The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-10-27
ENORMOUS CHRISTMAR MAIL
To Be Handled This Year-Glfts For
Soldiers In France Should Be
Mailed Before November 10
Packages Should BE
Mailed Early, Packed
Securely and Prop.
erly Labeled.

Chicago, October 26--The Postof-
fee Department and the railroads are
cooperating In plans for the prompt
handling of an enormous increase in
Christmas parcels sent by mail, in
addition to those sent by express.
Otto Praeger, Second Assistant
Postmaster General and w. j. Dem
ming, General Superintendent of the
Railway Mail Service, have held
conference here with the superin-
tendents of railway mail service in
the fifteen divisions covering the
United States. A general plan, en-
bracing many new features, was
adopted for expediting the holiday
mail service. Before returning to
Washington, Mr.. Praeger issued this
statement to the public:
"The Christmas season this year
will have an added interest for the
American people. There will be the
usual seasonal greetings and remem-
brances at home, and in addition there
will be messages and remembrances
to perhaps 100000 men in the Army
abroad and in the cantonments in this
country. The Postoffice Department
will be called upon to handle practi-
cally two Christmas mailings-one on
November Is, for the troops in France
and the sailors with the fleet in Euro
pean waters. The second will be the
usual heavy Christmas movements for
the homes, and this year, m addition,
for the cantonments.
"This double Christmas will de-
volve a great burden on the trans
portation systems of the country; and
considering the heavy demands i'm
posed upon the railroads by these
conditions it becomes the patriotic
duty of every citizen to ease the bur-
den of transportation by mailing
Christmas packages early. A weeks
leeway for the regular Christmas
| mailing Is not too great, in view of the
heavy pressure on all transportation
lines. The railroads of the country
are making sacrifices and have an
nounced the fullest cooperation with
the Postoffice Department in handling
this years mailings; and the Postof-
flee Department trusts that the pub
lie will meet this ,commendable spirit
by not delaying the mailing of Chris
mas remembrances until the last mo-
ment.
81 am particularly interested in i'm
pressing upon the public the necessity
of mailing Christmas gifts to soldiers
In France before the 18th of Novem-
ber-in fact parcels mailed after that
date can not be expected to reach the
soldiers at the front until long after
Christmas has passed. About Novem-
ber 10 would be the most helpful date
to admit of the prompt dispatch OF
Christmas mails being made--No-
yember IA and Is being the last
chances to get parcels to the men who
are linking up under Pershing for the
big war drive.
Another matter that should be
borne in mind Is that under the trans
portation operations in France it will
be impossible to send parcels of
greater weight than seven pounds
and postmasters have been directed to
refuse parcels over that weight. These
parcels should be offered to the post
office for mailing, open, so that the
postmaster may inspect the contents
and affix to the parcel his certificate
that no prohibited articles are con-
tanned therein. Failure to comply
with these directions will cause long
delays and will result in disappoint-
ment to the men, who otherwise
would be the recipients of Christmas
lcheer.
Therefore l would urge upon all
persons who may use the mails for
the transmission of Christmas gifts
and messages to bear in mind the
postal slogan-'Mail Early, Pack Sc
curely, Address Properly"