The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-07-02
FRANCES RED TAPE
DOESNOT CRUNBLE
Under the Pressure Of War al
though 1t is Vigorously AS
sailed in War Office.

PARIS, July Red tape ir
France was expected to crumbIe UNI
der the pressure of war, but It seems
TO show resisting powers quite equal
to those of tho armies, armor and
concrete. The late General GalllenI
vigorously assalled 1t and was
thought to have made big breach
in It's breastworks, at least in so far
as concerned the war department. Ev-
idence comes to light every day,
however, showing that Its principal
strongholds are untouched.
Among the latest examples OF
what the French call "paperasserie,'
n morning paper produced a photo
graph showing a roll eight and one
half yards long, made Of sheets Of Of
fetal paper pasted togetheri 1t re-
uulred the time of several clerks sew
eral days to note upon these sheets
duplicate entries Of tIe balances of
pay and meal indemnities due to the
soldiers of single company while
of leave. What the same expendl-
lures of time and effort would
amount to in the entire army Of sew
eral million men may be imagined,
but calculated with difficulty.
Case is Cited.
The Oeuvre cites case In which
more than 1000 postal money orders
for ten centimes 1.-TWO cents and
twenty centimes (four cents), each
accompanied by a note written by
hand, were sent each month from the
commanding bases of army corps to
soldiers who had been sent to the
rear to work in munitIon factories at
C. The officer in charge who re-
ceives these postal orders at C
from the different army corps ac-
knowledges receipt OF each order,
writes a new note, adds new stamp
and q new signature, then sends the
order to the director Of the works in
which the soldier Is employed; the
works director acknowledges receipt
of the sums, enters them In special
register, after which the order is f.
nally delivered to the soldier in eX-
change for a receipt and which re-
ceipt takes the inverse road and fol-
lows the different hierarchic stages
until 1t gets back to the army corps
The soldier, provided with identify
ing papers, can then collect his two
cents or four cents as the case may
be, in exchange for another receipt
another signature and another stamp.
An order was given to all the heads
of the different services Of the war
department that all clerical work
should be simplified and that every
document not indispensable should
be done away with. However, 1t re-
Gently transpired that the director OF
every Red Cross hospital receives
circular calling for a detailed report
regarding each patient treated in the
hospital. comprising four full type
written pages of question. An exper-
mental demonstration proved that
It required two days time Of one OF
the nurses to fill out this circular, as
required for single patient. Con-
seouently had the demand been com
piled with, 1t would have been neces-
sary TO multiply the hospital stan
several times to do this clerical work
In addition to the complicated book
keeping and the individual records
made up for the personal file Of each
man brought into the hospital.
this. They often speak Of the army
and navy, but scarcely ever the
army, navy and marine CORDS.