The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., March 28, 1919, Page 14, Image 14

About The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924

Image provided by: Connecticut State Library, Hartford, CT

                
TTTTC TIMES: StAUCH 28, 1519
f
)
THE GENERAL POLICY OE TEE PRESENT
.AlMfMSllMCM OF TME POSTAL SERVICE
An Address by HON. JOEN C. KOONS
First Assistant Postmaster General of the United States Post Office Department
The business of the Post OfTo Da- ! parcel post. It
partmeTit in vast rind f ar-reachlner. I 1 portatlon service
ro.nliK'ts zi husine-Sf! of more than j
J 3So.0 00.0 0 0 p.nnualiy. In times of i
peace it has the largest organization j
of any provornmnt institution. 1 i j
beinK true It must of necessity, m ,
the interest of the public service, be
contlucteti in The same business like
manner as .-iny successful business in
stitution. The administrative ofllcers
of tho deparlitient, the postmasters,
the officers, of the service, and its em
ployes are simply trusted atrenta of
the public. They should not only j
exercise the utmost care in main- I
tainint? efficient service find expend- 1
lnjr the funds, but It Is their plain duty
to do ao.
Kffloiency Not SaorlflM for Eronomy
As you well know, the present
Poatmastcr-General assumed the du
ties of his office March 5. 1 93 3.
The pol!cy of the Postmaster
General has been fully sot forth in
hla annual reports to whK-h policy I
invito your attention. In his annual
report for the fiscal year ending June
30, ISIS, It w.ib stated:
"The dominant policy of th pres
ent administration will be to conriurt
the postal service for the conven
ience of the publta and not for profit.
Its controlling purpose will be to
promote efficiency by the complete
standardisation of th service, which
Will be attained by harmonizing'
equipment, adjusting the personnel,
; and securing the greatest possible co
operation In every quarter."
In the report for the fiscal year
ended June SO, 1914. It was stated:
The general policy of th- present
sriminlfrt ration of the postal service,
as deflned In the last annual report of
the Postmaster-General has been ad
! hered to with grood results.
The service has been administered
for the convenience of the public, not
for profit; to promote efficiency by
! Ban dardi zing and simptyfy pro
: cedure; to recognize merit and elim
inate partisanship; to extend service
w here ve?r pre sent or i ;jrosvo- iti v e r e -1
turns justify; 1o reduce the rates in
so far as proves consistent with pen
wajl fhacal necessity; and to provide
all communitiea and all sections of
the country, as far as practicable,
With uniform service."
Tn the report for the fiscal year
ndf?d June 30, 1915, 1t was slated:
"The efforts of the department have
been steadfastly directed toward ra
tional arid economical admlnistraiinn
for the purpose of obtaining for the
public the most eiTicient service pos
sible. The measure of elTieioncy is
not determined solely by the amount
of money spent, but by the results ob
tained from the expenditures made.'
In the report for the fiscal year
ended June 30, 1916, it was stared:
"Whereas the department is no
L longer a tax on the general revenue,
it is desired to apain emphasize its po
sition that it should not bo permitted
to become a revenue producer fr the
novernment. It should become its
fixed policy that ail surplus postal
revenues should be used for the en
largement of the service, the increase
of postal efficiency, and, when justi
ce T, to a red uction of rates of post
age. '
Is the only trans- '.
today that hns no i
embargoes. Instead of a deficit of
many millions there is a surplus in
rstn 1 revenues. The great grow ih
oi' this service cannot be better illus
trated than by the fact that in Now
York City alone last winter we
handled daily an average of more
than ten million pr. reels -which was
more than the entire number bandied
in the service one yea r previous.
Govmuii Ti t-( tw mid Vehicle Service.
Th e perf ovm.: nee of vehicle service
necessary for tho transportation of
tho mails in the cities under the con
tract system had many drawbacks.
The government - f-wned service Is
nortation of these chicks this blir in
dustry would be destroyed. Not only
would the industry be destroyed but
the amount of food produced by the
raising of such chicks lost. Although
there was grave doubt expressed at
the tirhe as to the advisibllity of ad
mitting these chicks to the mails yet
they have been transported In a most
successful manner and the result not
only to the shippers hut to the de
partment has been most gratifying.
The war, especially In some locali
ties, materially changed the labor
conditions. In the exigency and in
ed wi.-e by the Congress to impose a order to speed up war work wages
war tax on letters of one cent an j were greatly increased.' This mater
ounce or fraction thereof. The de- j ially affected the postal service. How
partmcnt opposed this as the Post- j ever, the records of the departmetn
master-General believed that the Indicate that not more than 10 per
postal service should not be made an ' cent, of our clerks resigned during
instrumentality for raising revenue. the past year. Xot only did these
Because of tho large proiit in hand- I resignations occur but the labor con
ling matt of the first class Congress ! ditions reduced greatly the number
felt, and
of the first class Congress
Justly so, that if it was
necessary to impose a war tax oh this
mail it could not in justice and fair
ness permit the low rate on second
class matter to longer continue as this
class of mail was handled at an esti
mated loss of approximately seventy
two million dollars annually. For
this reason the law providing new
much more elastic, satisfactory, and rates of postage for second class mat
efTlcieirt than th3 oil contract service j ter was enacted.
could possibly be. 1 While the zone system for adver-
i'TnreKsivr: Steps. Using has been criticised .-y some yet
Post otTici-s have ben reorganized ; when considered from the standpoint
The policy outlined in these reports
been strictly adhered to.
During the term of the present
Postmaster-Qonerni the number of
rural roues have Teen increased from
to 43.4T1 tlM number : f fam
ilies served i::ri 4,:S7.i to 4. 347. W0.
and the number of patrons from 17,
151,200 to 17.388.400.
Expansion of the St'nifV.
The city delivery service ha.s hen
extended in a (similar manner. The
number of offices having city delivery
service In 1913 was 1675, while today
It is 2001. The delivery Ty carrier
In tho cities has been increased and
extended. Th number of carriers in
creased since 1913 from SO. 023 to 34,
641. The number of clerks at fire:
end second class post offices han been
Increased from S5,48S in ISM 3 to 4-.-669.
Other branches of the service
ltave been extended and improved 'in.
like manner, and the expenditures for
the postal service have kept pace wl'h
the Increased revenues, and the
growth of the business.
On March 4, 1913, the eicrht-in-ten
hour law for postal employes became
effective. This law required a com
plete rearrangement of the working
schedules of clerks ond city carriers
at all first and second' class post of
fices. The Parcel Iosr.
On January 1, 1913, tho parcel post
eervice was established. The parcel
post was a new Institution. It was
early realized, however, that the or
" Iglnal rates of postage were excessive
'end the conditions of mailing were
such that the service wor" bo of 'it-
tie or no advantage to the public. Tho
Insurance fee was excessive and the
use of distinctive parcel post stamps
very objectionable. The Postmaster
General on July 1, 1913. reduced the
insurance fee from 10 to 6 cents, a
reduction of 60 per cent., and the use
of distinctive stamps was no lonser
required after that date. A few
months later the Postmaster-General
attain exercised the administrative au
thority vested in him and with the
consent of the Interstate Commerce
Commission made sweeping: reduc
tions in the rates and a material in
crease in the weight limit for the
first and second , zones. On January
, 1914, the rates, were further re
duced and tho weight again increased.
The classification of the ar::i mail
able, was later changed m admit
books. The limit of size has also
been increased, until today packages
.not exceeding 84 inches in length and
girth, combined or 70 pounds in
weight are accepted for the first three
zones and those weighing as much as
50 pounds for the remainder. By
these acts the Postmaster-General
, has so extended the service and re
duced its cost that the public now
have a cheap and expeuitious means
of transportation in the parcel post
instead of an expensive novelty.
In the postal service as well as in
private business it is often very try
ing to espouse Borne sound principle
and find a large number of parsons
arrayed against it with convictions
and prejudices as fixed as the laws of
tf.'e Medes and Persians. These pre
ytitlcee and convictions were en
ilered In these cnangen In tae
which prif.'inally constituted a post of
fice have been merged into two. one
of finance :.nd one of matls. A sys
tem .'f ciicck'n accounts has been
installed v-aieh, if carried out in ae
corilaiiof with instru'tions, mr.k03 de
falcations pract'ca'iy impossible. Le.t
ish'tiun as hca secured v. hich
m..kes it possible to care for employes
injured in the line of duty, for the
granting of compensatory time for
holiday service to laborers, watch
men, special clerks, etc. The anti
quated method of paying railroads for
carrying the niail by what was
known eg the wirht basis has been
discontinued. Under the new space
system the railroads are now paid for
the service they actually render no
more or no less. The use of tags on
insured parcels has been discontinued.
The use of the aeroplane in the trans
portation of the maii.s has been un
dertaken and a regular line of aero
plane mail service established be
tween Washington and Xew Tc:k
citv. It was claimed by manythat eucn
servi'-o was impracticable that the
aeroplane had not yet reached such
a stare rf development as to use it
advantageous;.- in the transportation
of mails. The record, however, shows
thru during tho month ot June
per cent, of the trips between Wash
inittun and Xew York were perfect
and on scheduled time. A iarrte
numher have been reappointed in ac
cordance w'ih this announced policy
and iod.ij the question of your re
appointment at the expiration of your
terms rests solely with von. If you
have not rendered efficient service
your reappointment v-ill be impossi-
! ole. Mot only is this true but on
j March 31. 1T17. the President issued
an executive order requiring that
hereafter when vacancies occur at
post offices of the first, second or third
class, an examination will be held by
the Civil Pervice Coicmission and tv.e
result thereof certified to the Pont-mastrr-Oi-neral
and the name of the
highest eligible selected for appoint
ment, unless disqualified by character
or residence. The original appoint
ment of postmasters is now being
made in accordance with this execu
tive order, making it possible to ap
point in each instance the best quali
fied applicant.
Salaries of Pos(al Employes.
Much has been said during the past
year of the salaries of postal em
ployes. The policy of the depart
ment In this respect was cri- cized to
borne extent. This was evidently done
without knowledge of what tne true
policy of the department really is.
The Postmaster-General insisted
while in Congress and since he has
been Postmaster-General that gov
ernment employes should be justly
compensated, and that the govern
ment should be a model employer. His
policy wltn resp -ct to salaries is fully
of all
lieveU
Mulined in the annual report for the
fiscal year 1915 from which the fol
lowing quotation is taken:
"It has been the earnest effort of
the department to fix the standard
rates of pay for the different classes
of work at from 15 per cent, to 3 0
pere cent, above the average rates
paid for similar service by the lead
ing commercial Institutions of the
country. The same, rule has been
followed throughout the postal ser
vice in fixing salaries that are not
fixed by law. Whenever an employe
or a group of employes is found to
be receiving salaries below the stand
ard the department will make an ef
fort to secure appropriate increases."
Under the provisions of the postal
appropriation bill as finally enacted
increased compensation of $20C has
been provided during the next f.3cal
year for assistant postmasters, super
visory officials, clerks and city letter
carriers at first and second class of
fices receiving salaries of $2,200 or
h is per annum. Those receiving in
excess of 2,1'00 per annum will re
ceive an increase of 5 per cent. Per
centage increase?: have also been pro
vided for laborers, watchmen, mes
sengers and other persons paid annual
salaries from lump sum appropria
tions. Increases have also been pro
vided for railway postal clerks, rural
letter carriers, and other employes of
the Service.
Tho Postal Surplus.
Much has been said about the sur
plus in postal receipts over the ex
penditures during the past several
years. The cost of the postal service
is borne by the public and it should
not, be conducLed for profit. To so
conduct it makes it an indirect form
of taxation. While it should be self
sustaining there. should not be 'a
large surplus. When it was recogniz
ed early in the fiscal year 1917, prior
to ihe declaration of war, that there
would be a surplus of from eight to
nine million doiiars it was the wish of
the Postmaster-General that the pub
lic be given the be'nefit of the econo
mies effected. He, therefore, not only
recommended but urged the Con
gress to enact the necessary legisla
tion for the lirst step toward penny
postage, that of reducing the rate of
postage on local or drop letters from
2 cents to 1 cent an ounce or fraction
thereof. This legislation would im
mediately have given to the putilio
a postal advantage amounting to
more than twenty-five million dollars.
However, because of the declaration
of war soon after this recommenda
tion was made the consideration of
this legislation was postponed. 1
Titnv Seoond-Ctlaes Postage Batao.
When the "war revenue bill w&4 en
acted a few months later it was deooa-
ciasses of puolications it is ue
to be the most fair and equit
able. Ti is a mistaken idea that the
zrne rates apply to reading matter.
They do not. A. low flat rate applies
to the reading matter of all publica
tions no matter to what zone address
ed. This rate is so low that it will
not under any circumstances reim
burse the government for the cost of
handling and transportation of such
matter. 'Since the law providing the
low flat rate which prevailed prior to
July 1 was enacted a new factor in
connection with publications, that of
advertising, has been introduced. At
the time that law was enacted few
if any publications contained as much
as five per cent, of advertiseing, but
many of them have now become com
mercialized to a very -great extent by
such advertising. The zone rates ap
ply to such advertising only when it
exceeds five per cent, of the entire
contents of the publication. These
zone rates, therefore, apply to such
extent only as the publisher com
mercializes his publication.
There was much fear on the part
of the rrublishers that this law would
result ia much inconvenience to them
and be extremely difiicult to admin
ister. Tt is the purpose of the de-part!-:en-,
however, to admir.iffjr it
in th-11 most liberal manner.
Tl:e Postal Service Under War Con
ditions. As you know, this country became
involved in this terrible war during
April of last year. This immediately
inrust upon tne postal service many j
new and unusual conditions and dif- I
ficult problems. Efficient postal ser
vice is. of the utmost importance for
the proper conduct of the business,
social and economic affairs of the
country. This being true, we have
attempted to do that which no other
country engaged in this war has at
tempted to do not to restrict or cur
tail our postal service in any manner
during the war. We have established
a post oflice in each army canton
ment and today they have 89 such of
fices established. They are rendering
efficient service under the most diffi
cult and trying circumstances to the
thousands of men assigned to such
camps. Prompt communication and
good mail service is necessary for the
comfort and welfare of our soldiers.
For that reason we will not leave any
thing undone to give to these men
who must sacrifice their all if neces
sary the best service possible. We
have also furnished a number of our
best employes for duty in connection
with the mail service in France which
handles the mail for the force overseas.
additional Duties 1o Be Performrd.
The Post Office department has at
least one representative in each city,
town or hamlet where a post office is
located. This being true it has the
most complete organization for se
curing Information or assisting in
government work of any of the ex
ecutive departments.
As postmasters know, the demands
in carrying on the war activities dur
ing the past year have been numer
ous and varied. The postal service
has been called upon to transport,
distribute and deliver hundred of
thousands of tons of literature in con
nection with this war. All of this lit
erature was transported free of charge
and the great amount of work in
volved is not reflected in the postal
receipts. You have been required in
towns having populations of 5,000 or
less to register German alien eaemies.
lou have also been require 1 to report
enemy owned property, violations of
the Espionage Act. to issue export
licenses, to assist in Red Cross cam
paigns, and many other activities. The
sale of Liberty Bonds, War Savings
and Thrift Stamps have imposed
upon you and the employes of your
offices many hours of additional work,
but I am proud to say that this work
has been performed willingly and
gladly at a time when cur boys at the
front are sacrificing so much and
when others in this country are wait
ign to make the supreme sacrifice if
necessary.
Unusual Conditions and Unjust Crit
icisra. In addition to having: these extra
burdens thrust upon you have had,
during the past winter, to contend
with most severe weather conditions
which made the rendering of efficient
service extremely difficult and in
some instances almost impossible.
Train schedules were demoralized,
trains running as much as 2 4 hours
may make a difference of 24 hours In
Nothing affects the efficiency cf the
postal service so much as interrup
tions to the transportation service.
The railroads -became so demoralized
early in December last that it was
necessary for the President of the
United States to take charge of them
and operate them under government
control.
When mail carrying trains are an
nulled or deiayed, the number reduc
ed or their schedules lengthened it
neeessariiy affects the postal service
greatly. A delay of a few hours
broken connections at a junction
point, or lengthening of schedules
post was opened for the quick trans
thc delivery of a letter.
At the request of ttie Food Admin
istration we amended the regulations
several ' months t) so as to admit
day-oid-chieks to the parcel post. It
is claimed that more than twenty
million of these chicks are transport
ed annually and unless the parcel
ever, the reeorde ef the department
of applicants for positions in our ser
vice. However, the increased salaries
now in effect should greatly relieve
the conditions.
I regret to say that during the time
we were encountering all of these un
usual conditions a few persons, not
for political hut for purely selfish
reasons, seized upon it as an oppor
tunity to endeavor to discredit the
postal service. One organization sent
inquiries throughout the country, the
letter being carefully worded with a
view to securing every possible com
plaint against the service. I have no
fault to find with the membership of
this organization. It is composed of
men of the highest character and
standing and I am sure that what was
none was done with the knowledge of
only a few. The answers received to
its inquiry were in most instances
highly favorable to the postal service
and I wish to express my apprecia
tion of the spirit of fairness and the
consideration shown the postmasters
and the department by the Chambers
of Commerce and the business organ
izations throughout the country in
their answers.
The department does not object to
criticism, in fact invites it at all times
hut it should be Just and fair criti
cism. It is through complaints and
criticisms that we improve the effi
ciency of the service. I want to urge j
you postmasters to keep in close
'touch with the business and civic or
ganizations of your respective com
munities and the public. You should
know the desires and wishes of the
public and be able to comply with
them in rendering postal service in so
far as the circumstances warrant.
Tho Postmaster Must Do Sis Port.
There are two classes of postmast
ers one with constructive ability, the
other without. The first anticipates
the emergencies of the service and
prepares to meet them as they arise
' the other, of whom I am pleased to
say there am few, relies upon the de
partment and others to do it for
them. I sometimes marvel at the
great ability of postmasters and the
men connected with the postal ser
vice to meet emergent conditions.
Your ability in this respect will be
tested to the extreme in the future.
The department is willing to stand
back, of you to the fullest extent. It
will assist you in every way possible.
It will place everything within its
power at your dispos.-i but it cannot
act for you. It expects you and
places upon you the responibility of
meeting the local condition and it is
accessary that you meet them
promptly in order that tije postal ser
vice may serve the public in the best
possible manner. To maintain effi
cient postal service shonld be the
highest ambition of every postmaster.
tional and Western tournaments. She
made her residence In Washington
last year where her husband was ac
tive in war work. Mrs. Letts la a
member of the Indian Hill Club, sear
unicago, although she originally
rrom Cincinnati.
: Athletic News j
champlon
U. district
The eocoer water polo
ship of the Pacific A. A.
will be staged ax 'Neptune Beach, Cal.,
and there is promise of & record list
of entries. Four Iblg clubs have al
ready entered.
Mrs. W. Francs Anderson of Hills
dale, who was defeated at the tweti
ty-seoond hole in the "final match of
the women's championship tourna
ment at the Ooronado Country CluT
recently, was the Western champion
in 1908 and runner up to Mra. C. I
Dering in 190 5. Mrs. Anderson was
defeated by Miss Doreen Kavanagh
of Los Angeles at Coronado.
The ubiquitous golfer will aiways
manage to arrange eome sort of a
links, even though, he is in a land far
removed from any such recreation.
At Hood River, Oregon, a score of
enthusiasts play on an Improvised
course on a sandbar several hundred
acres in extent. The sand is damp
and affords fttirly good golf.
After an absence of mora than a
year Mrs. F. C. Letts, Jr., Western
champion ia 1916 and 1917, has re
turned to the Chicago district and
expects to take part in both the na-l
There is something to that mtarf
that Charley Harvey, manager ot
Ted Kid Lewis, handed out after hie
battler was knocked out by Jack
Dritton, for the New York welter
weight was today removed to St. Vin
cent's Hospital in the big town. It is
believed that Ted is a victim of the
yellow jaundice.
Brown of New Tork and Joey Kox
of Philadelphia will box eight rounds
at the National A. C. in Philadelphia
tomorrow night. Frankle has been
training hard down at Grupp's gym
In New York since his bout with Ar
tie P.oot in Phllly last Monday night.
Johnny Kllbane and Joey Mealey
will meet In an eight-rounder at the
other Philadelphia club, the Olympla,
next Monday night. The matchmaker
has arranged a gca preliminary cud
that will incrode bouts between Fred
die Reese and Frankie Clarke and
Young Coster and Joey iDorsey.
A nation's strength
IS IN ITS FOOD SUPPLY
Eat Leas XVWte mdring SEij&
Create a Rajrrvg KrPfls
AMEEICA MUST FEED
info--
fatfirs tv"
tJ - skt 4
- J! V
1
r
. 1.1 i- . T j
r
it-. -
1
1
fcj !? it i 1
STEP IN
Ask for
the P&Q
Fashion
Book
Real photos
of
real styles.
P Q Victory
Coupons
for Soldiers
and Sailors
are flood for
$2.50 in cash
Reputation is not maintained
without reason
We have spent years to perfect P&Q Clothes to the
high standard which they now possess and it re
quires constant vigilance to keep them that step in
advance for which they are noted.
The Spring Styles Are Here
The store is brimful of the newest models that show the
result of study ol our artist-designers and the ability of
our master-tailors.
The New Waist Line Model , The New Double Breasters
The New Flare Skirt Model The New Panel Effect
There are no better clothes than P&Q. The quality is the "come-back" kind
and the variety of patterns will show you that we are indeed a step in advance
of all others.
You can put $10 in the bank any time you buy a garment here. The immense
purchasing power of our great organization. The efficiency of manufacturing
and distribution throughout our great chain of stores save ycu the middle
man's profit.
And Get TheBusiness
V
Lip a&smiife
' ' 68 MAIN STREET
1