Evening star., 1915-02-01

anu
analysis shows that II per cent of all
the depositors are school children.
while nine-tenths Of the other depos-
itors who do not earn money are wom-
en-. OF the remaining two-thirds, the
great majority are skilled and unskill-
ed 1aborers. In word, it is to wage
earners, women and children that the
postal savings system affords the
greatest convenience because 1t ac-
cepts and pays interest upon the small
est amounts. and it's value as an en-
couragement to thrift can scarcely be
overestimated.
Typical of the spirit in which the
postal savings system is managed is
the record made in the payment of bal
ances Of deceased depositors. In any
savings bank great many deposits
are made by persons who never reap
pear to claim them, and often it is ex-
tremely difficult to locate the heirs OF
deceased depositors, especially when
they are foreign born. The govern
ment, however, has facilities for such
work which no private institution could
possibly maintain, and the officials of
the postal savings system take the
owner of every unpaid balance on de-
posit Payment of such claims has
been made in the past year to per-
sons in Canada. England. Germany.
Scotland and Turkey. In nearly every
instance the State Department has aid
ed in the search for the heirs.
A striking example of how this sys-
tenn works was the case Of Felix Sam
uelis Russian, aged twenty-five, who
was drowned in the Susquehanna river
at Wilkes-Barr Pa. He had $50 on
deposit in the postal savings system at
the post Office of that city and had not
a relative in this country. His funeral
ciety. With the aid of the State De-
partment, however, 1t was found that
his aged father and mother were living
at Buda, omina, Tomazbuda. Govern
master General made a special request
of the Secretary of State that he should
obtain the signatures of the parents of
Samuelis. and this was accomplished
saw. The postmaster Of Wilkes-Barre
at once remitted the $50 to Jukundin
and Antonio Samuelis. Thus was the
estate Of Russian immigrant settled
with the aid of two cabinet officers
and the diplomatic machinery of the
United States government.
-.
Tho postal savings system has evolved
a very perfect method Of Identification.
as is shown by
Very Perfect Method the following
of Identification. time Of # the the
.hike to Houston" when the Mexican
situation seemed near a climax, an
American soldier had the apparent
misfortune to lose $500 worth Of postal
savings certificates, together with his
mass envelope. He made a written
stateusnt of his loss, however. an
swered certain personal questions for
warded by the postmaster, and OBJ
tained q new set Of certificates within
instances Of money boarded for long
periods Of time being brought for de-
posit in tho postal savings system are
constantly coming to the attention Of
the offlcials. The aggregate amount OF
money stored in hooks and crannies Is
undoubtedly enormous. Meny ignorant
persons do not trust banks of any kind;
and believe that their money is safe
only when hidden. Many others accu-
muiate it so slowly that only such an
institution as the postal savings sys-
tenn, which accepts deposits OF the
smallest amounts, could possibly trans
act their banking business.
A few months ago a negro man
brought to the post Office at Savannah,
Ga, 500 In currency which In all prob
ABILITY had not been IN circulation To-
half = century, ana perhAps longer. The
man whe made the dsoesit was about