The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-09-16
MUST SUPPRESS POSTAL CARDS
Kenosha Postmaster Urges That the
Law in Regard to Sending Obscene
Post Cards Through the Mails be
Strictly Enforced.
(From Tuesdays Daily

(From Tuesdays Daily
At the session of the annual conven-
tion of the Wisconsin postmasters held
at the Hotel Pfster in Milwaukee this
afternoon Postmaster John B. Malo-
ney delivered very interesting ad-
dress dealing with the evil of the OBJ
scene post card. The address was
one of the. features of the afternoon
session of the convention.
Mr.. Maloney said in part:
"Mr. President and Ladies and Gen
tlemen of the Convention:
The post card or private mailing
card has become a permanent medium
of correspondence in the mails of this
country. It's growth has been rapid
and will continue. Its legitimate use
is a source, of great convenience, and
much pleasure and information to the
people and produces a very material
increase in our postal receipts. These
facts are borne out by the experience
Of European countries where it has
been in use for a. much longer period
of time.
This being true we should devote
our best efforts to the development and
improvement Of this branch Of the
service. To this end our worthy presi-
dent has asked me to open this dis
cussion by suggesting such remedies
as in my judgment will eliminate If
not entirely do away with the nuisance
Of vulgar, abscene and suggestive post
cards being circulated in the mails.
'1Our duty under the postal laws and
regulations is SO plainly marked out
for us that there is no chance of mis-
understanding it..
ga proper enforcement of the regu-
lations relative to this matter and
more thorough investigation of the
mailing Of obscene cards, that are sent
to the Dead Letter Office, and punish
ment of the offenders, would in my
judgment, practically abate the nui-
sance in comparative short time
"While the method of correcting the
evil may seem harsh so far as the in
vidual convinced is concerned, it
would create wholesome fear and re-
spect for the law, that will cause those
low minded persons to hesitate who
would circulate their fifty sentiments
through the mails.
Gin every offense of this sort that
has come under my notice the perpe-
traitor was ignorant of the law and
the penalty for it's infraction. / would
suggest that it would be well for the
department to issue an order to the
effect that caution card, printed in
plain characters, setting forth the es-
sentials of the regulations on this sub
ject, be displayed in a conspicuous
place in the lobby of every post Office
II believe that postmasters can pro-
duce a good moral sentiment in their
respective communities, in this matter
by calling the attention of the public
to it through the medium of the press
Anything in the papers concerning the
post office, of whichsall are patrons,
is noticed and carefully read.
CATER an able paper and discussion
on this subject before the postmaster IS
convention held in this city two years
ago, a resolution was passed asking
that some effective measures be issued
by the department to prevent the cir
culation of vulgar and obscene post
cards. / imagine that the wise ones
at Washington wore a broad smile
when they read that resolution, being
aware Of the existence Of the law and
the penalty attached, that has been on
the statute books since 1888.
cit would seem better to ask that
the department. promulgate an order
requiring a stricter enforcement of the
regulations relative to this subject by
postmasters and more rigid applica-
ton of the law by that branch of the
department engaged in the prosecution
of offenders, and that the essentials Of
the law and the penalty for breaking
| it be given greater publicity in the
ways I have suggested or others that
may be suggested in this discussion.