Evening star., 1915-05-22
mcials Have Little to say.

Post Office officials when asked about
the matter today were reticent. Post
master Praeger is out of the city.
Superintendent of Mails Heacock de-
clared that he knew all about the mat
ter, but referred The Star reporter to
the postmaster. Supt. Corridan de-
clared that the matter was up in the
air" He declared that there was
tion" of the collectors. He declared
that when a man had shown that ne
could not perform the work his desig-
nation would be changed.
Asked if he knew of any collectors
who had failed in keeping up the time
the post office, he said he did not know
of any. He referred his inquirer to the
postmaster. but later after question
said that that official was out of the
CITY. He admitted that the collectors
had been informed Of the proposed ac-
tion of the post office.
Violates Intent of Congress.
Although the action Of the post Office
officials Is claimed by friends of the
collectors to be in direct violation of
the intent of Congress to have car
riers and collectors on the same salary
bas sis, 1t Is declared that little can be
done at this time by trying to show
cause" why the reductions should not
be made.
E. J. Cantwell. secretary of the Ma
tional Association Of Letter Carriers,
declared that the department is deter
mined to reduce salaries wherever pos
sible in order to lessen the expenses.
1t is a part of the economy move Of the
Post ONCE Department Mr.. Cantwell
declared that the department probably
would save the difference between the
present salaries Of the local collectors
and the reductions until Congress con-
sented to that body. as was done in the
case of the Chicago collectors.
Chicago Case Is Cited.
While Congress was in session last
year about 300 collectors Of the Chicago
service were reduced in salary in the
same manner and on the same ground
that 1t is proposed to reduce the salaries
here. This action Of the department.. 1t is
declared. Is partly responsible for the
failure of the post ONCE appropriation
bill. Members of the Senate were In
formed Of the departments action and
Immediately started to work to correct
the matter. When the bill failed, and
1t became necessary to continue the
of the current fiscal year
over for another year, the continuing
resolution contained the following pro-
viso
That letter carriers assigned to col
lection service. who were promoted to
the higher grades in accordance with
the classification act. approved March
2. 1907. and whose salaries have been
no delinquency or charges Of miscon-
duct on their part. shall be restored to
their former grades"
Forces Old Men From Service.
The act becomes effective Juno 80, and
the law refers to all reductions in the
past year." which would seem to In
clude the proposals OF reductions in
the salaries of the local force of COL
lectors.
1T Is simply an attempt Of the Post
ONCE Department" said Mr.. Cantwell
to Star reporter today. TO force the
old mon out OF the service or to force
them to accept smaller salaries. II is
part Of the economy policy Of the
department wherein the men who have
given up the greater part of their
lives are made to pay and suffer All
of the men whom II 10 proposed to
reduce have been in tho service many
years and have good records. It is the
intent Of Congress as expressed in
the resolution continuing the present
appropriations over until next year
that collectors should be maintained
on basis Of salary equal to that of
the carriers.
Movement Under q ouise.
These men have all been advanced
in salaries under acts Of Congress. Con-
gress has said that they should have
certain increases to $1,000, and now tho
post ONCE oflcials propose to take this
away under tho guise that the men are
not performing efficient work.
The contention that tho work of ool-
leoting 10 not as exacting and as hard
as that Of delivering mail 10 made only
by men who have never done either.
II one of such men could be made to
take . mail sack on his back and COL
lect mail from the boxes from the Peace
monument to the Treasury and from
Pennsylvania avenue to F street, walk
ing six times a day, he would gladly
change his opinion of the work."
SHIFT DIXIE HIGHWAY PLANS.
n>AL Y~,,s.~v:1l> 81