The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-25

been expecting appointment to existing vacancies, or at least temporary work during the holidays, will be disappointed; vacancies are being filled by taking clerks from other places, and no substitutes are being employed as acting clerks at gov crnment expense whenever such action can be avoided. Clerks were given an ex pense allowance by the last Congress, effective with July l, at the munificent rate of 75 cents per day, to include three meals Qf necessary at IS cents and lodg ing Qf possible) at 21 cents; for the period from July l to September 30 the clerks (some, not alp received g per cent of the amount allowed, so that the sums actual ly received ranged from 25 cents up to about $5, small percentage of their ac- fual expense and a smaller percentage of the $4 per diem allowance made to other travelling employees of the govern n1ent.
 Have No Lobby
 The communication points out that the campaign of economy involves the rights of the country and states that all inter- ests have lobby at Washington and ev- cry plan for increasing the revenue or irnpr owing the service is opposed by fn- fluential interests.
 .It is upon the clerks that the mail sys- lem depends and the cessation of their labor for 24 hours would paralyze the
 
 continues:
 ! If a saving be desired in the expense of the postal service, set the politician postmasters at work on the jobs to wnich they are appointed, cut down their sal aries to sums approximately consistent with the service they perform. require the publishers to pay at least the actual cost of transporting their printed mat ter, pay the railroad companies reason z1-1. .I 1ro fha 1atfa a cents (which is cheap enough) for transportation, establish 1-cent rate for local delivery, charge the right price for service rendered, give the best possibic service for the price, and in the name of decency and humanity stop making an exclusive target of the overworked, un- derpaid and generally ill-treated postal clerk, who has hard enough time at the best in keeping soul and body to- gether, or even body only. Give him a respectable salary while he is in active service and an income or some means of earning his living after becoming in- capaoitated for road duty. Treat him as a man of his required integrity and edu- cation deserves. Take the postal service out of politics and kill the graft.
 Provide sufficient facilities and tools for the proper performance of the duties expected of him. Give the substitute clerk salary so that he can have some- thing to eat during the year or two he hangs around waiting for appointment and subject to duty on short notice for short time and deferred compensation. The service appears just now to be well advanced toward the demnition bow VOWS and quick action Is imperative, not only respecting the Christmas mail, but in the interest of efficiency hereafter Will you please take up the cause. for the public good if not in the interest of the clerical force7 Any improvement whatever will be appreciated by all con cerned and will result in the renewal of interest on the part of the men handling the mails. who are now on the verge of utter Encouragement and dejection. You cannot expect good work from whipped CUTS, and just now these men are whip ped CUTS. with the Postmaster General holding the whip and the other officers all the way down holding the CUTS or standing by listening to their yelps.