The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-30

or postage stamps has been provided. These distinctive stamps must be used for all parcel post matter. If the pack ages bear ordinary postage stamps they will be held for postage.
 Immediately upon the enactment of the parcel post law Postmaster General Hitchcock appointed committee of pos tai officials to work out the details of the new system and to put it into opera tion. The committee consists of the high est authorities on all phases of postal ad- miristration. Its personnel is Robert s. Sharp, chief postoffice inspector, chair man; J. c. Rooms, superintendent of sal aries and allowances c. 3. Hurrey, chief clerk to the Eilrd assistant postmaster general; c. l.. Wood, superintendent Of rural mails, and A. A. Fisher, chief clerg to the second assistant postmaster gen. erai Associated with the committee in an advisory capacity is George G. Thomson, chief clerk of the postoffice department. These officials have developed the plan of the parcel post and prepared the de- tails of it's operation
 How to Address
 The drafting of regulations to govern matter transmitted by parcel post was personally directed by Postmaster General Hitchcock. One of these regulations is that each parcel mailed must bear on its face the name and address of the sender preceded by the word Prom" Parcels intended for dispatch must be mailed at a postoffice, branch postoffice. named or lettered station or such numbered station as may be designated by the postmaster. They must not be placed in or upon letter boxes or package boxes located in city streets. They may be given, however, to any rural or star route carrier. Parcels must not be sealed and must be so pre-. pared as to permit of easy examination. Such parcels as contain two or more classes of mail matter are 'chargeable with postage at the rate prescribed for the higher class
 All matter which Is declared unmailable by law will be unmailable as parcel post matter. This includes obscene, indecent and immoral matter, intoxicating liquors poisons live animals, birds and poultry, inftammable articles and such things as raw hides or belts or other articles nav ing bad odor. The regulations prescribe minutely methods to be used in packing parcels. Liquids and oils, paste and salyes, sharp instruments, ink powders. pepper and snuff, must be placed in water tight receptacles, and in many instances surrounded by absorbent material to pre- vent damage to other mail matter.
 Articles such as millinery, toys, musical instruments and glassware must be labeled Fragile.
 PerlShable Articles
 One of the interesting features of the regulations concerns pershable articles Tn this class are placed butter, lard, fish, fresh meats, dressed fowls. vegetables and fruits and berries. Provision is made for carrying almost every article produced on the farm except live animals and live fowls. In the local zone little packing is required. Within the first zone-that is for a shipment of 50 miles-all these ar ticles must be inclosed in an inner cover and in strong outer cover of wood, metal or heavy corrugated pasteboard, and so wrapped that nothing can escape from the package.
 It has been demonstrated to the satis- faction of Postmaster General Hitchcock that eggs can be transported safely by parcel post. Of course, they may not be mailed in paper bags but must be in- closed in proper containers.
 Parcels which cannot be delivered will take their course through the dead let ter office. If a parcel should contain matter that, in course of its transporta- tion, becomes offensive, or injurious to health, it may be destroyed by4the post master. Unbelievable perishable matter which does not become offensive or jn- furious to health may be turned over to ilocal municipal authorities to be distrib- uted to hospitals, asylun1s or other similar institutions. s{48k$ Yf4ss For Articles Lost
 Provision is made in the law for the indemnification of shippers for lost pack ages The law prescribes that by insur- ance the actual value of lost packages will be given to the senders. Postmaster General Hitchcock has devised unique