Evening star., 1947-03-04
Postal Rate Rise
Asked 10 Offset
Most Of Deficit
Boost Would Affect
All But First-GIoss
And Aifmoi1 Letters

The Post Office Department
recommended today that all
postal rates be increased ex-
cept those for first-class and
airmail letters.
The proposals were submitted to
the Senate Civil Service Committee
in response to request for informa-
tion on how postal revenues might
be increased to approximately the
cost Of operating the mail service.
The recommendations included
doubling the penny post card rate
and urging Congress to continue in
effect the three-cent local letter
rate and special parcel post and
registered mail fees due to expire
June 80.
Joseph L. Lawler, Third Assistant
Postmaster General, told the COM
nnittee the recommendations would
wipe out all but about $4,000, 900 of
the record $287 ,00o, 900 deficit facing
the department for the coming fiscal
year.
Would Raise Publication Fee.
Rate increases proposed include:
Raising the charge for carrier de-
livery within q county for weekly
publications from ] cent a pound
to cent for 4 ounces.
Increasing the carrier charge for
delivery of daily, semiweekly and tri-
weekly publications within county
from ! cent each to cent for each
4 ounces.
Increasing the present range of IL
cents to cents pound to range
OF 2h to 8 cents pound for de-
livery of publications outside
county. The department also pro-
poses a piece rate Of u cent on each
piece for delivery within and out
side the county Of publication, plus
a graduated surcharge increase on
zone rate publications containing
more than IS per cent advertising.
Publications having more than rs
per cent advertising would be
charged third or fourth class rates,
according to the rate of individually
addressed copies or peices.
Increase in Third -class Rate.
Increasing the third-class rates
Circulars and miscellaneous printed
matter and merchandise from III
cents to 2 ounces to Q cents for
the nrst q ounces and / cent for
each additional ounce. Rates on
books and catalogues of "a pages
or more, and seeds, cuttings, bulbs,
roots plants would be increased
from ! cent per q ounces to III
cents per 2 ounces.
An increase in parcel post, which
Is rated BY zones, to q scale rang
ing from II to 20 cents for the first
pound, as compared with the pres
ent rate Of to 16 cents for tho
first pound. An increase in the
special handling charge of fourth.
class matter from the present scale
OF 10 to 40 cents to a scale Of is to
Is cents. An increase in the special
delivery service from the present
scale Of ,13 to IS cents to a scale
Of 20 to As cents.
A general revision of money order
fees now ranging from 6 cents to
"a cents to scale of 10 cents to IS
cents.
To Raise Registered Mail Fee.
A increase in the postal notes fee
from 5 cents to cents.
An increase in registered mail fees
to scale of Is cents to $1.50 as
compared with the present scale of
20 to $1.35.
An increase In fees for insured
mail from the present minimum of
3 cents to a minimum of 5 cents.
These adjustments would be car.
ried forward to a maximum of 80
cents as compared with the present
maximum of Is cents.
An increase in the fees for cash
on delivery (c.o.d) mail from the
present scale of is cents to go cents
to scale Of 20 cents to 68 cents.
The committee in executive ses-
sion voted to hold up the 900 post
master nominations submitted by
the White House until an investiga-
ton is made of the entire situation.
Chairman LANCER said the commit
tee would hold hearings to deter
mine whether postmasters are forced
to pay tribute TO any political party
or violate the Hatch Act
Says COP Should Get Some Jobs.
Senator LANCER has contended
that Republicans are entitled to
some of the postmaster Jobs. The
committee vote today to hold an in
vestigation was split along party
lines, six to three, with the Repub-
lican members otItvoting their DEM
ocratic colleagues.
As oficially recommended, the
rate revision would bring in addi-
tional revenue Of $173 100000 for
next year, as well as 500 600 900 for
the mailing services the Post Office
performs for Government agencies
but for which it does not now get
paid.
Postal officials appeared before the
committee several weeks ago, but
offered only alternate suggestions
and failed to present specific recon-
|mendations. Dissatisfied with this
procedure, Chairman LANCER ordered
the officials back today with official
recommendations.
Postal officials said the handling
(see POST OFFICE, Page A-4.)