Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-17
SOME WILL NOT GET
CHRISTMAS GIFTS
Postal Service More and More
Restricted as Subsea Cam
paign Progresses.
FEW WILL ENTER GERMANY


mourning garb and men with solemn
faces, waiting in line these days all
over the United States before postof-
flee windows where foreign money
orders are issued, tell a wordless
story of the sorrows of wars destruc-
ton reaching across the seas to
America.
A third Christmas-tirne of world
conflict, has seen long lines of happy
folk with holiday spirit at the pros
pect of sending something "home to
the old folks" turned into silent par
ties of mourners, sending back money
to alleviate suffering and filled with
anxiety and distress with the uncer-
tainty of its safe arrival. There is also
the grave uncertainty that when a
gift reaches its destination no one
will be there to receive it.
Little to Germany.
Postal clerks have been quick to
note the change. Veterans in the serv-
ice, who have been issuing Christmas
money orders to all parts of the globe
for years say they no longer hear
eagerly told stories of the gifts the
money was to buy. They hear only
hopes that it may arrive safely to
provide food, clothing and fire or,
perhaps, medicine.
The line is little shorter and the
people average much older this year
than formerly. Its decreased numbers
is attributed to the fact that the gov
ernment, despite determined efforts,
is unable to guarantee safe and
speedy delivery of money orders in
the war zone. Old age has taken its
place in line because the sons of many
are now across the seas on the fight
ing fronts.
Great Need Exists.
Through the postal money order
department the United States will be
Santa Claus to far more people of the
Entente Allies than of the Central
Powers this year Delivery of orders
in England and France has been in
terfered with only slightly. No deliv-
cry is being made in Austria, and
German points receive their orders
late, if, indeed, they get them at all.
Virtually no orders are being sent to
Russia, largely because Warsaw,
which was the central station for the
payment of orders, now is in the war
zone. This situation has affected the
money order receipts in this country
greatly, too, for in former years Rus
slams in the United States led all the
remaining foreign-born citizens in
sending money home at Christmas
time.
Prisoners of war will receive many
money orders this Christmas. This
is particularly true in England, where
delivery is good. By an agreement
made several years ago in conven-
ton of various countries to effect a
postal agreement, it was arranged that
orders to prisoners of war should be
transmitted free of charge, and the
! United States is living up to the
agreement scrupulously.
Subseas Doing It.
Submarine activities have had much
to do with decreasing the Christmas
business in foreign orders, and if the
total for this year falls below that
for 1915, as it probably will, the un-
derseas liners can be blamed for much
of the decrease, according to Third
Assistant Postmaster General Dock.
cry.
"Of course, it is impossible to say
Just how much the submarine activi-
ties have affected the money order
business" he said, but they have cut
it down much"
Due to this and other causes, the
foreign money order business is in
a chaotic state. 1t began to fall Oft
with the beginning of the war, and
has decreased gradually ever since.
Il attribute its decrease in a great
measure also to many young men
from the foreign countries returning
home to fight at the outbreak of the
war. OF course they, prior to their
departure. were regular patrons, tor
few of them did not send money
home at Christmas slime, particularly
and often during other periods OF the
year. The older people, who are lett
behind, have less money to send.
Send Tons of Money.
With delivery in Italy and Greece
comparatively safe, natives OF those
countries are leading all the rest this
Christmas in sending money home
Always liberal people at Christmas
time and firm believers in this gov
ernment, as the postal savings ac-
counts also show, they are literally
sending tons of money" back home