The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-12
Philadelphia Girl is Work
ing on Plans
WANTS FREE POSTAGE
Would Throw Open Parcel Post Mail
at Christi mas Time as "the Santa
Claus Mair' to Carry Pres
ents to Children

There will be real Santa Claus -or
the hundreds of children who for years
have dropped Dear Santa Claus" let
ters in the post boxes and then hung
up stockings in homes of poverty, only
10 be broken hearted on Christmas
morning The real Santa is Miss Olive
, May Wilson, of 301 West avenue, Jenk-
intown, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. s..
Harry Wilson. She is '"rhe Santa Claus
Mail Girl" as called by Vice President
Marshall. and the Free Mail Girl" as
Called by President Wilson, says the
Philadelphia Public Ledger
Miss Wilson returned to this city
Yesterday after spending a week in
Washington, where she obtained the
hearty cooperation of Vice President
Marshall and scores of officials in her
plan to throw open the parcel post
mails at Christmas time as ",rhe Santa
Claus Mali and thus permit her to
send thousands of packages to worthy
children without paying postage Pres
ldent Wilson promises to give his
views in few days.
Country Wide Interest
This 17-year- old girl went to Wash
fngton unheralded and within a few
aays raised countrywide campaign
and such enthusiasm among the off
Gals that Congressman Difenderfer.
Donohue. Palmer and others are ourv-
Ing hatchets. forgetting tariff debates.
revenue appointments and are going to
assist her push bill through Congress.
1t is too late this year to effect the
legislation, but on January II the bill
will be presented, backed by dozens
of congressman and by Vice Presiden.
Marshall.
While Miss Wilson is elated with her
success in Washington she swill not
wait on official red tape and political
ramifications to carry out her purpose.
Five thousand children will receive
presents this year through the mails
even IL she has to pay the postage.
Miss Wilson's Plans
TO this end, she must raise $4,000.
For years the young woman has zone
about her work quietly, paying great
sums of money and making happy
homes and hearts at Christmas. Now
she believes more can be done by OBJ
tanning the cooperation of Uncle Sam
through the parcel post and the con-
tributions of friends who are willing to
give either toys or money. OF her ef-
forts, Miss Wilson yesterday SAID:
Il was very successful in Wasuine
ton, and while / believe the bill will 60
through Congress giving me the right
TO send free packages, | will not wait
have the names of 5000 chldren-all
OF the poorest families. families which
could not possibly afford to give a
present at Christmas want to cheer
these homes and make happy these
little lives. There are hundreds Of lei :
ters sent through the mails TO Dear
SAINT Claus. These go to the aoad let :
Ter office-little hearts are broken-we
must help them. II the government vii.
only let down the bars and permit us
TO send the toys, and If some of the
good people of Philadelphia will helr
me, we can do so much good
Will Extend Work
MISS Wilson, pretty little brown ey ed
girl. sat in the paror of her home yester-
day and tears forced their way into her
eyes as she told to a representative of the
Public Ledger of the thousands of chill
dren who would be broken hearted in lust
three months if her plans fail
But they won't fail" she continued
because / mean to push this to a finish
rms year We will aid the 5000 IL we possi-
bly, can, and by 1914 we will have the
frank privilege I will travel over the
country and form national organiza-
ton, The Santa Claus Mail This is Just
the beginning. II the public win only
help. me I can do so much good
MISS Wilson is one of the most popular
members of the young social set of the
York Road. Her heart is too big to per-
init her to spend all her time at teas and
bridge parties, for, as she said, Il lust
had to get into some work of this kind ;,
She is identified with many philanthrepi-
cal endeavors, and teaches Sunday
school class in St Paul's Protestant
Episcopal church at Ogontz. 1t was this
young woman-when just out of school
who took up the fight to push the bill
through the legislature for the abolish
nent of solitary confinement She had
the cooperation of such prominent per-
sons and was such a potent factor in her
enthusiastic work that the bill eventually
went through at Harrisburg
Governor Tener recently sent a letter
commencing Miss Wilson's work.
Among those who are interested in the
movement are the following:
Charles ID. Barnel DR.. Martin z,
Brumbaugh, Robert A. Balfour, c. c. A.
Baldi. Gordon s. Carrigan, John w. Con-
verse, James M. Dodge, c. Clothier Jones.
Percy c. Madeira Joseph p Rogers w.
tI7inckle Smith, Harold. r. Shirley. the
Rev. Floyd w. Tomkins. the Rev. Kerr
Boyce Tupper, the Rev. RUSSELL ii. Con-
we'll, the Rev. William Henry Roberts.
the Rev. ]. Thompson Cole. the Rev.
James B. Ely. the Rev. William Barnes
Lower, the Rev. Theron Lee, the Rev. w.
Arthur Warner. Mrs. Sidney E. Hutchin-
son, Mrs. John X Mitchell Sd. Mrs. George
w. Long, and Miss A. NJ C. Dupree.
Two Tufiustsoe1