South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-25
EXPERIMENT To
RAISE EFFICIENCY
OF %P0STOFFICES
Establishment of MODEL Of
fees by BurIeSon Aimed to
Eliminate "LoSt Notion in
Delivery Machinery.
BY II ELLIOTT.

IS a model pOstOffice %
The above question has been asked
repeatedly since the announcement
recently that Postmaster General
Burleson intends 20 establish mo9el
p~ostofices in a score Of cities me
answer TO the question was not found
until the committee which Burlesoh
appointed 10 establish a model post
Office made its report.
This report. Just made public. re-
veals that the model postomce II not
so much a model as IL is an expert
ment. The report recommends a
long list OF innovations IN p~ostothces.
These experiments are 10 be given
thorough trial. IT they prove sue
cessful the innovations will be used
"a models for organizations of all
postOffices.
The committee advises that the
p~ostofice at Atlanta, Ca. be used for
the first trial OF the experiments and
some Of the innovations already nave
been established there. Postofftces
in cities Of varying population VIII
be used for experimental purposes so
that all conditions may be understood
when the nationwide reorganization
is ordered.
At present pOstofices are divided
into four or more sections. each IN
dependent of the other. and with
practically little cooperation. The
chief plan in the experiments is re-
organization OF the Atlanta office in
To two sections. a division of finance
and a division OF mails. Each division
will be under supervision of an officer
who Will watch every detail in his
division.
Central Control.
The division of mails will be under
supervision Of it's executive officer or
one Of his assistants during all of the
"a hours. This will insure a central
ization OF control and will be in line
with necessity for continuous super
vision" which the committee urged.
Such supervision will make possible
quick transfers of clerks from one
section Of the floor to another and in
other ways expedite work.
More attention is TO be given car
riers. a brennan of carriers Will be
designated to inspect the route of
each carrier frequently. The in
formation he gathers will be present
ed to the postmaster so nat he may
ar any time r~earrange routes to give
prompt and requent mail deliveries
under the various conditions which
arises on holidays and occasions on
which large thrOngs gather i'm a city.
Vaults where stamps and money
are kept are to be protected so as
10 be practically t~heft-prOOf. The
safeguarding or the vaults will have
the triple benefit Of protecting the
government from loss, removing
temptation from employees n reliev-
ing employees from suspicion in cas-
"A theft is committed. \ system of &C
counting and auditing will be adopt
ed that will put a double check on
every transaction and yet be more
simple than the present system.
Standard Efficiency System.
A standard system Of efficiency
rating will be devised so as to give
clerks. carriers and supervisory Off
GERS credit and also them
TO put forth their best efforts.
The committee went into the ques-
ton Of improving parcel post service
and safeguarding parcel post mer-
chandise from berakage. one of the
recommendations made was that par
eel post packages be conveyed on a
belt from the point where received
10 the stamping table. This belt is
designed to eliminate handling by
clerks and to eXpediatc the movement
OF parcels.
In Atlanta the committee found il
So important that newspapers be de-
lvered without delay that members
OF the committee themselves ar
ranged FOR quick deliveries.
It was found that early delivery OF
dItlH was VI kAf4A NdAAt ~ many
business houses which depend on the
papers for daily quotations and other
information concerning market and
trade conditions. Railway and rail
way mail service authorities agreed to
deliver incoming daily papers with
letter mail instead of allowing the
newspapers 10 remain on trains for
delivery with bulky and less import
ant mail.
Boiling II Tones will
ask patrons who send out big guam
titles Of mail 20 send packets OF let
tiers. cards and circulars to the post
office already faced" that is pre-
pared with the address side up ready
for stamping. He also viii ask per
sons who send much mail 10 have il
deposited at the postofice at least
three times a day. Frequent mail
iugs Will permit the saving Of much
time in the postoffice and prevent con
gestion. especially during hour when
naasFG ura hnuEfaEf