Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
OVERSEAS POSTAL
SERVICE DEFENDED
G. H. Baxter Has Good Word
for Force-Letter
From France.
HUMAN INTEREST NOTES

I1UWiHN INIEnCSI NUI
g. II. Baxter Of the Post Office Depart
ment. in a letter to The Star. defends the
American Army postal service on duty
with our overseas force. He refers to a
criticism of the work Of this force that
recently appeared in these columns from
correspondent somewhere in France"
He admits that there are doubtless many
defects yet to be remedied in the work
of this branch.
Still, when we realize the handicaps
under which they work." he points out,
allowance should be made for them and
they ought not to be Knocked as they
were by that correspondent In the first
place the postal service over there is
being conducted in foreign country and
lacks, consequently, certain facilities.
1.-THE foreign country very properly uses
it's roads for its own mails first. More
over. mail is being handled for thousands
of people who have no permanent address.
so. taking everything into consideration.
perhaps they are doing as well as can be
expected"
Letter From Frank d. Baxter.
In this connection Mr.. Baxter suggests
that perhaps readers of The Star would
like to hear something from one of the
postal employees who is doing this work
abroad. and submits recent letter from
Frank H. Baxter. formerly an employe
of the Washington city post office. who
was one of the first to be sent abroad.
it would appear from the letter. which
is, in part, as follows. that at one sta
ton, at least. the boys are getting 100
per cent service"
IT am in good health and am taking
good care of myself, as 1 need every
ounce Of energy to perform the duties
assigned me. Sometimes ! have to
work with my feet feeling like chunks
of ice, but it's a great life and am not
kicking when / think of the soldiers
who have any number of hardships to
put up with that we do not have. 1t
will be some time before you get a
sight of me unless I am sent home. for
we are in this thing to stay, and I fear
from the looks of things it means a
long time.
Gems Pershing and Bliss were at
our town last week and looked things
over. They were greeted. by the troops
in our sector. and it certainly was an
imposing sight
U. S. Airmen Now Going Up.
''The American boys are in the air
now and are up every day trying out
the new machines. They are close by
us and it makes a fellow feel little
safer now that we have something to
go against Fritz when he comes flying
the American fliers to drive the boche
from the skies and the boys are train
ing here to do it
From what I can learn every office
in the United States is crippled on ac-
count of the war and this Christmas
will be a hard one for post Office clerks
1t is also hard over here, assure you.
What do you think of four men unload
ing and distributing three carloads of
mail in two days? That's what we have
to do and we get it out to the boys. We
are working from am. to IL pm,
many times in mud and slush up to the
shoe tops, and that's a little different
from working in steam-heated Office"
Useless to Send Perishable Stuff.
There is one thing 1 would like to
ask people in the states. Why do they
send some of the things they are Send
ing to the boys over here? / mean
perishable stuff that is absolutely rot
ten when it reaches here. Cigarettes.
cigars and good wholesome candy are
always welcome, for they are hard to
get here. also good warm clothes, but
the latter they get here and are well
taken care of by Uncle Sam. The per-
ishable stuff had better be given to
the poor at home. Why. I have seen
home made catsup and stuff like that
come oyer and how 1t gets by l do not
know, but we know what it is because
the sack is full of catsup and broken
glass; But am glad to say such cases
are not as frequent. as the post Office
people are getting wise.
I'VE have all our windows screened
so that no light shows at night and we
catch it from both the Americans and
French If a light does show. I have
often had them put out suddenly and
then wait for the buzzing of the boche
planes end the booming of the anti
aircraft guns. It's a great life l am
sending little poem which fully ex-
presses conditions of life here.
My Dugout.
What is this Shiny dismal hole
Where oft I'm lurking ike mole
And cursing Germans heart and soul?
Ny dugouti
What is it, just beneath whose floor
The waters rising more and more,
And where the roofs broken door2
Ny dugouti
Where is it that try to sleep
Betwixt alarms when up leap
And dash thru water four feet deep?
My dugout!
Where is it that I'll catch a chill
And lose my only quinine pill
And probably remain until
r. dug GU.