Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 February 1919 — MOTOR MAIL ROUTES MAY BE ABANDONED [ARTICLE]

MOTOR MAIL ROUTES MAY BE ABANDONED

CongretM May Pinch Purse Strings Too Tight Unless Indiana Patrons Protest. Washington, Jan. 28.—Farmers and city residents enjoying the advantages of the new motor rural parcel post express extending on five routes out from Indianapolis must bestir themselves mightily and quickly If they &re to retain this special modern service. Congress, unless advised immediately by the patrons that the motor service, though established only a few months, promises to develop into one of great advantage in linking the city with the farm, will cut the appropriation for next year to such a figure that three of the five Indianapolis routes will be abolished. Patrons interested in the subject should write at once to Senators Watson and New, to the Indiana representatives in Congress and also to the postmaster general. The motor mail service wss established on thirty routes in the United States only three or four months ago. The first route in the whole country was established from the Indianapolis postoffice. Four additional routes soon were in operation from there. Recently Inspectors from the postoffice department made a study of the new motor service and brought back an unfavorable report. These Inspectors seemingly did not have vision enough to see the future of such a service. Without making allowance for the fact that the service had not been installed long enough to get out of the experimental stage, they reported back that the truck delivery was too expensive and that the mail service under old methods was adequate enough. This report of inspectors naturally has influenced congress to slice the appropriation. It is up to the patrons to give congress better information. Fourth Assistant Postmaster General James Blakslee is a champion of the motor rural service and he does not hesitate to brand the report of the inspectors as unfair. He says that the service has been

struck down so soon after being established that it is too quick to judge of it. He sees big possibilities in bringing the city and country closer together with t quicker and better mail and parcel post service and he urges that tho motor service not be knocked out before it has had a chance to iprovs its worth. It was his desire to extend the motor service to many parts of the country. He had received good reports about the start madg 'on the Indianapolis routes and those leading out of Washington. But unless congress increases the appropriation now proposed it will be necessary to reduce even the small number now operated. -Postmaster Springsteen of Indianapolis has been a booster for the service. The House of Representatives, in preparing the new postofflee appropriation bill, provided $1,000,000 for use in extending the motor mail service, but the Senate postoffice committee has just trimmed this amount to only $300,000. Tho bill with this reduced item haa just been reported ouf of committee. The amount is not nearly adequate to provide much motor service. Unless the appropriation is increased it will be necessary to abqlish the Indianapolis-Kokomo, the Indianapolis-Marlon and lhe Indlanai>olis-Lafayette routes. Thia would leave only the IndianapolisCincinnati and the IndianapolisLouisville routes in operation. The one chance io save these routs? for the patrons to let congress know at once that it got wrong to them. Merchaits as well ns Harmers will So affected if this motorized mail bi t vice Is cut off. Commercial cl tbs undoubtedly will be interested in the subject.