St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-02-12

commands Opening gun Of
posing by documented evidence ON
the Senate floor what he described
AS a political fraud"
When Senator Humphrey was
through. II seemed likely that
what had apparently been intend
ed as a political issues against him
would turn out to be a boomerang
against tho COP instead
Senator Humphrey made good
on his promise to blow up In their
faces" what he termed deliberate
iy misleading and politically In
spired attacks against my record.
my judgement, and my integrity
by Postmaster General Arthur
Summerfield and Minnesota's Re-
publican National Committeeman
George Etzell. publisher Of the
Clarissa Independent in connec.
ton with pneumatic tube service
in the New York post office.
Calling an editorial distributed
to all newspapers in Minnesota
limiting at scandal In conncc-
ton with Senator Humphreys
work on the Senate Post Office
and Cicil Service Committee IAN
outrageous demonstration OF ir-
responsible politics, with no at
tempt 10 confirm the facts" SEN
ator Humphrey presented the SEN
ate with documented facts show
ing;
/. New York City'a Post Office
has been SERVED by pneumatic
tubes for SO years since 1898" on
contracts originally authorized by
Republican Congress. restored
by a Republican Congress after
being once suspended by Demo
cratic administration, and repeat
edly renewed by Republican ad-
ministrations"
q The most recent investigation
unfolding efficiency Of the tube
system was made by the Republi-
can-controlled s0th Congress, In
GLIDING personal investigation
by Republican Senators William
LANCER OF North Dakota and
Zales Ecton OF Montana on be.
half OF the Senate Post Office
Committee before ! was a mem
Der Of the Senate"
g. Full membership OF both the
Senate and House OF Representa-
tives In the Republican s0th Con-
gress unanimously voted TO con-
tinue the tube service and raise
the payment for II beyond what
the Democratic Postmaster Cen
eral recommended after a unani-
mously favorable recommended
ton from the full Senate Post Of
flee Committee AS well as the sub
committee which made the invcs-
tigation.
4. The Humphrcy-introduced bill
now being SO recklessly distorted
for sheer partisan purposes had
nothing 10 do with merits or lack
Of merits OF continuing the tube
service contract already author
lied by the Republicans, merely
providing for amortizing the cost
OF converting the tube system
from direct current to standard
alternating current as required by
the Consolidated Edison Company
Of New York TO continue serving
the previously authorized system
with electric power.
5, Only expenditure involved
was perrnissive authority TO add
no more than $4,000 year In
order 10 amortize the cost Of the
new equipment over a lo-year per-
iod.
9. The now-disputed measure.
introduced by Senator Humphrey
lin connection with my response
bility as subcommittee chairman
after the request OF the Executive
Department had been referred 10
him by Senator olin Johnston OF
So. Carolina. chairman OF the
Senate Post office and Civil Ser
vice Committee. and even then
only after unanimous approval
OF both my subcommittee and the
fun Senate Committee. on which
were both Democrats and Repub-
licans."
7 Minnesota's Republican Sena-
tor Thye was among members Of
the Senate Committee approving
OF the tube service
before l was in the Congress. as
well as my later measure doing
nothing more than authorizing the
limited expenditure needed TO
amortize the cost OF new equip
ment necessary TO continue the
service provided for by the s0th |
3 The bin now supposedly under |
question passed the Senate unani-