Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-08-30

to the business public. and that
through the arrangements he outlines.
urgent mail matter viii reach its des.
tination promptly. Orders necessary
TO carry Mr.. Hiteheoeks plans into cf.
feet will be issued Immediately. The
Postmaster Generals statement fol-
lows:
/ There appears to be some mlsap.
prehension as regards the provision in
the postal bill relating to the delivery
of mail on Sundays. This provision
does not require the closing OF post
Offices on Sundays. which would be
quite impossible, owing TO the fact
that the transit mail has 20 be sorted
and also the mail collected In cities
for dispatch to other destinations. To
stop the movement of this mail would
mean serious clogging OF the whole
system OF mail transportation and con.
sequent inconvenience TO the public.
AT present most of the mail receiy-
ed on Sunday for delivery by carrier
Monday morning is worked after mid
night on Sunday, and therefore the law
win not affect this mail. II will be de
livered as promptly as hitherto. Mail
received up to midnight on Sunday
for lock boxes will be distributed to
the boxes and will be available TO box
holders on Sunday az usual,
Little Change Required
There liz at present no street deliy.
cry OF mail by letter carriers on sun.
day and therefore the law makes no
change In this regard. In short, the
| only mail that will be affected under
a reasonable construction of the new
law is that received at the postoffices
on Sunday and hitherto sorted on that
day for distribution to lock boxes
AS the purpose of the law, which
was clearly enacted in the interest of
employees. is TO reduce, as far as prac.
tieable the amount of Sunday labor,
the work of distributing Sunday mail
TO lock boxes viii be limited TO certain
classes of mail that cannot be held UNI
til Monday morning without serious
| inconvenience to the addresses. This
mall win include that for newspapers
and hotel guests. The latter is peoui.
iarly transient In character and
should not be delayed, This mail, like
the special delivery mail, viii be sort.
| ed out at the office of dispatch and
ON the railway mail trains In order TO
simplify the work OF distributing 1t In
| the ,netnffJcaa nm SUNDAY
Business Mail unchars ed.
"As practically all business houses
are now closed on Sunday. they do not
object TO the plan, which has been in
force for year. of holding their mail
until Monday morning, realizing EN-
| benefit thus conferred on postal EN-.
ployes who are thereby relieved from
Sunday labor.
''In order 10 give the new provls-
ion as liberal a construction as pos.
sible, postmasters will be instructed
on application to have their employees
sort out In emergency cases on Sunday
letters OF special Importance This
will supplement the present privilege
OF having all mail delivered on Sunday
that carries special delivery stamp.
"By the proposed changes In the
method of putting up mail In the
Offices OF origin and In its handling
on the railway mail trains IL is beliov-
ed that a satisfactory distribution can
be made In postoffices on Sundays with
| far less work than 10 now required.
Thus, the law can be made h confer
great benefits on postal employees
without inconvenience to the public"
Mann Confers With offieiala.
Minority Leader Mann. OF the House
author OF the provision prohibiting the
delivery to the general public" OF nail
on Sunday, discussed the subject yes
terday with postal officials. He said
there was no intent upon the part OF
Congress SO to restrict the activities
of the postoffice Department as to In
convenience seriously the business pub
lie.
at Is absurd" he declared. "for any
body to assume that Congress meant
to close postfiioces as tight as wedge
on Sunday. We simply required
that there should be 10 delivery OF
mail to the general public on Sunday,
In order that letter carriers and post
office clerks might enjoy reasonable
respite from their labors. Such work
as is necessary for the distribution and
transmission OF the mails naturally
must be done, otherwise business OF
the country might be seriously neon