The Washington times., 1911-07-18
TRUST INFLUENCE
SOUGHT IN BAN ON
ALL TYING DEVICES
House Committee to Resume
Postoffice Inquiry-Inven-
ton of Comfort.

In casting about for the reason for
the rejection by the postal authorities
of the Comfort tying device. which the
inventor claims will save the Govern
ment 100000 a year, the House Com
mittee on Expenditures in the Post
office Department is keeping a weather
eye open for the possible influence of an
alleged Jute Twine trust.
Though no direct evidence of trust
influence has been brought out by the
investigation so far. there are several
members of the committee who are of
opinion that the combination in the jute
trade would at least be interested in a
device which gives promise of cutting
Oft so much of the Governments annual
expenditure for twine.
David Comfort, inventor of the new
device, has just returned to Washing
ton. after a business visit to his hom"
at Tifton, Ga. The Committee on Post
office Expenditures will resume its in
9utry into the rejection of his tying
device this week. The committee sus-
pended Its sessions during Mr.. Com
forts absence, pending the furnishing
by the Postoffice Department of addi-
tional information upon its handling of
the Comfort and other tying devices.
Probable Witnesses.
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
P. V. DeGraw will be one of the wit
nesses summoned before the committee
this week 1t also is likely that First
Assistant Postmaster General Grandfield
and CHIEF Clerk Weed will be sum-
moDeo.
Members of the investigating corn
nittee almost are unanimously in favor
of the Comfort device. 1t is simple IN
the extreme, and Immediately Er-
presses the Iayman as being extremely
efficient and serviceable.
II is claimed by David Comfort, the
inv entor, that the device is quicker and
more efficient than twine, and that II Is
more sanitary and economical he IN
vented the device more than Two years
ago. and brought it Immediately TO
Washington for the inspection of the
postal authorities here. Though MT.
Comfort demonstrated 1t to all who
were interested, the men in the service
refused to be impressed o! II.
Last year Mr.. Comfort was given per-
mission to take his device to the Phila-
delphia postoffice for trial. After he
demonstrated it to the men there, they
were enthusiastic over 1t, and Post
master r. L. Ashhurst recommended
thai II be adopted for the use of the
entire postal service. His recommen-
datiun, however, was disapprovod by
the committee appointed by Postmaster
General Hitchcock TO investigate Ine
sub ject Of tying devices.
Charges Poor Trial.
The Comfort device along with several
hundred other devices of a similar ma
fture were sent out TO the big postoffices
for trial. and with the exception Of the
Roston and Philadelphia offices. the
postmasters sent back reports condemn
ing all and every tying device In TOTO.
Mr.. Comfort told the committee that
his device was condemned because the
nostal authorities had refused to let
him demonstrate II, or to even send out
a circular with II, and that consequent
lv the men who received 1t to test did
not know how to use IT, After seeing
the device worked by Mr.. comfort the
committee was deeply impressed with
this portion Of his testimony.
The device is simple in the extreme.
IT is merely a piece of strong cotton
cord on a tier The cord Is wrapped
around the bundle brought over the
head Of the device and the deVice
snapped over and passed under the
cord. It makes an absolutely fiat and
secure knot The knot. once tied, can
not pull loose, 1t is in the form of the
sailors slip, the harder the pull the
harder 1t holds.
vice has been favorably received by
every man in the postal service to
whom he has demonstrated II. He said
that 1t was novel, and without knowl-
edge of its use, II was useless, and
that was why It had been thoughtless-
ly condemned.
Saving Possible.
In support of this argument Mr..
Comfort cited a case in the Union Sta
ton here. He approached a mail clerk
in a car in the station. and asked him
81 he had ever seen the device which
he displayed. The clerk replied that he
had, but did not like 1t. Mr.. Comfort
asked why. and found that the man
had been using it by merely turning the
cord around the bundle and over the
head of the device without swapping it
over, making an insecure and diff
Guilty tied bundle. When he showed
the man how to use the device cor
rectly he was enthusiastic.
BY adopting the device, the depart
ment would save its entire expendi-
ture for twine. Each device would Fe-
main in continuous use until worn out,
going from office to office, much as a
freight car moves about the country.
Mr.. Comfort was formerly the assist
ant postmaster at Tifton, Ga, but re-
signed his office when his tying device
was patented. He now Is president of
the Comfort-Bennor Tie Company.