The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-31
Statistics Are Striking.


 MT Hitcheoek's report shows that in first and second-class offices there were approximately 2o0oo clerks In the grades ranging from S6o0 to 5000, and of these clerks. 234O. or about 12.3 per cent, re- signed during the year.
 Of 23.000 letter carriers attached to these offices, 6O1, or abolt 2.G per cent voluntarily left the service
 Statistics for the quarter ending Sep tember 30 last and for the months of October are even more striking. Dur ing the quarter 929 clerks and 2O5 carriers resigned, while incomplete returns for October showed the resignation of S56 clerks and S1 carriers. From 12.S per cent for the fiscal year. the annual rate of resignation of representative clerks advanced to 1s.5 per cent for the quar- ter ending September 30 and to POS per cent for the month of October. In the case of carriers the annual rate of resig- nation, which was 2.6 for the fiscal year. rose to $50 for the quarter, and Al per cent for October.
 The figures for October last show that clerks were leaving the service at an an- nual rate of one in every five.
 After careful study of the problem of devislng a satisfactory scale of salaries applicable to clerks and carriers alike this plan bas been suggested by MT Hitchcock:
 Establishing for both of these classes of employees six grades of compensation the annual salary to be $60O for the initial grade; $500 for the second grade and four succeeding grades $90O, $1000 SLIGO and s120O respectively. and providing for the advancement of clerks and car riers in first class off es from s6O0 initial grade to $500 after one years service to 800 after two years service, to 5000 after three years service, and for the advanc- ment of clerks and carriers in second class offices to $500 after one years ser vice to $900 after two years service.
 Submits Some Plans.
 The proposed plan leaves to the de- partment the distribution ts promotions based on efficiency above the 5000 grade in the first-class offices, and above the $900 grade in second-class offices, the extent of such promotions being limited of course by the appropriations provided The several grades ranging from $100 and $1000, to St2o0 will not only make it pos sibe to reward exceptionally faithful and efficient men throughout tho clerical and carrier service, but they will enable the department to raise the standard of re- muneration when demanded by local con- ditons.
 The suggestion Is made that fixed rate of 30 cents an hour be paid for all substitute work whether for employees absent with or wlhour temporary service,
 It is proposed to grant thirty days an- nual leave to postoffice clerks and car rers instead of eleven days as at pres ent thus placing the employees of the postoffice department on an equality with other government employees
 Suspensions of employees are not favor ed by MT. Hitchcock, and he urges that this system of punishment for infractions of regulations be abolished.
 There will be submitted with the re- port of MT Hitchcock a draft of bill embodying the various features of the plan for the regulation of salaries, the annual leave, and the hours of service of postoffice employees