post Office Department
and got little If any Of the credit. It
certainly testifies to the capacity
and administrative talent Of various
executives in the Post Office De-
partment who have spent their lives
Just doing a good job that, despite
the political angle and despite oc-
casional criticisms of the postal
service, it is nevertheless the most
eficient and the least expensive to
the public Of any in the world.
Jesse Donaldson has been First
Assistant Postmaster General. AS
such he has been running the Post
Once Department while Postmaster
General Hannegan has been away
managing the affairs of the Demo-
cratic National Committee. Now 1t
is fitting that Mr.. Donaldson should
be given the full responsibility. IT,
as reported. Mr.. Hannegan recon-
mended the appointment, 1t was a
shrewd piece of political judgment
to pick a nonpolitical figure.
The mere fact that a career man
in the Government service-Mr
Donaldson has spent more than 40
years in the Government-can be
promoted to the highest position IN
his department will instill similar
hope among other Government en-
ployes.
For years many students of gov
ernment have advocated that career
men should be able to rise to Cabi-
net portfolios or that they should
at least be allowed to serve as
deputies and act in the capacity OF
undersecretaries
u, s. Exercises Monopoly.
The Post Office Department. OF
course. should always be non
political. It iss a tremendous busi-
ness. The responsibility for deliver
ing the mails is all the greater be-
cause the Government exercises
monopoly. Many people do not
know, for instance, that the busl-
ness OF private delivery OF letters
for compensation as service Is
prohibited by statute.
So, since the Post Office Depart
ment alone can deliver the mails,
1t is important that the task be
performed efficiently and with as
little expense as practicable to the
public. The delivery Of heavy pack
ages by parcel post has been big
addition to the responsibilities OF the
Post ONCE Department In recent
wears, though the Government IN
this case does not attempt to exer-
else a monopoly but does permit
express companies to carry and de-
liver packages in competition.
The Post Office Department has
operateds at a deficit for a number
Of wears. This is because a large
amount of mail is carried free Tor
the Government itself and for Con-
press. If full rates were paid for
this mail, the Post Office Depart
ment budget would be balanced.
Likewise, the Post Office charges
lower rates for education mailings
and publications which disseminate
information desired by the public
"a step deemed wise In interest OF
keeping low-income groups as well
as other citizens in the American
democracy informed.
Mr.. Donaldson lives in the District
Of Columbia and doesn't have vote.
Therefore, nobody can call him
partisan for he has never been
active in party politics. 1t is refresh
ing to find the Post Office Depart
ment operated by career man for
the first time in the last half CEN
tury or more.
I1