The 5

THE CONGRESS The 5-c- Bargin

For years the Administration has been trying to raise the first-class-mail rate as part of its drive to end the postal deficit, which is running over $650 million a year. Last week, thanks to unexpected party solidarity among the Republicans (only two G.O.P. defections, v. five party-line-crossing Democrats), the Senate voted 49 to 42 to raise the rate on in-town letters to 4-c-, to raise out-of-town mail to 5-c-.

But the vote was hardly a clear-cut victory for fiscal responsibility. For one thing, with a canny display of practical politicking. Postmaster General Arthur Summerfield and his aides patrolled the Republican cloakroom right up to the count, displaying a list of post offices in members' states that might be rebuilt or modernized with $175 million of the money the new rate would bring in.

For another, having made their show of getting the Post Office Department along toward paying its way in the world, the Republicans immediately afterward broke ranks in voting on another part of the same bill. The issue: a last-ditch amendment offered by Kansas' Senator Frank Carlson, ranking Republican on the Senate Post Office Committee, to limit a postal pay raise to 8 1/2% (v. 12 1/2% in the bill and 6% recommended by the President). The limitation was snowed under 54 to 29 when 15 Republicans, many regular Eisenhower supporters, deserted to the Democrats. Net result: the ungainly bill lumbered toward a conference with the House with $175 million of its expected $732 million of added revenue pledged to building post offices, another $320 million earmarked to raise the pay of letter carriers and clerks.

At week's end House Speaker Sam Rayburn predicted a fight in the House (which last session voted a 4-c-rate for all first-class mail) to knock out the fifth cent. Since the House is not likely to trim the spending, the cut would make the deficit even greater.

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