Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-04-22
funk Moir

IL, entitled ITS Still Junk
Mail" is, to say the least, an
unfair attack on legitimate
advertising medium. Since
such advertising is the life
blood Of so many small mer-
chants, your readers are en-
titled to the facts.
The editorial infers that al
large portion of third-class
mail. particularly that adj
dressed to occupant" is con-
signed to trash baskets,
usually unopened" That such
q condition does not exist will
be apparent from the fact
that The Star itself uses &C.
cupant mail for its Consumer
Analysis Survey. Your news
paper finds this type of mail
useful. It is understood that
10000 pieces sent out simply
to occupant" generate five to
six thousand responses. I feel
certain that The Star learns
much from these consumer
surveys.
Editors note: The Star
does not use hird-claSs mail
in its Consumer Analysis Sur
veys. Only first-class mail is
used, although the mail is
addressed to Occupant
solely because the survey is
concerned with random
sample Of consumers in var
ious areas.)
A very vital hearing on
the question Of postal pol
icy Is now under way be-
cause the Senate Post Of
flee and Civil Service Com
mittee. The Senate group is
attempting to ascertain the
extent Of public welfare serv-
ices performed by the Post
Once for free or at below
cost fees. The report it has
received from a seven-man
Citizens Advisory Council in
dicates that the total Of these
items is well beyond $400 mil
lion. II such proves to be the
case. 1t will be obvious to the
most uniformed person that
the assessment Of equitable
and reasonable fees against
business users of the mails is
impossible.
/ feel certain that The
Star has no intimate knowl-
edge of the calculations
used by the Post Office De-
part when recommending new
postal rates to the Congress.
1t will be recalled that when
the Postmaster General an
nounced an embargo on third
class mail he asserted that
$30-million would be saved in
a three-month period. Mr..
Summerfeld neglected to adj
wise the public that he would
lose $40 million in revenues
from third-class mail during
the same period. On its face,
1t is obvious that the depart
ment presently is realizing a
profit of $l20 million annu-
ally on the handling Of third
class mail matter.
Without getting into the
economic factors which war
rant the lower rate for a third
class letter tthe fact that the
mailer himself must do nine Of
the manual landings per-
formed in the case of FIRST
class and the fact that third
class is handled only by postal
employees during slack PEE
riods). the testimony OF the
department itself should be
sufficient to convince both The
Star and the public that third
class presently is paying It's
way.
The Deputy Postmaster
General has often compared
third-class mail to the charges
for a seat In the balcony of a
theater or to a night telegram.
II The Star will inquire, It
will learn that a 50-word
straight telegram to New York
costs $2.70. The same tele-
gram sent at night rates costs
but 90 cents---a ratio Of 3 TO |.
Third-class mail was increased
30 per cent Just five years ago
from one cent to one and a
half cents. Mr.. Summerfield
now proposes that the rate
become two and a half cents.
The ratio would then be four
cents to two and a half cents.
In the case OF occupant"
third-class mail. the cost Of
handling 1t Is even less than
for regular third-class mail.
Because 1t is addressed i'm
personally 1t does not have to
be forwarded. There is always
someone in the residence
where the occupant letter is
addressed. Moreover. gener-
ally the mail Is prepared so
that consecutive street mum,
bers are given. The carrier
has no problem In putting
such mail In order. a. he does