HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 109 TO INVESTIGATE THE POST OFFICE FEBRUARY 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, AND 23, 1912 WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1912 85-452 [House Resolution 462.] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Resolved, That there shall be printed three thousand copies of hearings numbered fifty-four, before the Committee on Expenditures in the Post Office Department, House of Representatives, on House resolution 109, to investigate the Post Office Department, of which one thousand shall be for the use of the said committee and two thousand for the use of the House of Representatives, to be distributed through the document room. [Committee room, room 293, House Office Building. Telephone 589. Meets on call.] A 191 RURAL DELIVERY SERVICE. COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Washington, D. C., Wednesday, February 14, 1912. The committee met at 10.25 a. m., Hon. William A. Ashbrook (chairman) presiding. Present: Messrs. Alexander, McCoy, Austin, and Towner, members of the committee. There were also present Mr. P. V. DeGraw, Fourth Assistant Postmaster General; Mr. Charles A. Kram, Auditor for the Post Office Department; Mr. C. M. Bartlett, an accountant in the latter's office; and Mr. W. D. Brown. STATEMENT OF MR. WISDOM D. BROWN, EDITOR R. F. D. NEWS, WASHINGTON, D. C. The witness was duly sworn by the chairman. The CHAIRMAN. You will give your name and address in full to the committee. Mr. BROWN. Wisdom D. Brown, Washington, D. C. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Brown, I believe you are the publisher of the R. F. D. News? Mr. BROWN. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Did you organize and begin the publication of this journal? Mr. BROWN. I organized a company for the purchase of the journal after it had been in existence for some six years. I didn't start the paper. The CHAIRMAN. How long have you been the publisher of the paper? Mr. BROWN. A little more than three years. The CHAIRMAN. Previous to your becoming the editor and publisher of this paper what was your business-what were you engaged in? Mr. BROWN. I was engaged in selling rural mail boxes, independently for a short time, but a part of the time in conjunction, or in addition to, my duties in the office of the Auditor for the War Department. The CHAIRMAN. How long were you in the employ of the Government in the office of the Auditor for the War Department? Mr. BROWN. I think about two and a half years. The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Brown, did you have something to do with the organization of the National Association of Rural Free Delivery Carriers? 3 |