Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-29


these boards has become large. in my opin-
ion Congress should consider this expense
and make some specific provision for pay
ing 1t out of the ,eierkZhire appropriation.
Classification Act.
II desire to bring the special attention
of Congress to House bill No 1852, for
the classification of clerks in first and Sec
ond-class post offices. The present CLASH
fcation act, covered by section 451 of the
Postal Laws and Regulations, edition of
1893, has caused Che department consider
aple annoyance aa1 CONFUSION by reason OF
the fact that it does nod properly and salts
factorily classify in that it embodies so
many designations that are considered
synonymous House bill No. 1859 clearly
ooviates these difficulties. giving proper
designation and specific salary for each em-
ploye, and heartily recommend that the
bill be enacted into law --
Exper1enee shows that many of the
bright ana most intelligent young men who
enter the service soon become discouraged
by reason Of low salaries and simply re-
main sufficient length of time to enable
tEem TO secure more lucrative positions in
other vocations. This results in great detri-
meht 10 our service, the man retiring about
as soon as he becomes fairly proficient,
thus making the post office convenience.
Pay of Substitute Clerks.
An efficient post Office clerk is certainly
the peer of the letter carrier in intelli-
gence and integrity, hence there should
be no unjust discrimination. The pay of
the letter carrier Is regulated by law, and
MS day s labor Is fixed at eight hours by
the same authority the carrier being dis
clphned for exceeding such limit. He is
also allowed regular annual leave of
hfteen days, with a substitute paid by the
department to perform his duty during his
absence. The law allowing clerks fifteen
days annual leave, although equally man
datory, is not faithfully observed by many
postmasters, either through ignorance of
the regulations or because of an insufficient
clerical force. In many instances where
vacations are allowed, the remaining clerks
are required to perform from twelve to six
teen hours duty daily in order to handle
the mail promptly. Again as a matter of
fact, post office clerk to maintain his
standing in the'service, must devote much
of his spare time to memorizing distribut-
Ing schemes, whereas the letter carrier, at
the conclusion of his eight hours work,
gives no thought to the service until he is
required to resume his duties on the fol-
lowing day"
The Military Postal Service.
After reviewing the details which led up
to the establishment of military post offices,
Mr.. Heath says:
The proposition to appoint army officers
as postmasters was found to be impracti-
cable. for many reasons 1t was the I'M
uei sldiuihS preliminary 10 the act oI tofl-
gress making appropriation for and au-
tEcrizing the military postal establishment
that regimental chaplains would be desig-
mated as postmasters; that they would give
bond to cover their financial responsibility.
and be directed by the Secretary of War to
perform all the functions of a regular post
master. The chaplans who were approach
ed officially upon this subject were disin
clined to assume the financial responsibility
of the position of regmental postmaster.
Each and every one expressed willing
ness to cooperate with our department and
representatives in the details of the service,
in the distribution and collection of mall,
but contended that it was no part of their
duty to assume, without extra compensa-
ton, great financial responsibilities in the
handling of postage stamps and other sup
plies and the performance of money-order
and registry BUSINESS \ service of this
character entails great hazard and larger
responsibilities in a financial way than our
regular service as the supplies of a mill
tary post Office are constantly exposed to
depreciation or loss by fire or water and
the necessary shifting of military bases en-
tails Incidental hazard of no mean pro-
portions, such the overlooking or loss of
supplies en- route accidents and pifering.
ReSides, frauds may be practiced in the
money order and registry business, which
would involve loss upon the responsible
officers.
The plan agreed upon was to designate
a military postal Camp as station under
the nearest regular post office and place il
within the jurisdiction of the postmaster OF
that office. the employees vino were not en-
listed men drawn from the military service
to be either detailed from the regular postal
service or employed. The supplies for
these military stations We're issued to post.
masters having jurisdiction and charged to
their account, and We're in turn issued by
the postmasters to the military stations
through the bonded clerks in charge This
established Il regular and uniform system
of procedure in the establishment and SUI
pervision of military postal stations, placing
them all upon a regular basis. There could
no longer, under this system, be any ques.
ton AS to the security of the interests of
the government or the direct responsibility
for the establishment or supervision or re.
turns for postal supplies or receipts. This
system provided amply for the money order
and registry business and stamp sales, and
IN fact for all facilities OF first-class post
office at the military postal station.
Postal Service in the Captured Terri
tory.
With the development and perfection of
the postal service at the various military
postal stations throughout the country ar
engagements for the invasion of the Spanish
territory We're being perfected under the
direction of the Secretaries of Navy and
War and it became necessary for the Post
Office Department to prepare for the extern
sion of our military postal service to for
egn soil. 1t was decided that the estab-
hshment of postal service in the evacuated
territory should be created along the same
lines that at the military camps each
station being under the direction of a speci-
fed postmaster, and the clerks placed in po-
stions entailing financial responsibility
bonded to the postmasters The first es-
Establishment was at Siboney, Cuba, some
two weeks prior to the assault upon San
Juan Hill and the capitulation of Santiago
de Cuba. This postal station was desig-
mated Military Station No. 1, Cuba. and
made MAJ branch of the New York post office
nj
era direction of Postal Agent Brewer, and
upon his death Mr.. Louis Kempner an old
and experienced money order and registry
clerk of the New York post office, was
placed in charge
''At Cavite. in the Philippine Islands. i'm
mediately following the triumphant success
of Admiral Dewey, Military Station No. l.
Philippine Islands. branch of the San
Francisco post office, was established
Postal Agent Vaille was placed in charge
Then followed in quick succession the es-
tablishment of Military, Station No i, at
Ponce, Porto Rico, under the Jurisdiction
of the postmaster at Washington d. G.
and Postal Agent Robinson was placed in
charge.
Daily communication was had between