The Washington herald., 1906-12-24
TREAT WOMEN ALIKE
Grass Wid0WSNOt GiYenPref-
erence in Postal Service.
NO DISCRIMINATION SHOWN
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
De Graw Declares Separation from
Husbands Does Not Give Members
of Fair Sex Special Consideration.
Department Aroused.

So many conflicting reports have been
circulated as to the status of women in
the postal service that Fourth Assistant
Postmaster General De GTaw had pre-
pared a statement defining the attitude
OF the department toward the appointment
of women. The department wishes the
announcement TO go forth that there is no
truth in the report that women will be
favored TO the exclusion of men, nor is
there any basis in fact for the statement
that women viii not be appointed at all
when men can be secured. The Fourth
Assistant brands as a canard the story
that no married women viii be appointed
at all He refused to discuss the rumor
that seems 10 have gone everywhere that
preference would be shown TO women who
were separated from their husbands.
That's a joke" he said. and should
be treated only as a joke. For that rea-
son it's not entitled to serious considera-
ton"
Only last week the Civil Service Com
mission received letter from woman
out West who said that if it were true
that a premium I'm the hope OF an appoint
ment was 10 be given 10 women separated
the old man over in a minute" The Off
eials of the department have also heard
from women who were Iaboring under the
impression that there was "A prejudice in
the postal service against their sex.
These fair correspondents express in Wig
orous language their opinions Of the men
who were supposed to be responsible
Denies All Discrimination.
The dar,a r4r,,ag,f asuorrroac +ba~ 4hara
has not been. and is not now. any dis
elimination against the employment Of
women in positions where they can prop
erly be placed.
1T is the experience Of the department 70
said Fourth Assistant De Graw. that
women, in any line Of work in which their
employment is practicable, are usually
careful and faithful public servants. In
some branches of the postal establish
ment, such as the Railway Mail Service
and the city delivery service, the condi-
tons are such as TO make the employment
Of women impracticable."
The records show that at the end of the
fiscal year. June 80 last. 900 women. or
95.& per cent of the total number Of
clerks in the department in Washington
We're women. The salaries they received
ranged from 500 to $l.@G year. The
average clerical salary Of the women is
81, HOO against Si256.2S for men. and the
average subordinate salary S4027l COM
pared with $685. for male employees.
1t is not possible 10 furnish complete
figures showing the number of women
employed in the service outside Of Wash
ington," said MT. De GTaw. "as in many
cases the sex is not indicated by the
ma Tiar-e of be- & IF
the fiscal year there were in first and
sec0nd-class post-ofices 194 assistant post
masters who We're women. In the grades
below that position there were $500
women employed as clerks in poSt-ohices.
with salaries ranging from 500 to S1.700
a year. There are probably 200 women
pOstmasters Of the fourth class. but no
figures are available in this Instance nor
in those Of mail messengers or con
tractors, although there are hundreds Of
women acting IL both branches.
Employed in Rural Service.
There are no woman carriers in the city
delivery service, but women are employed
as carriers in the rural service to a limited
extent. out Of Il total of 81, $50 regular
rural carriers, 253 are women. As substi-
tute carriers are nominated by the regu-
lars, IL frequently happens that the wife,
daughter, or other woman member of the
carriers family is named. The number
of women applying for these places is
small
1T is the experience of the department
that some Of the best rural carriers in
the service are women. They are usually
careful painstaking. and faithful en-
ployes, with a proper appreciation Of their
responsibilities as custodians of the malls.
Occasionally there have been complaints
against women carriers-one because the
carrier felt that her position gave her an
opportunity TO deliver lectures upon the
evils of intemperance.
Another who was married and had
reared a family found it difficult to sub
NIT to the directions of the postmaster.
On the other hand, an instance is cited
where a woman during a severe storm.
finding it impossible TO proceed over her
entire route, returned over another road
and came to a bridge across a creek
where the water had risen so high as to
submerge the bridge. In endeavOTing to
drive across. the horse. vehicle, and oc-
cUpant were preCipiJated into the water.
The carrier pluclily rescued not only her
horse and vehicle but recovered the sack
containing the mail"