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Show Take the Pest-Office Out f Politics In attempting to charge up the deficit in his. Department against the magazines the Postmaster-General Postmaster-General has done the country a genuine, even if an unintentional, service. He has drawn attention to the necessity for a thorough reorganization of the Postal Department. He has emphasized the importance im-portance of taking the Post-Office out of politics for all time. The Fifty-ninth Congress authorized an investigation inves-tigation of postal affairs, and a joint commission, headed by Senator Penrose and Representative Overstreet, made a thorough investigation of the whole subject. As a result, the Overstreet bill, which contains many excellent recommendations, was presented. It is not from guesswork that we have concluded that the Department is in need of radical reorganization, but from the official reports of this Joint Congressional Postal Commission and of the disinterested accountants hired by it to investigate the business methods of the Department. Depart-ment. 'We quote from these reports, remembering remember-ing that the findings and criticisms are not ours, but those of a Congressional Commission and its authorized agents. First read these recommendations recommenda-tions from the preliminary report of the Joint Postal Commission, in this week's number of THE SMTUJDMY Then read these extracts from the report of the public accountants employed by the Joint Commission: Com-mission: " The service has grown from small beginnings over a long period of years, hampered by restrictive laws which may nave been necessary in the pai't and may even now be considered necessary to some extent for a Government department, but which would render it practically impossible impos-sible for any private business to survive. "The general absence of any efficient methods of account ing has been brought to light by the inquiry carried out by the Joint CommLssion on second-class mail matter. This report was reff rred to Congress on January 30, 1907, and our investigation has confirmed the impression gathered gath-ered from the study of it, that the whole of these methods are crude In the extreme and such as no private business concern or corporation could follow without th certainty of loss, if not of financial disaster." There are half-a-dozen more of these extracts on the Editorial page of this week's issue of The Saturday Evening Post. In the Joint Postal Commission's report of 1907 we find: "As an indication of the views at present entertained it is proper to say that the commission is profoundly impressed with the wisdom of the accountant s n port in recommending the following. " That the actual direction of the business of the Post-Office Department and postal service be committed to an officer with necesry assistants to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of tho Senate, for Jong terms, fo as to insure. the continuity of efficient service, and that the PostmaLst-r-GtneraI. as member of the Cabinet, be chargeable only with general supervisory control and the determination of questions of policy.' PS We ask Congress to give us a Director of Posts as recommended by the Joint Congressional Congres-sional Committee of 1907tan officer who shall be non-political, and whose term of service shall not be subject to political changes, and who shall con-. con-. duct the workings of the Post-Office Department with the efficiency, economy and businesslike methods which distinguish high-class American business enterprise. The Curtis Publishing Company Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Want Ads Bring Meselts If you are interested in the Sugar Industry, Fruit Raising, or Truck Gardening, and good local investments, see us. If you drink, drink Cere a healthful drink, manufactured manufac-tured at home. THCE3AS 6 BROWN 315 First National Bank Bldg. |