The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1911-02-05
Postmaster General Hitch
cock Is Very Angry
SOMEBODY WILL Be FIRED
Hitchcock Has Found Out That Some
One Has Been Issuing orders to
Employees In Name of the
Postmaster General

Washington, February A condition of
inefficiency, insubordination and misman-
agement has developed in the operation of
the railway mail service that is likely
TO result in an upheaval and perhaps n
reorganization of the entire service
Postmaster General Hitchcock is thor
oughly incensed over the situation as 1t
has been disclosed and he makes no con-
cealment of his Indignation.
For a considerable time he has been
conducting a personal investigation into
the operations of the railway mail serv-
ice. His inquiry is not yet concluded, but
the facts thus far developed indicate plain
ly that its results are likely to be dras-
TIC
Rumors reached Washington today from
several points that changes in prominent
officers of the railway mail service were
imminent; indeed, 1t was reported that
designations of the second assistant post
master general, Joseph Stewart and the
chief of the railway mail service, Alex
ander Grant, had been submitted to Mr.
Hitchcock.
1t can be said on authority of Mr..
| Hitchcock himself that neither of these
officials has resigned and that their resig-
nations have not been called for. Mr..
Hitchcock tonight expressed himself as
entirely satisfied with the administration
of the office of second assistant post
master general by Mr.. Stewart, for whom
personally and officially he entertalns a
high regard; but he expressed himself
| m a,,t
of the railway mall service. particularly
as respects the personnel of the service
\ His Investigations, he indicated, had dis
closed the fact that orders had been Is
sued by subordinate officers of the serv
ice placing upon the employees unreason
able burdens, In some instances, humiliat
ing burdens
These orders were promulgated In tn,
name of the Postmaster General al
though ho knew nothing about them unit
his investigation brought them to light.
The orders were issued. too, Mr.. Hitch
cock pointed out, Notwithstanding the
| fact that I had issued general instruc
| tions that in the carrying out of the pro.
posed improvements in the service no ad
6itional burdens should be placed upor
employees, as I believe that in the devel-
opment OF our efficiency system the
hearty good will of the employees was
absolutely necessary
| Mr. Hitchcock said the only officia
change in the status of the railway mai
clerks was caused by an effort of the de-
partment to effect reasonable readjust-
ment of hours of service. so as to equal.
| lie the hours throughout the country
Through the operation of this system the
| hours of service of some clerks were
slightly increased, while those of others
were reduced. The general purpose was
to have the maximum of employment not
to exceed six and half hours day. Ir
the working out of this system. Mr.
Hitchcock suggested that the railway
mail clerks had not been lowered ir
grade and the service in no respect had
been curtailed. On the contrary. the de-
partments' efforts had been to obtain
through Congress, improved physical and
| financial working conditions, while striy-
| ing to keep the service in pace with the
development of the country.
The investigation instituted by Mr.
Hitchcock probably will not be concluded
| for some days. 1t is not possible to ac-
curatelv foretell results. but a thorough
overhauling of executive officials of the
railway mail service is possible IL not i'm
minent.