The Calumet news., 1911-12-11

the basis of the car space provided and |
payment to be allowed at the rate thus
determined i'm amounts that will cover
the cost ana per cent profit. Should
a railway be dissatisfied with the man
ner in which the department appor-
tions the cost in fixing compensation,
IL will have an opportunity, under the
proposed plan, to appeal to the Inter
state Commerce commission. If Con-
gress gives the recommendation of
the department i'm this regard it's fav-
orable consideration and authorizes
readjustment of railway mail pay i'm
the manner suggested, it is believed
that the resulting saving to the gov
crnment will amount annually to about
80, ,000, 900.
Reorganization of Railway Mail.
Following the INJURY into the cost
the department started a thorough in
vestigation of the railway mail serv-
| ice. In certain branches of that serv-
| ice most unsatisfactory conditions
were disclosed as the result of ineffi-
ccnt management. II was found that
| i'm some divisions the chief clerks had
not inspected their lines for several
years. Employees on certain lines
were compelled to work exceptionally
| long hours, while in other parts of the
| service a sufficient period of train duty
| was not required In many instances
the sanitary condition of the cars had
been neglected and the health of the
employees thus jeopardized. The re-
ports of the inspectors who made the
investigation showed that the govern
ment had been paying large sums for
car space that was not properly util-
ized. indicating a lack of proper SUI
pervision on the part of the officers Of
the service. Owing to the conditions
| disclosed by the investigation a thor
ough reorganization of the railway
mail service has been undertaken.
This reorganization, although not COM
pleted, has gone far enopgh to bring
about n decided Improvement over the
unsatisfactory conditions reported.
Unquestionably. the final result will
mean a tremendous saving to the gov
ernment accompanied by important
benefits to the employees of the serv-
ice.
In place of the present method of
cOmpensating railway mail clerks,
which is far from satisfactory, the De-
partment will recommend to Congress
a new system of salaries that will in
sure regular promotions and higher
maximum compensation for those who
render efficient service.
The plan of assigning TO the rail-
way mail cars new appointees without
previous experience i'm the postal serv-
ice is to be abandoned. and hereafter
the additional clerks required on the
cars will be recruited from the train
| ed employees of the postofIices.
| Aeroplane Mail Service.
| The first aerial dispatch of United
| states mail occurred i'm September
| last, when $4,000 pieces were carried
| from Aeroplane Postal Station No.
| on Nassau Boulevard to Mineola Long
Island. The progress being made i'm
the science of aviation encourages the
| hope that ultimately the regular con-
veyance of mail b. this means may be
practicable. Such service, If found
| feasible, might be established i'm many
| districts where the natural conditions
| preclude other means Of rapid trans.
| portation.
Annual Vacations.
| The department again renews its
| recommendation that law be enact
| Cd MT zfn ho oil IN
| days annual leave of absence with
| pay TO postoffice clerks, to city letter
| carriers, and to such railway postal
/ clerks as are required to work six
days a week throughout the year.
| While the granting of the proposed
leave will naturally entail consider
able additional expense IL is believed
that the cost will be more than offset
by the greater efficiency TO be expected
under law so beneficial to the health
and spirit OF the employees affected.
| Relief From Sunday Service.
| An order was put into effect during
the year that has reduced to a mini
mum the employment of postofice
| clerks and letters carriers on Sunday.
| The few employees who are Obliged
TO report on the Sabbath to make
necessary distribution Of important
letters are now granted compensatory
time on other days of the week equal
to the period OF Sunday service. The
arrangement by which the amount of
Sunday work In postofiices is thus
| reduced has been received with great
favor by the employees and with little
| service.
Pensions for superannuated.
Almost without exception. foreign
nations provide for the pensioning of
j civil service employees when they be-