Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-11
Postal Department Will Make
All Trains Mail Trains
In Future
TRAINMEN TO HANDLE THE MAIL
Conductors. Bsgsasemen and Others to
be Commissioned and Paid for Hand
ling Newspaper eundes-WilI Place
All Trains Under Protection of Fed
eraI Government.


General Payne has decided upon an
important step which will practically
put the railroads of the country under
the protection of the United States gov
eminent and prevent interference with
interstate commerce by strikers. This
will be accomplished by making every
missioning railroad conductors, bag
gagemasters, and other trainmen as
employees of the United States postal
service and empowering them to handle
mails.
Postmaster General Payne and AS
sistant Postmaster General Shailen-
berger have had the matter under con-
sideration for several months. The
agitation, however which really led
to the adoption of the new policy has
been growing for several years, and
like so many other important steps
adopted by the postoffice department of
| late years. Is the result OF the tremend-
Gus growth of the rural free delivery
service. This service has resulted in
more than quadruping the circua-
ton of newspapers turnout the country
| in the period of six years.
| Protests We're received at the depart
ment from the entire country regard
| ing the inefficieny of the mail service
| ing the efficiency of the mail train SER
vice. Officials have endeavored to
| devise a means of relief. After long
| consideration, 1t was thought impos-
| sible to arrange any plan that would
I prove satisfactory to the government,
| railroads, publishers or newspapers,
| and the million of subscribers. The
/ fact that the government requires all
mails to pass thru the postoffice and
| handles them only in sealed pouches,
/ was the greatest drawback to the quick
service desired, and, in fact, the send
ling of United States mail on any eX-
cept mail trains.
The postal officials declined to enter
!. into an agreement whereby they would
| be responsible for mails not carried IN
closed pouches, and handled by sworn
! employees. Nothing was done until MT.
/ Shallenberger gave the matter his per-
sonal consideration, and devised new
/ plan. 1t is really an ampliiicadon OF
| the system used by the publishers or
newspapers in sending out their mail
editions. Ii has been the practice OF
| publishers to entrust bundles of papers
to trainmen on trains which do nos
carry mail. with instructions to throw
| off the packages at certain points. This
| system has not been entirely satiSfact-
DRY.
The government has now decided to
assume the responsibility for the car
rage and delivery of these newspapers
and will commission and pay salaries
to the trainmen over and above the
compensation received fer the regular
work In putting into effect this far
reaching policy each case where addi-
Itional facilities are needed will be con-
sidered separately. When the request
for additional mail train facilities is re-
ceived at the department an employe of
| the railway mail service Will be as
signed to the case and will attend to
the prelminaries of looking to the COM
Imissioning of trainmen as employees OF
the postal service and of arranging the
schedules.
Any train-passenger local or freight
will be empowered to carry mails ana
the United States will hold itself re-
sponsible for their delivery. This means
/ that in case OF a strike every train
which carries these special mails will
be lust as much under the authority
land protection of the federal govern
ment as thru and local mail trains
| which run on regular daily schedule,
land when all the arrangements nave
Ibeen made and the plans OF the depart
ment put into effect there Will be lew
trains which are not either regular or
special mail trains.
In case of interference with any or
these specials during the time of a
strike or mob violence the United
states must under the statutes afford
it the same protection, by federal troops
.lif necessary, that has been and will be
given to the regular mail trains.
There are some preliminaries still to
be arranged with railroads but there is
not the slightest reason for doubt that
the various systems will gladly avail
themselves of the privilege extended to
them for securing almost absolute I'M
Imunity from mob violence by federal
protection. The government will be
permitted to settle upon the salary to
be paid to the trainmen. AT the coming
session of congress Postmaster General
/ Payne will ask for special approprla-
ton to pay the salaries cf these special
EMPLOYEES. Until such time. however,
the trainmen employed by the govern
ment will be paid out of the general
H.. ,,;l