The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-05-29
POST CARD BILLS
CAN'T Be MAILED
Department Reminds Postnas-
tiers That Law Must Not
Be Violated.

Though Richmond has encoun,ere6
..tue oiHlcuity In that direction. the
ro 'ss once Department at Washington
mas called attention OF all postmasters
70 that section OF the postal code which
foroids duns by creditors for past du,
accounts through the open mail Will.
mere has been some complaint by eli.
liens Of receiving threatening most.
cards from creditors and notices j,
pitls IN other forms through tn. omen
mall, this city has been comparativel,
! Tree from this violation OF the nostaJ
laws 70 -
However. It appears that Throughout,
the country the practice OF dunnine
py postal cards has been somewhat gen.
efai' ana with view of prosecuting
any such cases then department has
GATED attention to the regulations The
Jaw provides severe punishment for
al Hiolators. 1t is as follows:
All matter, otherwise mailabIe by
raw. upon the envelope or outside cover
or wrapper OF which. or any postal
caro- upon which any delineations. cpl.
thets. terms or language OF an tndc.
cent, iewd, lasciyious. obscene, libelous.
scurrilous. defamatory or threatening
character, or calculated by the term
or manner or style OF display, and OBJ
Ylously intended to reflect injuriou.Iy
upon the character or conduct OF an
other, may be written or printed or
otherwise impressed or apparent, arc
hereby declared non ma liable matter.
and shall not be conveyed in the malls
nor nor delivered from any post-oft1ce nor
ny any letter carrier. and shall be
Withdraw from the malls under such
regulations as the Postmaster G eral
shall prescribe.
Whoever shall knowingly deposit
or cause to be deposited, for mailing
or delivery, anything declared by this
section to be non-mailable matter, or
shall knowingly take the same or cause
the same to be taken from the malls
Tor the purpose Of circulating or dis
posing OF or aiding IN the circulation
OF disposition of the same, shall be
aned not more than $4,000 or impris-
oned not more than Ave years, or both"
The department. has ruled that the
clause of this section prohibiting "delin-
cations. epithets, terms or language
calculated by the terms or
manner or style OF display, and obvi-
ously intended to reflect injuriously
lpon the character or conduct OF an
other" covers and makes unavailable
cards by which 1T appears that the ad-
dressee is being dunned for an ac-
count that Is past due. This does ndt
Guide cards that bear respectful re-
quests for the settlement of current
accounts or that give notice when an
account pa per, assessment, taxes. gas
bills, etc, will be due, and such cards
are regarded as mailable n
The provision Of this section against
matter Of a threatening character is
held by the department to cover and
make unma liable cards that threaten
the bringing OF suits or legal proceed
ngs. if debts. accounts, etc, arc not
paid. This does not include cards that
bear notice of assessments of frater
nal and other societies, which contain
respectful reference to the rules Of
such order or society that failure to
pay such assessment will cause the
member to be suspended or that his
certificate will become void IL the as
sessment referred to does not appear
TO be past due.