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May I ask you to place a brief statement in the record of your committee hearing, which I understand was held yesterday, on behalf of the National Grange.

Representing large numbers of farmers, we find two reasons for believing that this amendment to the bill should be approved and passed. The first is that large numbers of farmers who want chemical materials now excluded from the mails for use in treating seeds and spraying farm and fruit crops for the purposes of increased production and preventing loss, find it necessary to leave their work and go to distant stores or express offices to get these materials, when under the proposed amendment they could get the materials shipped direct to their doors by parcel post, and we believe under the restrictions and regulations which are amply provided for in the language of the proposed amendment, without any possibility of damage or danger to the other mail.

The second reason is even more controlling than the first one in our judgment, and that is that we are constantly forced to defend the parcel-post system against attack of various kinds. The principal argument of its detracters and opponents is that it does not produce sufficient revenue to pay its own expenses. We know that the welfare of the people on the farms of the United States is so intimately connected with the continuance of this service by the Government without increasing its cost that we oppose all attacks which are made upon it, and in addition wish to place our indorsement upon any reasonable proposition which will increase the amount of business which may be handled with the existing facilities. The representative of one large manufacturer has stated that his concern would probably ship a million parcels a year of fungicides and insecticides by parcel post if this amendment to the postal law is passed. We would point out for your consideration and that of your committee that the addition of this million packages and probably many more would add materially to the revenues of the parcel-post service without increasing its cost in the slightest particular, so far as we can now see. This is a definite and tangible reason which we think will appeal to the business sense and good judgment of every citizen and taxpayer whether they agree to consider the special interests of many thousands and perhaps millions of farmers in this proposal.

The safety of the mail can be amply protected by the Postmaster General. If the amendment does not provide for this safety for the other mail packages handled in parcel post, and other language or other protection should in the judgment of committee be written into the statute, we can have no possible objection to these changes. What we want is the service, the increased revenue, the added efficiency of the parcel-post system and the influence which this added service and added revenue will bring to the ending of the constant criticism and attack upon parcel post. Yours respectfully,

Senator GEORGE H. MOSES,

T. C. ATKISON, Washington Representative.

AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION,
Washington, D. C., March 6, 1926.

Senate Office Building, Washington, D. C.

MY DEAR SENATOR: Owing to a misunderstanding this morning I was unable to be present at your hearing on S. 2657.

In regard to the paragraph on page 2, line 17, beginning at the words "provided further," which paragraph relates to the transportation of insecticides, fungicides, etc., through the mail, I wish to state that the American Farm Bureau Federation is very much in favor of enlarging our postal facilities in such ways as will enable these commodities to be sent in properly safeguarded packages and containers directly from the manufacturer to the

consumer.

The particular attention of our farmers is drawn to this in connection with the necessity of getting particular kinds of drugs and chemicals for seed treatment, granary disinfection, weevil extermination, not to mention many other insecticides and fungicides which are needed.

We feel sure the Postmaster General can devise containers and packages which will make the transportation through the mails of such commodities as are included in S. 2657 as safe as other material which is now transported.

I trust you will consider this as the testimony of the American Farm Bureau Federation in behalf of this measure.

Very truly yours,

AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION,
CHESTER H. GRAY,

Acting Director.

The CHAIRMAN. The Postmaster General's comment on this bill is as follows:

Hon. GEORGE H. MOSES,

OFFICE OF POSTMASTER GENERAL, Washington, D. C., February 2, 1926.

Chairman Committee on Post Office and Post Roads,

United States Senate.

MY DEAR SENATOR MOSES: I have your letter of January 29, inclosing copy of bill (S. 2657) to amend Section 217 of the penal laws of the United States. The change proposed in the law provides for the admission to the mails of poisons prepared for use as disinfectants, fugicides, germicides, or insecticides. There have been numerous applications to the department for the admission to the mails of these and other articles, such as rat poisons, but the department has always taken the position that their shipment in the mails should not be permitted because of the danger of contaminating other materials moving in the mails. The transportation of these poisons in mail bags with other parcel-post matter, which may consist largely of foodstuffs and wearing apparel, would be dangerous to the receivers of mail matter and to those handling the poisonous articles.

The only possible way to safely handle such poisons in the mails would be to segregate them from other mail matter, but that would be disproportionately expensive.

I do not favor the proposed legislation and believe that it would be detrimental to the Postal Service and contrary to the interest of the public.

Very truly yours,

HARRY S. NEW, Postmaster General.

The CHAIRMAN. I will ask the committee reporter to transcribe the record as speedily as possible, and the clerk to have it printed as quickly as possible, in order that the members of the committee who were not present this morning may have it available and be able to proceed to consideration of the amendments.

There is another mater I wish to take up before the committee adjourns.

(Whereupon, at 12.25 o'clock, the committee turned to the consideration of other matters and in a short time adjourned subject to the call of the Chair.)

Reference

CONSTRUCTION OF A HIGHWAY FROM
THE ATLANTIC TO THE PACIFIC COAST

HEARING

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICES AND POST ROADS
UNITED STATES SENATE

SEVENTIETH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

S. 1900

A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF A POST
ROAD AND MILITARY HIGHWAY FROM A POINT ON OR
NEAR THE ATLANTIC COAST TO A POINT ON OR NEAR
THE PACIFIC COAST, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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COMMITTEE ON POST OFFICES AND POST ROADS

GEORGE H. MOSES, New Hampshire, Chairman.

LAWRENCE C. PHIPPS, Colorado.
TASKER L. ODDIE, Nevada.
PORTER H. DALE, Vermont.
COLEMAN DU PONT, Delaware.
THOMAS D. SCHALL, Minnesota.
WM. H. MCMASTER, South Dakota.
LYNN J. FRAZIER, North Dakota.

ROBERT M. LA FOLLETTE, JR., Wisconsin.
SMITH W. BROOKHART, Iowa.

KENNETH MCKELLAR, Tennessee.
J. THOMAS HEFLIN, Alabama.
PARK TRAMMELL, Florida.
COLE L. BLEASE, South Carolina.
SAM G. BRATTON, New Mexico.
DANIEL F. STECK, Iowa.
JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, Arkansas.
CYRUS LOCHER, Ohio.

MARTHA R. GOLD, Clerk.

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