Show I CARRYING THE MAIL BY AIR AIRIs Is the air mall mail profitable Too soon to say answers tho the fico fico leo department As for tor the post post- postoffice postoffice post office department Itself it a remunerative enterprise A def deC def def- defIcit deficit Is the regular thing Its worth the country's while to mace make makeup makeup up this deficit for the sake of ot the convenience It might be wIped out by higher rates but hut hIgher rates are unpopular The fhe country prefers to pay them in the tho form formo 0 of taxes to cancel the deficit But Dut as for tor me contractors Well Veli the tha government makes the best terms It can and whether the contractors snake male or lose isn't Its business situ Still its it's curious It IL likes to toIno Ino if it the contractors will tell thich some are willing to do and soma are not Theres There's no BO means of compelling them to do so It lt knows of three air lines which make a margin of ot prom profit It knows of ot three which find air mall transportation a 0 losing ven yen venture venture ture Others prefer to keep their own o counsel That some air mall mail Is carried nt at a loss Is not regarded as very very Postoffice officials point oat out that It was a long time lime before tile the the railroads found the malls profitable The problem was worked out gradually The department sees no present present prospect that aviation a can compete with surface trans trans- transportation transportation ot or mall mail on an even basis Certain classes of hurry up mall will go by air and rates will be beso beso beso so adjusted 1 and expenses reduced as to handle it U as a paying proposition lUon to the contractors Other classes will continue to move by byI I rail for tor or nobody knows Just howlong how howlong howlong long It depends on aviation de- de de development |