Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-08
MAIL CARRIER CUT
NOT TO Be HEAVY
Peculiar Conditions, in Wash
inqton Save It From Whole
sale Reductions.

The forty-seven local letter carriers
and collectors in the city post office
marked for dismissal December 1 prob
ably will not all lose their places. nor
will there be a widespread reduction
of mail deliveries and collections. as
was originally planned following the
submission Of the report of the econo-
my investigating committee, headed
by E. T. Bushnell. which has been
working on the Washington post office
for six months past
So much was learned today from ap-
parently authoritative sources, al
though neither the Postmaster General
nor Postmaster. Praeger, it was stated,
propose to issue a statement upon the
subject.
The economy commission has been
standardizing systems In post offices
for year or more. and, it was learned,
proposed to bring the post Office at
Washington into a general group of
offices whose working forces, postal re-
ceipts and the population served were
similar.
Peculiar Local Conditions.
1t was found, however, that local
conditions here which DO not exist in
and impractical to group Washington
with those cities: that the executive
departments, with their enormous
quantities of mail, together with other
conditions. put Washington in a class
One official stated that if parcel post
rates were paid on the mails sent out
by the executive departments which
averaged pound or more to the par
eel. the postage would amount to more
SG00 q
make no allowance whatever for the
avalanche of letters and other mail
pieces weighing less than a pound
which have to be handled by the local
service. All this matter Is now mailed
free of postage.
1t is probable, therefore, it was stat
ed, that there will not be a general or
sweeping reduction Of the force of
readjustment of the service which
would permit of a continuance of the
deliveries now made. except in such To-
calities as census Of the mails iEdi-
Gated they were not necessary. So,
too, with the mail collections.
+ Transfers Are Probable.
Washington, it was said, is peculiar
in that some districts that have little
or almost no mail as a rule are crossed
by streets on which the mails are very
heavy. In such places the unneces-
sary deliveries will be suspended. ex-
cept on the busy streets, and, it was
said, this may admit of the possibility
OF dispensing with a few carriers or
collectors, but no. a great many. So.
too, it has been found that in very
heavy districts the acarriers and COL
lectors taken from the lighter districts
can be transferred with profit to the
service.
Postmaster Praeger, who was con-
suited upon the subject, said he did not
feel inclined to make any definite
statement upon the subject. but he did
not deny the suggestion that a change
in plans had been made which prob
ably will avert the dismissal of many
carriers and collectors.
May Cut Executive Force.
The work of the economy commits
sion, it was also learned. cuts into the
executive force of the Washington post
Office and the report recommends dis
pensing with some of the force there,
as well as in the workroom, including
some men whose experience and rec
ord in the service would Indicate they
could not be dismissed without prob
ably serious loss to the service
The economy commission which dealt
with the Washington office Is headed
by E. r. Bushnell. formerly chief clerk
to the first assistant postmaster gem
eraI, and four post Office inspectors.
none of whom, 1t Is said, Is a practical
most office man in the sense that he
has worked. in post Offices on the work |
upon which he passes Judgment,