The Washington times., 1911-02-02
POSTOFFICE DEPARTMENT
AND THE MAIL CLERKS.

Application of a determined policy
of reducing expenses to a minimum
consistent with efficiency, has stirred
up, in recent months, Il controversy
between the Postofiice Department and
the railway mail clerks. The merits
of this controversy are not all on one
side. The Hitchcock administration
has deserved well for its vigorous pur-
pose of eliminating the deficit and
taking up th9 slack" III the depart
ment organization. In application of
that program, it has encountered some
of the inevitable difficulties incident
TO reOrganizing a great employment
which has fallen into fixed habits and
methods.
The volume of protest which comes
up from the Postoffice employe and
commercial interests, however, sug-
gests that reforms may be secured at
too high a price. There is no doubt
that the railway mail clerks are one
of the most faithful and efficient bodies
of skilled employees to be found in any
business i'll this or any other country.
Their employment is one which imposes
great strain and physical risk and
requires constant study and a high
showing of accuracy. Men doing this
kind of work, in the circumstances un-
der which it is done, cannot be worked
excessive hours Their hours are
necessarily irregular, being adapted to
the needs of the different runs on
which they are engaged. The Post
office Department protests that it has
no purpose to impose on these men,
and its assurance must be taken as
entirely sincere. But against this is
TO be placed the very obvious fact,
from the statements of the mail clerks,
that in many particular instances hard
ship, excessive hours, and impossible
tasks, have been eXactcd.
The new and fast-developing West
ern country has been especially insist
cnt in protest; but the East is also
making itself heard, through its repre-
sentatives in Congress.
One State Legislature has adopted
and sent to Washington resolutions de-
scribing and protesting against condi
tions as they exist. Commercial bodies
have to a considerable extent voiced
like dissatisfaction. The railway mail
clerks, $4,000 in number, are making
such determined efforts in their own
behalf as leave no doubt that they
consider their grievances entirely real
and substantial.
Throughout the series of complaints
from these workers, may be read new
version of the difficulty of fitting the
man to the job, and the salary to the
work done. which we have so many
times described as chief weakness of
the whole civil service establishment.
Postal clerks complain of doing exces-
sive work without extra pay, in place
of men sick or otherwise incapacitated
They point out that the railroad en-
ployes on the very same trains get
extra pay for overtime, while postal
clerks get none at all. Small wonder
if such conditions are demoralizing,
especially in view of the low salaries
paid III the railroad mail service. There
is need for reform throughout the
whole civil working force; for getting
its methods into touch with modern
processes of doing business. The Post
office Department is not more to
blame, nor so much, as most other
branches of the Government. 1t is
the splendid example of high efficiency
under Government management, the
complete answer to the accusation that
Government cannot do business right.
Which is the more reason why long