Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-20
TRUCKING UNCLE SAM
EFFORTS TO DRAW DOUBLE PAY
FOR SINGLE SERVICE.

TT is not an easy task to play a trick
upon Uncle SAM" said an official to a Star
reporter. though men in the service OF the
government often attempt to play pranks
on the old gentleman
THE system in the various branches 10
such. however. that sooner or later those
who seek to. use their employment for their
own ends are caught. and frequently with
serious consequences to themselves. I am
reminded of an instance recently happening
In the rural free delivery.
These carriers are now allowed fifteen
days annual leave with pay after they
have been in the service a year. A short
time ago two carriers in a western state
sought to take advantage OF this privilege
Ihey both applied for at the same
time Carrier No. 1 allowed carrier No. 2
TO serve as his substitute. This apparently
relieved carrier No. l OF paying for the
services Of a substitute during his leave,
and permitted carrier No. 2 to draw not
only his regular pay granted him during
MS own absence, but would allow him to
draw the pay of a substitute so long as he
served In the place of carrier No. 1, thus
drawing double pay for performing single
service.
This neat little scheme would have
gone through all right to the mutual sat-
isfaction of the participants but for the
fact that the department detected 1t and
held that carrier No. 2. being a regular
substitute carrier. and 1t compelled carrier
NO. l to pay for the services of carrier
No. out of his own pocket. no doubt
much to his surprise and disgust.
another instance in the postal service
where men try to carry water on both
shoulders and draw double pay is that OF
the star route carrier. who tries to be-
come rural free delivery carrier as well.
By reason of the adjustment of the time
and train schedules such appointments
cannot be made. and this ruling is also in
furtherance OF the Discrimination of the
government to permit the same man to
draw pay from two different rolls, even
though he might be able and competent
to NIL both positions. While IT Is true
that the pay in many of these instances
Is comparatively small. and perhaps the
same man could cover both territories and
fulfill his obligations to the government.
the practice is not considered a good one
and Ii Is discouraged.
THE rules permit a regular rural free
delivery carrier to appoint as his substi-
tute any member of his own family who
may be available. provided he she may
have reached the age of seventeen years.
1t is essential that the regular carrier
should have substitute to the end that
some one be available to carry the mail In
the event of the sickness OF the regular
carrier, especially in the thinly settled
sections of the country. Sometimes the
postmasters in these sections In this event
have to close their offices and serve the
rural routes themselves.
Therefore the regular carrier some
times appoints his wife OF daughter as
his substitute. and the brave heroine OF
a rural free delivery newspaper sensa-
uonal romance comes into fame as having
fought and vanquished single handed some
fierce attacking catamount or mountain
lion while thus serving. Sometimes the
courageous girl swims and fords noun
tain torrents and swollen rivers with Uncle
Sans precious mail pouch fastened around
her slender shoulders. but whatever may
be the variation of these readable re-
mances they are accepted by the clerks
in the department with the proverbial
grain of salt and are read here with as
much amusement as they are with In
terest and wonder to those who fall to
such tales
while the appointment of the fair sex
Is not forbidden by the postal regulations.
1t is a practice which Is not encouraged,
and women rural free delivery mail car
rfers are not appointed where 1t Is pos
sible to get man to serve. In some OF
the prairie districts of the west women
have occasionally been appointed where
the routes are such that they may be thus
served, but the game female rural carrier
has her place like that of the wonderful
cowgirl. who can do all sorts OF wonder
full stunts with bucking bronchos and
lariats-in fiction" --- .s.F --Hs.f9