Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-08-28
DELAY BUT SLIGHT
BY new MAILLAW
Little Inconvenience Expected
From Rule Prohibiting Sun
day Deliveries.
HITCHCOCK IN STATEMENT
Important Matter, Such as That for
Hotels and Newspapers, to Be
Distributed.

No serious effect upon the handling |
of important mail matter will result
from the administration of the new |
law prohibiting the delivery Of mail
on Sundays.
Holders Of lock boxes at first and |
second class postoff1ces will have &C
cess to them as usual, although no |
mail deliveries will be made by car
riers on the street or at postoffice win |
dows.
Mail for hotel guests and newspa-
through their lock boxes by a simple
arrangement Of having that mail sort
ed on the railway mail cars before 1t
reaches its destination. Such mail
will be regarded as transit matter"
and will be distributed Immediately
upon its arrival at the Offices Of des-
tination, thus practically msurfng
speedier delivery to the addresses
than heretofore has been the case.
Plans were perfected by Postmaster
General Hitchcock at Washington yes
terday for the administration Of the
new law. Under the present scheme
the mail distribution which will be
permitted will require a minimum Of
Sunday work. Distribution of other
mail received on Sunday will be made
after midnight on Sunday. so that it
may be delivered by the carriers on
their first tour on Monday.
STATEMENT BY HITCHCOCK.
! The postmaster general issued a
statement explanatory of the new law,
setting at rest the rumors that the
postal system was to be shut down"
on Sunday and assuring the business
public that there will be no embar-
rassment. Mr.. Hitchcock said in part:
There appears to be some misap-
prehension as regards the provision
in the postal bill relating to the de-
livery of mail on Sundays. This pro-
vision does not require the closing of
postoffices on Sundays, which would
would be quite impossible, owing to
the fact that the transit mail has to
be sorted and also the mail collected
in cities for dispatch to other desti-
nations. To stop the movement of
this mail would mean a serious clog
ging of the whole system of mail
transportation and consequent incon-
venience to the public.
MONDAY MORNINGS MAIL.
"At present most of the mail receiv-
ed on Sunday for delivery by carrier
. Monday morning is worked after mid
night on Sunday, and therefore the
law will not affect this mail 1t will
) be delivered as promptly as hitherto.
, Mail received up to midnight on Sat
urday for lock boxes will be distrib-
uted to the boxes.
LAS the purpose of the law, which
vas clearly enacted in the interest of
2 employees, is to reduce as far as prac-
, ticable the amount of Sunday labor,
! the work of distributing Sunday mail
a to lock-boxes will be limited to GER
! tain classes of mail that cannot be
held until Monday morning without
serious inconvenience to the address.
J es. This mail will include that for
q newspapers and hotel guests"
FOR LIBERAL CONSTRUCTION.
b THE latter is peculiarly transient
|. in character and should not be delay
!. ed. This mail, like the special deliv
n cry mail, will be sorted out at the of
d fees of dispatch and on the railway
k mail trains in order to simplify the
v work of distributing 1t in the postof
: fees on Sundays. AS practically al
f business houses now are closed or
= Sunday they do not object to the plan
= which has been in force a year, o.
e holding their mail until Monday morn
:. ing, realizing the benefit thus confer
u red upon postal employees who are
thereby relieved from Sunday labor.
e I'm order to give the new provi
8 sion as liberal construction as posi-
u BILE, postmasters will be instructed OF
application to have their employees
> sort out In emergency cases on Sun
4, day letters of special Importance
IT This will supplement the present priv
'e ilege of having all mail delivered oil
10 Sunday that carries a special deliver,
stamp.
II WORKED ON TRAINS.
g BY the proposed changes In tn
n method OF putting up mail In the oil
Is fees of origin and in its handling o.
g the trains, it is believed that a salts
d factory distribution can be made Il
postofices on Sunday with far les
work than now is required
q. Thus the law can be made to cor
J. fer great benefits on postal emplove
1t without inconvenience to the public.