THE CONGRESS: More for the Post Office

While most Senators were extending their Labor Day holiday, Vice President Alben Barkley clomped into the Senate chamber one day last week. Only one Senator, Vermont's Republican George D. Aiken, was present. But the Senate had agreed that, for the record, it would meet that day. The Veep carried out the formality incident to such occasions. In one quick breath he blurted out: "Undertheorder of Friday last the Senate willstandinrecess unt11 1 20' clocknoontomorrow."Then he banged his gavel. Elapsed time: five seconds. It was a new record.* The shortest previous session, conducted in like manner by President Pro Tern Kenneth McKellar on Dec. 29, 1950, took a full nine seconds.

Later, back on the job, the Senate buckled down again to its preadjournment grind and cleaned up one sticky matter. It approved the Post Office Department's decision to continue once-a-day mail service, upped postal rates all round. Subject to House approval, the bill would: ¶Increase the cost of the penny postcard to 2¢, despite the fact that a previous try at a 2¢ card (in 1925) brought such a drop in its use that the 1¢ rate was quickly restored. ¶Raise the postage on a regular letter from 3¢ to 4¢−the highest rate since 1851. ¶Up the price of an air mail stamp from 6¢ to 8¢, a special delivery stamp from 15¢ to 20¢. ¶In the next three years increase the rate for mailing magazines 60% and for newspapers 30%.

With other increases on such items as parcel post, catalogues and C.O.D. charges, the bill would bring the Post Office Department an estimated $400 million more annually. But it would still leave the department $100 million short of meeting its expected deficit, even before Congress takes up the bill to raise the postman's pay.