The Washington herald., 1907-01-10
SAD CASE IS TRACED
But Red Tape Is Worse than
the Original Complaint.
SOLEMN SEARCH FOR ITCH
After the Postmaster General and
Numerous SubOrdinRteS of the De-
partment Have Conducted Exten-
sive Investigation, the Victims
narrowing Tale Is Told.

This is the narrowing story of lady in
! the postal service who was charged with
being afflicted with the itch The case was
considered by the Postmaster General and
numerous other officials in the department
and in the field The papers filed in con
nection with it are many. and have be
come a part of the archives of the depart
ment, to be studied by future postal Off
cials as a good illustration of the red-tape
methods which Postmaster General Cor
telyou has. to a considerable extent, elimi-
mated in the conduct Of the business Of
the postal service.
On February s. 1906, a postal card was
received at the department from a woman
in one of the middle Western States, lodg-
ing a complaint against a certain post
Office in another State, as follows:
VIII you kindly inquire into the
matter OF itch" at the - pOst-Office?
This postal card was forwarded by the
chief clerk Of the department to one of
the bureau chiefs, who sent it to the prin-
cipal field onicer in the State where the
post-ofice named is located, for amy
necessary attention"
Interview the Victim.
The latter official sert all the papers to
his superintendent in the State
where the complainant lived. with this
/ Endorsement:
wish you would have the postmas-
ter at - interview Mrs l. and as
certain the nature Of her complaint"
The papers were duly forwarded to the
postmaster at the little town where the
woman lived. The postmaster made a re-
port as follows.
] had an interview with and
she states that just prior 20 the date
of her complaint attached hereto she
received "a letter from her sister in
- i'm which it was stated that
there was itch at the post-office at
that place, and that as a precautiOn
the envelope and letters should be de-
stroyed at once for fear Of contagiOn.
She says that she has no further in
formation on the subject. but deemed
it important to call the attention of
the department TO the matter.
The papers were all sent back 10 the
field officer first mentioned. who forward
ed them 'fOr investigation and report
to his subordinate at the nearest point 10
T =
alleged TO be raging ia all its violence.
The accumulated papers then found their
way 10 the postmaster at the supposedly
itch-infected Office for his statement in
regard 10 the ease.
Official Report Made.
This official came back with a report
as follows:
Dear Sir. Mrs. - who is a clerk
in p. O.. had breaking out and
went 10 the DIR. lie said it was Blood.
and gave her medicine for her Blood
Is all right now, one other family
had something like IT, The DR. did
not call il Itch
The papers. which were a foot or so
thick, were started back To the depart
ment through the same channels They
had gone from one official TO another.
each one taCking on an Endorsement all
along the line. until at length they reach
ed the chief clerk Of the department
again. and through him finally got be-
fore the Postmaster General who closed
the case with this memorandum.
Is there not some way we can get
at things Of this sort without going
through all this red tape?
AS he handed the papers to the chief
clerk. Mr. COrtelyou said.
The itch for red tape is worse than
the original complaint"