Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1917-11-30

ingtOn concerning the exact rules gov
ernlng the sending of parcels to the
members Of the ex~pedltionary forces In
France. Confusion seems to prevail
everywhere. II Is due to a number of
causes, the principal one Of which
seems to be that the instructions were
sent out plecemeal and that some OF
the first rules were amended.
Here Is the official statement on
the subject which l have Just secured
from the post office department:
western Newspaper Union.
Gentlemen; In answer to your inquiry
with reference TO parcel post packages
for the American Expedltionary Forces.
1 beg TO advise o as follows:
Parcel post for soidiers and civilians
connected with the American Expedition
airy Forces in France. when carefully
packed and properly addressed. will be
accepted by all postmasters for direct
transmission through the mails. Such
parcels may weigh up TO seven pounds,
Parcels for the soldiers and civilians
connected with the American Expedi-
tionary Forces may contain anything
that Is admissible to the domestic par
eel post except ~perishables which may
spoil on the long Journey to Europe.
Parcel post for the American Expe-
dictionary Forces need not be packed in
wooden boxes, but should be carefully
packed In the strongest kind Of paste
board box to assure its safe arrival at
the front.
In addition TO this parcel post service
TO the troops, the war department will
undertake to carry Christmas parcels
for the American Expeditionary Forces
provided such parcels are sent care
the Commanding General. Port Of En-
barkation. Pier 1. Hoboken. New Jer-
sey," and are packed in wooden boxes
not more than two cubic feet in volume.
well strapped. and with a hinged or
screw top. Sue Christmas boxes may
be sent to the Commanding Oficer, Port
OF Embarkation. either by express or
through the mails, and must not exceed
20 pounds In weight. The army will In
spect the contents of each box and I'M
dertake It's delivery from Hoboken to
the addressee. The wal department will
receive Christmas packages up to De-
eember 9Th.
Yours very truly.
OTTO PRAEGER.
Second Assistant Postmaster General.
Parcel Post Limit Seven Pounds.
1t will be noted that parcels weigh
ing seven pounds but no more can be
sent through the post office department
all the way to France.
The twenty-pound parcels which are
intended for Christmas gifts and which
are to be delivered on Christmas day
are sent by the wal department from
It's port Of embarkation at HOboken,
N. ]. These parcels which must not
exceed twenty pounds In weight, can
be sent to the address given in Hobo
ken in any way that the sender
chooses.
OF course the post office department
has been handling the smaller Christ
mas packages all the way through to
France, but in order to insure their de-
livery on Christmas morning It was
necessary to mail them by November
10. However, the fact that the mailing
was too late for delivery on Christ
mas day does not mean that packages
cannOt still be sent by parcel post.
They can be sent any day In the year
at the rate of 70 cents for each pound
sent, and this rate holds from what
ever point In the United States the
| package is sent:
How Packages Must Be Addressed.
Packages for the soldiers must be
addressed to the individual. with his
company and his regiment and then
must be added the words american
ExpeditiOnary Forces" 1t is not nee
essary to add the name of the country.
1t will be noted that In the lnstruc-
lions given above and prepared In the
second assistant postmaster generals
Office nothing is said specifically con
corning the kind of things which may
be sent to the soldiers and civilians
connected with the expedltiOnary
forces. It is perfectly proper to send
sugar, provided II is properly wrapped.
The reason sugar is spoken Of here
is because there seems to have been
some misunderstanding about II.
Matches must not be sent In any cir
c~umstances. Neither must anything
lnfammable, except, OF course, ordi-
nary packing material, be included,
nor must there be any chemical or
fresh fruit In the packages. Candy
can go n properly protected from
MASKING up and running other things
in the mail. Jars OF fruit properly
sealed and protected against break
age can be sent. Nothing Of an ex-
plosive nature must be put into the
parcels.
It is necessary that the parcel post
packages weighing up to seven
pounds shall be wrapped so that the
post office authorities may examine
their contents. The rules for the
packages which the war department
sends are given explicitly In the above
official communication. 1t is desired
70 ac%centuate the fact that parcels up
to seven pounds in weight a be sent
by ordinary parcel post at any time OF
the year, but that Christmas boxes
which are to go by the way Of the war
department at the address given above
will not be forwarded II they are re-
celved at HOboken later than Deem
Der <