Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 39 Part 1.djvu/450

 SIXTY-FOURTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. C11. 261. 1916. 429 patches of mail matter of the third and fourth classes and periodicals when lower rates for transportation or other economies may be secured thereby without material detriment to the service. The Postmaster General is authorized to return to the mails, when *},°"”'° *{,gsP°’*9‘ practicable for the utilization of car space paid for and not needed iénséiilsip ’°w"m or the mails postal cards, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, empty mail bags, furniture, equipment, and other supplies for the Postal Service. _ The Postmaster General, in cases of emergency between October ,,,E"‘p°’ mm °°°· first and april first of any year, may hereafter return to the mails ,R,;*¤¤¤ *¤¢¤¤ ¤¤¤i¤= empty ma  and other equipment theretofore withdrawn there- °’ °m°tgm°y °°s°s' from as required by law, and, w ere such return requires additional authorization of car space under the provisions of this section, to pay for the transportation thereof as provided for herein out of the appropriation for inland transportation by railroad routes. The Postmaster General may have the weights of mail taken on  ,P§,',,',g°d,§*,,;,E railroad mail routes, and complutations of the average loads of the W¤¤¤·¤¤· several classes of cars and other computations for statistical and · administrative purposes made at such times as he ma elect, and pay the expense thereo out of the appropriation for inland, transportation Expenses. by ra` oad routes. Pending the decision of the Interstate Commerce Commission, as ,,§u§*g§,g¢m’g°°§wcf;g; hereinafter provided for, the existing method and rates of railway mail mummy Commerce pay shall remain in effect, except on such routes or systems as the °°m““s?*°“‘ ostmaster General shall select, and to the extent he may find it s,.,°§§§_t’°“ ‘°' ‘p“°° practicable and necessary to place upon the space system of pay in the manner and at the rates provided in this section, with the consent and approval of the Interstate Commerce Commission, in order to proper y present to the Interstate Commerce Commission the matters ereinafter referred thereto: Provided, That if the final decision of the §[,?,§'f§j',‘§;,,,,,,,,,, if d,_ Interstate Commerce Commission shall be adverse to the space sys-  ¤S1>¤¤¤ tem, and if the rates established by it under whatever method or ` system is adopted shall be greater or less than the rates under this section, the Postmaster General shall readjust the compensation of the carriers on such selected routes and systems in accordance theregth, from the dates on which the rates named in this section became eotive. All railway common carriers are hereby required to transport such toltzliiisrcricilxgt mrglllnnd mail matter as may be offered for transportation by! the United Fm compmmm States in the manner, under the conditions, and wit the service ac. ’ prescribed by the Postmaster General and shall be entitled to receive air and reasonable compensation for such transportation and for the Service connected therewith. mmmacommom The Interstate Commerce Commission is hereby empowered and cammssmm _ directed as soon as practicable to fix and determine from time to time t,,%§'é;tZ,{°,,;,‘"t.”¥,’1. the fair and reasonable rates and compensation for the transporta- ind y- tion of such mail matter by railway common carriers and the service connected therewith, prescribing the method or methods by weight, or space, or both, or otherwise, or ascertaining such rate or compensation, and to publish the same, and orders so made and published shall continue in force until changed by the commission after due notice and hearing. _ _ In  and determining the fair and reasonable rates for such ,,,§““ f°' d°°°m“”` service the commission shall consider the relation existing between the railroads as public service corporations and the Government, and the nature of such service as distinguished if there be a distinction, from the ordinary trans rtation business of the railroads. Frmd _ The procedure fbi; the ascertainment of said rates and compensa- m` tion shall be as follows: Sm td dw ·Within three months from and after the giproval of this Act, or as mma wm digs by Soon thereafter as may be practicable, the ostmaster General shall *’°°““""" 6*****-