Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-06-04
METHODS IRKsoME.

at wasn't only the hard work, how
ever, but also the irksome methods
that went with it that disguised the
clerks and caused them to become
careless and many to resign their
positions. II wasn't enough that the
men should be driven to the limit of
their powers, but after having done
their best they were abused AMI
bullied by the department for not
doing more. Most anyone will oc.
casionally work himself to the limit
if he knows that his efforts are appre-
ciated, but when he is brow-beaten
and hectored and blamed for things
beyond his power to correct it is quite
another matter. 1t has been common
for clerks, after having completed a
hard run of 10 to IA hours to be com.
PEELED TO stay in their cars several
hours .onger to finish what they were
unable to complete while en- route
G course, speak for only one branch
of the service, but trouble of the same
nature prevailed elsewhere.
BUSINESS INCREASED.
with the cutting down of forces
came an increase in the amount o.
business to handle, the growth D
rural free delivery, the postal savings
bank and the parcel post adding to the
work. Two years ago the railwa!
mail clerks were almost in open mu
tiny With few exceptions they were
ready to quit their jobs and many die
| that very thing. A few years ago {
candidate for a place in the service
atoms with a mark below So NOV
| they are obliged TO take men will
marks 20 TO 80 points less than that
That means the character of the ser
vice has suffered and that there i
] less efficiency with the same numbe
of men. It's plain TO be seen tina
there is no economy in this.
When the clerks began to agItat
through their general organization
| spies were sent cut and those mos
active in the movement were notifie'
that any further efforts would meaI
their dismissal.
PROMOTIONS DEFERRED.
"One OF the plans of cutting dow
the postal deficit was by deferring tn
promotion of those in the servic
who under the rules we're Geserv.n
of it. That kept the salary total iron
growing. Another scheme was to re
Guce the space allowed to the en-
ployes. Many of them were work
in quarters so cramped that they wer
compelled to handle mail three o
four times more than was necessar
and under conditions that we're III
sanitary.
Railway mail clerks get no extr
pay for overtime. Under the Hitcl
cock regime they were bound dow
by petty regulations that would hardl
be tolerated by even men of the low
est mental calibre. They were not a
lowed to leave home even for da
while off duty without getting form;
permission from the department. The
were also liable TO be called out q
any time for extra duty. The depar
ment methodically worked to keep tn
real facts from the public.
SERVICE REAL TEST.
NO question OF mere economy !
mail service can be decioos withoU
taking service rendered into cenditio
and it is a notorious fact that neve
in modern times was the service s
poor as under Hitchcock Nearl
everyone who receives or sends ma
has seen the difference. l hay
known of first class mail being carrie
back and forth between Rock Islam
and St Louis three days, travelir
1900 unnecessary miles because thel
was no opportunity for the mail clerl
10 work it, In the last two years
vii venture TO say that not less thu
100000 pieces of first class mail {
this run alone have been delayed fro
Il TO "a hours. Newspapers haI
been carried back and forth till II
wrappers were worn on making deli
: cry impossible.
Il have seen train load Of ma
4 piled up az ST. Louis awaiting dist
button. One OF the big retail firm
3 CT that city two or three days bafo
Thanksgiving in 1911 piaced 500
circulars. advertising a Thanksgiyil
q sale, and each bearing a 4-cent STAN
s n the mail These circulars we
8 rot delivered till after ThauksgiviI