Tombstone epitaph., 1917-12-02


ington concerning the exact rules gov
erning the sending Of parcels to the
members Of the expeditionary 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 piecemeal and that some Of
the first rules were amended.
Here Is the official statement on
the subject which 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 Expeditionary Forces
| I beg to advise you as follows:
| Parcel post for soldiers and civilians
connected with the American Expedition
ary 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-
honary Forces may contain anything
that is admissible to the domestic par
eel post except perishables which may
sp'' ci ehc AohR youEHsy 10
Parcel post for the American Expe-
ditionary Forces need not be packed In
~ooden 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 parcel.
for the American Expeditionary Forces
provided such parcels are sent care
the Commanding General. Port OF En-
oarkation. Pier !. Hoboken. New Jer
sey." and are packed IN wooden boxes
not more than two cubic feet in volume
well strapped. and with q hinged or
screw top. Such Christmas boxes may
be sent to the Comma nding Onicer 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 un-
dertake its delivery from Ho5oken to
the addressee. The war department will
receive Christmas packages up TO De-
eember sth.
Yours very truly
OTTO PRAEGER.
Second Assistant Postmaster General.
Parcel Post Limit Seven Pounds.
1t will be noted that parcels weigh
Ing seven pounds hut no more can be
sent through the post oGice 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 war department from
its port Of embarkation at Hoboken,
n. J. 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 II was
necessary to mail them by November
Is. However, the fact that the mailing
was too late for delivery on Christ
mas day does not mean that packages
cannot still he sent by parcel post.
They can be sent any day In the year
at the rate Of II 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
II Will be noted that In the instruc-
lions given above and prepared in the
second assistant postmaster generals
ofiice nothing is said specifically con-
cerning the kind Of things which may
be sent to the soldiers and civilians
connected with the expeditionary
forces. II is perfectly proper to send
sugar. provided 1t 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
cumstances. Neither must anything
indammable. except. Of course, ordi-
nary packing material. be Included,
nor must there be any chemical or
fresh fruit In the packages. Candy
can 60 II properly protected from
mashing 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.
II IL necessary that the parcel post
packages weighing up to seven
pounds shall be wrapped 30 that the