Evening star., 1947-03-14

considerable sum of money can be
saved other than by cutting appro-
priations with ensuing anguish.
Obviously, the more money thus
found and saved, the less deep will
be the cuts and less acute the
anguish and the less onerous the
job. Therefore, it would seem that
the Post Office Department pre-
sents an extremely handsome OPP
portunity-a wonderful field for
those who seek and are pledged
to adjust our fiscal balance, restore
health to the national financial
structure, re-establish sound buSl-
ness principles in governmental
operations. Because in the Post
Office Department more money can
be saved with less labor and mimi
mum of pain than anywhere else.
Make 1t Profitable.
The thing is so easy that it ap-
pears almost criminal to neglect it.
1t cannot be done, of course, by
cutting the Post Office Department
appropriations, as the Post Office
is already heavily in the red and
any cut merely deepens the deficit,
which the Government (meaning
the taxpayers) has to meet. Clearly,
the answer is to put the Post Office
on self-sustaining basis, thus wip-
ing out the deficit, estimated for
the coming fiscal year at from
1925 100000 to $487 ,O00,000-if the
local and nonlocal 3-cent frst-class
mail rate be allowed to lapse when
the existing law expires July l thi:
Jear.
The total deficit would not be
wiped out even If these 3-cent laws
are continued. The department still
would be 5000, 100000 or so in the
red, as has been its unpleasing GUS
tom for many years.
Nevertheless, the continuance OF
the 3-cent rate Is the first indicated
step. After that there are others
by which the department could be
put in the black. It Is almost in.
credible that the Republican ma
iority In Congress should not avail
itself Of this chance, hard to see
how the Democrats could Justify
opposition.
Two hearings on the Post Office
deficits already have been held be-
fore the Senate Post Office Commit
tee-one on February 18, the other
on March 4. The basic facts and
figures were presented by the de-
partment and specific recommends
tions made not only for the reten-
ton Of the Scent f1rst-class rate
but for increases in second, third
and fourth class mail rates which
would pull the department right
out Of its hole and lift heavy bur-
den from the Treasury.
Publications Involved.
Chiefly, these recommendations
have to do with increasing the
rates on daily newspapers, weekly
and monthly magazines. For years
these have been urged by one Post
master General after another-with
no success at all. On the ground
that 1t is necessary for 'the dis
semination of information" to the
people, and in order to sustain
free press, for many decades the
newspapers and magazines have
been sent through the mails at less
than cost.
This Is the real cause Of Post
Office deficits. The department
will never become self-supporting
while it continues this subsidy
and every postmaster has vainly
tried to do something about it.
Every real effort has been over
whelmed by the arguments in favor
OF continuing and by the pressure
on members of Congress. Espe-
ciauy persuasive is the contention
that many small papers and Pc
riodicals could not survive If the
rates were raised. However, ways
could be devised to take care o1
these and still raise the rates or
others whose advertising volume Il
enormous and whose profits are
great.
Need Great for Economy.
In the last few years there ha!
been an extraordinary growth botf
III U1lC ilOLlADC1 vi QUILL pCI
and their circulations. Naturally
the burden on the department i
heavier and its deficit greater,
Never in its history has the Gov
ernment needed to economic as i
needs to now. Never were the de-
mands for money so large and se
vitally important. Vast and ines.
capable expenditures abroad art
essential to our foreign policy. Or
fulfilling our postwar commitment
depends not only our own eco
nomic safety but perhaps the sal
walton of our system of government
Failure to meet them would disas.
trously affect the whole civilized
world.
Considering these things, it seem.
incredible that we should continue
to permit any department Of the