THE PENNY POST CARD
"Neither rain nor sleet nor gloom of night shall stay
these brave couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds!"
Among the many fine old American traditions now going down
the drain of history, is that of the U.S. Postal System. Originating in the
young and vigorous years of America's growth period, it did so well for several
decades, that it became a revered tradition in its own time. Rates were very
low, and service was excellent. For a single penny, one could
purchase both the post card itself, and the postage, to send a message
anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. (Of course, there was always a small deficit at
the end of the year, which had to be made up from public tax funds, but nobody
seemed to mind so long as the service retained its excellent quality. Then,
suddenly, some government efficiency expert had a wonderful idea! All that was
necessary to wipe out the annual deficit was to double the price of the post
card, raise the cost of letters from two cents to three, and other postage
accordingly! -Alas!- What fools we mortals be! The price was duly raised and,
by the end of the first year, the deficit was higher than it had ever
been before! Then another 'Think Tank' came along and said, "The real
problem is that we have been giving far too much service. What we need to do is,
first, raise the post card to three cents, the letter to four, and other
postage accordingly. Then we cut out all those multiple deliveries in urban
areas, cut down the number of pickups from the boxes, lay off a few delivery
men and let the rest carry more mail. That will do the trick! Accordingly, all
of these reforms were instituted and, by the end of the year the deficit had doubled.
After that, for several years, no one seemed to have any more ideas, so the
Post Office simply continued to push the old ones. The penny post card went
from four to five, to six, and then to seven, during this period, while all
other rates escalated at the same level. The quality of the service continued
to deteriorate, while the deficit skyrocketed. Since all
this took place before inflation had become a handy excuse for every
kind of government excess, the postal situation finally began to be of concern
to the long suffering public.
Studies were made to determine how the system might be
improved. The most complete and thorough of these, ordered and paid for by the
Federal government itself, reported simply that there was no way in which the
system could be repaired or reorganized. It was much too far gone for any such
action. The only possible solution, it said, was to junk the present staggering
colossus entirely, and to begin again with a system controlled by the logic of
modern industry rather than by dogmatic and monopolistic governmental habits.
Since there seemed to be no alternative, a group of 'experts' were appointed to
design a new Post Office system. Anyone who knows anything about governmental
habits however, knows that, once government has had its hooks sunk deeply into
any public function, it never lets go entirely. The result of the 'Expert's'
activity was not the new entity that the study had recommended,
but only a partial reorganization, which the study had warned could not
succeed! The reorganization was sold to the public as a ‘Quasi' Governmental organization;
which simply meant that it incorporated the worst flaws of both
private and government control, with few of the merits of either!
The new, "Quasi Governmental Agency," was
intended to be self supporting, and so went hopefully into business with a
massive jump in all postal rates. This would be it! At last there would
be no more deficits. The new Post office would be self supporting! -Alas!- One
small fact had been overlooked. Murphy's law states clearly that ALL
governmental agencies, even Quasi ones, always spend from 148 to
260% of their income, no matter how large that income may be, or how small the
function of the agency. In the case of the U.S. Post Office, both the function
and the income were very large to begin with, which meant that the
deficit would certainly continue to grow.
Before the end of the first year of operation, the
new Post Office was already in deep financial trouble, and was calling upon its
uncle to come across with a few hundred millions to tide it over until it could
institute a new large increase in postal-rates, and cut off a few more of its
"unnecessary" services to the postal patron!
The Penny Post Card Page
2
During its second year of operation (and its third
increase in postal rates) the Post Office noticed that personal mail had
dropped off rather substantially, because of the constantly increasing cost of
letter posting. Their immediate response was to ask the Federal government for
an outright gift of a few millions of public tax dollars
to pay the cost of a propaganda campaign aimed at persuading people to write
more letters! The absolute ridiculousness of such a proposal was
so obvious to everyone, except the Post Office, that the nation roared
in laughter (or in anger) depending upon individual temperments. The idea that
the Federal government should take money away from the people and give
it to the Post Office, so that the Post Office could use it to persuade the
people from whom it had been taken, to spend even more of their money in
excessively priced postage, so that the Post Office could raise its rates even
higher, and producing a still bigger deficit for the same tax payers to pay,
was a humorous situation to some, but a stark indication of total governmental
idiocy to others. Eventually the suggestion was dropped.
Today we are in the midst of another of the constantly
repeated price boosts, but by now, we have reached a point where any
reasonably efficient private organization could do the overall job better,
faster and considerably cheaper. All kinds of local competition is
beginning to show up in cities throughout the nation, and a great deal more
would now be in operation except for the fact that the Post Office is protected
in it's senility, by monopolistic laws which, although they are unconstitutional,
purport to forbid anyone from competing with it. For example, personal post
boxes, even though they are purchased and installed by the
citizen on his own property, are said to become the property
of the Federal government and the Post Office, as soon as they are
installed, and cannot be used for any purpose by any other person.
When any law becomes oppressive or overly burdensome
however, that law tends to be modified, repealed, or simply ignored. It is not
likely therefore, that the Post Office can be supported for long merely by the
monopolistic laws that surround it. It is not difficult to predict that,
unless a number of changes for the better, and a slowing of the perpetual
escalation of costs can be arranged, in a few more years a number of entirely
new postal delivery a and instant communication systems will have grown up
within the country, and the U.S. Post Office will have become an almost
forgotten relic of a bygone era. If is still in operation, it will be
used only for it's nostalgic appeal to an occasional romantic swain, who wishes
to impress his loved one with the two dollar postage stamp on his
letter, or with the simple penny post card, which now costs one dollar!
(signed Daniel W. Fry)
(hand written) “Cleona’s Corner”
Because we have many new members here (U.S.A.), more in
Europe and Australia, it seems well to tell them things they may not know about
Dr. Daniel W. Fry, and 'remind' our dear long time members of what
we do, what we represent, what we would never stoop to do,
and why we would not! Also, what long time plans we
have, and our plans to accomplish the same. Some seem quite impossible, some
unlikely, and some perhaps, quite dangerous.
We will go where "Angels fear to tread”
trusting God will protect us as WE work to protect our beloved
planet Earth, and all on it, including YOU! To do this we must
travel to far far away places, to speak to, and with, those in
power whose viewpoints appear so dangerously different from those of 'we, the
people,' referred to as "our U.S.A. government." With firm and
knowledgeable facts and logic, plus gentle persuasion and love, perhaps we CAN
alter the sometimes perilous course upon which all now travel.
This is our intent! Will you help us to help you?
Never forget that we do work for you!
Who can say what would already have occurred without
Daniel W. Fry and Alan, our beloved extraterrestrial? The book 'To Men of
Earth' was written because of Alan's request that this message be given TO
MEN OF EARTH! (Women and children, TOO, of course!) Most of you have read it
and re read it, and will yet again, feeling better every
time you do so.
Knowing what could happen, we ache to see total
peace for all our Earth! It is for this that we work. Some people
ask, "Wouldn't you like to stay home?" The answer is, "Oh, Yes!
But is this not much more important, that we all HAVE a
home and a planet?
Some say, "Do you like to travel so
much?" Dr. Fry has been over most of the world, and I, about half
of it. We personally do not need to go further. On a long working tour,
'working travel' grinds out any possible glamour. Sure it would be heavenly to
be home resting, reading and relaxing. You may say, "Is this trip
necessary?" YES! If we didn't feel it to be so we'd happily stay
home and be planting and remodeling the house we've long hoped to, some
day, live in, unless God has other plans.
Many months of preparation are necessary before we
can think of leaving. Each country's permission must be sought (and gotten) to
have an audience or a meeting with the leader of each country. President, Prime
Minister, Queen, King, Dictator, or whatever title is worn or used. Then timing
is vital so that all dates mesh perfectly without mixup!
You may ask, "Why don't you tell us with whom you are
corresponding and planning." This we cannot do! It would be
an invasion of their privacy! Afterward, we can, and will, tell you.
This is going to be an exciting year for greater understanding
AND for Understanding, Inc! It will grow as never before, both
here and abroad.
Enclosed is one of several poems written by one of
our newest Australian enthusiastic members. It seems we will very soon
see a new Understanding Unit formed there! Their
enthusiasm, eagerness to learn, and sharing all Understanding beliefs and
values, is a heartwarming joy to us.
For those who may not know, there is nothing shown
or talked about by Carl Sagan (of whom we are very fond) that Dr.
Fry wasn't telling 30 years ago about our universe! Unfortunately, we do
not have Cornell University funding, and T.V. programs are very costly.
Now, regarding things being done that we would never
stoop to do, and about which we feel we should warn you because
you ARE part of our "family of Understanding"; -
1. There are books around, allegedly with every word
'channeled' which are products of nothing more than vivid imagination
and greedy desire for more money! Please be careful what you believe!
From us you receive only 100% truth. After every lecture
Dr, Fry gives, there is a 'question and answer' period, during which Dr.
Fry gives information at length. We know of some who copy the work of
Dr. Fry and other qualified persons, and then lecture on same but
cannot answer any question because they only 'parrot' and are unable to
reply! Another gathers other people's works in the libraries, then goes
out and and lectures on these works as his own! He cannot answer questions either!
Our own honor, standard of ethics, common decency and lack
of greed, assures you of total truth from us, and from any book
Dr. Fry has written, or, the two he is now writing!
We also plan to take care of ourselves and each other, so
that we can take care of others.
2. To give OF ourselves freely with love, thoughtfulness,
caring, tenderness, and a smile - with no strings attached, for sharing just
comes naturally to those who really care to serve mankind,
and WE DO!
There are those who want to hear more about space
craft, U.F.O.s, etc. If we don't see them, we don’t make up tall-tales
to please! We stick to the truth.
I saw my 1st and only beautiful space craft on Christmas eve
1982 - low and close over the "little house" I've owned 27 years.
Most of you know it took me about three days to 'land' from 'Cloud
9' after that thrilling experience! I'm ready for more whenever THEY
choose to visit. Should we have such a lovely experience again, you'll be the very
first to know!
Till then we send you EARTHLY love,
(hand written) Cleona Q. Fry, National Treasurer,
Understanding, Inc.
(over, please.)
(hand written) I think you’ll like this. I do!
|
The Time has come, the speaker said, to talk of many
things
Of space ships sailing through our skies, of Angels
without
wings, And how the Air Force tells us lies, and what the
future brings. Each speaker will, in turn, regale, the
crowd
with his own saucer tale, They come from Venus or from
Mars,
Some even come from distant stars, To bring us warnings,
dark
and dire, of holocaust from nuclear fire. It's clear
that we
must mend our ways, or fate will quickly end our days.
From
war we simply must refrain or all mankind is down the
drain.
So listen well and take good heed, we’ll save the world
through
word and deed!
(hand written) (This is our
intention! – And you KNOW who wrote it!)
|
Spheres
Of
Beauty
Beyond the earth and sky I Fly
To radiant spheres of God Most High
The splendour that awaits me there
Is a Cosmic Joy that I would share.
(hand written) (This one's from our Newest members in Australia)
Let’s not forget
“You can never do a kindness too soon because you never
know how soon it will be too late” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Understanding is the key to everyone and everything
