Evening journal., 1912-11-11

While postmastors an over the
country are struggling maufully to
master the iutncacies of the new
parcels post law while the special
committee appointed by Congress to
evolve plan FOR working out the
system is racing up and down the
country in search OF hcipiul data. and
while Postmaster General Hitchcock
is patiently awaiting the finding Of
this committee so that he may hand
OUT instructions TO his subordinates,
Postmaster NJ. Howard Jester is sit
ting tight lulled TO serenity by the
knowledge that Wilmington viii be
ready for the innovation when on
january the parcels post act goes
into effect
1T has always been the rule of the
department here said Postmaster
Jester. TO be prepafed for emergen-
cies, and while the parcels post act
Will impose on us a stupondous under
taking. we expect TO be ready tO cope
with the task when we are called
upon to do So How VIC will do the
work is another matter OF course.
/ have given the parcels post project
q great deal of attention and have
carefully outlined the work 10 my
own satisfaction, but 10 publish my
plans at this time would be indiscreet.
inasmuch as comprehensive plan
for carrying out the provisions of the
pacels post act is now being evolved
by the special committee named by
Congress and by the Postmaster Cen
eral and which will be the plan which
will govern the workings OF the sys-
lem. All that We can do here is
20 hold ourselves in readiness to
carry out the wishes OF the Postmaster
General, and before we can make any
definite announcement as 10 how we
viii handle the parcels post business
we must receive word from Wash
jngton'
Allotted Fund Small.
When Congress enacted the parcels
post law IL provided that the system
should be in operation by January l.,
next year and appropriated only
S76O,000 with which to put the system
upon a business basis. In view of the
stupendous task involved Il is agreed
by those who have studied the propO-
sition that the amount is wholly in
adequate and must necessarily cripple
the project from the very beginning.
just how small the appropriation is
in proportion to what viii be re-
qnired Of the s750,000 it is pointed out
that there must be on hand January
] in every large city in this country
enough rural mail wagons. city mail
wagons, express cars and employees to
handle the parcels post business, TO
say nothing OF the 100000 special
scales which must be bought I'm
most sections of the country rural
mail carriers, with only letters and
papers to handle. use two-wheel mo.
torcycles and these, of course. viii
not be adequate for the great parce
post business that viii develop. II
tie cities the regular mail carriers
uill not be able to handle the parcels
usincss and additional men and We
hlcles will be required,
In making its appropriation. Con
grpss authorized the payment o
salaries for drivers only, makinl
no provision for the handling OF par
cells, 10 care for the horses or TO care
dor the parcels ia transit Some way
1T is agreed, will have TO be provided
10 pay those salaries. Extra railwa,
cars will have to be provided fol
the extra business.
A new issue of parcels post stamps
will have to be printed, ranging il
denomination from one cent to one
dollar.
Hampers and boxes for collecting
the parcels must be provided, and
Is probable that depots for the recep
flon OF that class Of mail will hav'
TO be opened in the business sections
A complete system OF maps, show
dng the distance zones within whicl
the different rates apply, must be en-
graved and printed and supplied q
the different pOstmasters. Upward
OF 100000 of these maps must b