The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-09-16
MAIL DELIVERY
ITO men OVERSEAS
| TO Be FASTENED
Steps Taken to Expedite Mail
From y. S. to France IT,
100000 Letters Every Day

NE WYORK, Sept. 16.-American
soldiers in the front line trenches in
France will receive their home letters
within three weeks after mailing II
plans now being worked out by army
postal authorities are successful.
Captain Frank E. Frazier, Assistant
Director of the American Expedition
airy Forces Postal Service in France,
has returned to the United States to
put into effect plans for expediting
the delivery of American mail to the
soldiers in France. He said today:
With what has been done or is now
being done, to insure the prompt de-
livery of mail, there should be no oc-
casion for delay or non-delivery OF
letters to our soldiers in France if
those writing them from home will
realize. that the slightest inaccuracy
or ebscurity in the address of a let
ter is almost certain to cause delay
and may result in non-delivery."
One million letters arrive in France
every day addressed to members of
the American Expeditionary forces,
according to an estimate of the mill
,tary postal authorities.
Steps taken to expedite mail from
ing to the statement, includes: The
turning over of complete military in
formation as to the location of troops
in France. by the military authorities
to the military and domestic postal
officers; the issuance Of orders send
ing mail on every ship destined for
any port in France organized to re-
.ceive mail; and the adoption of
scheme of designation for groups of
unattached soldiers sent from the
United States to replacement camps
in France.
Urge Care in Addressing.
"a complete postal system cores
ponding to that in the United States is
now in operation in France with a
central post office located at Tours, ;"
the statement continues. This ser
vice, except the distribution and dis
patch of mails to the United States,
is entirely under military control
I'm view of the duplication of names
in the American Expeditionary Forces.
the absence of any distinguishing des-
ignation for groups of casual or re-
placement men has been a source OF
difficulty in the delivery of mail. Thou
sands of soldiers are being sent to
France every month from this coun-
try for replacement purposes. 1t is
estimated that 100000 letters month
were delayed from this cause. This
delay in delivery will not occur under
arrangements which have just been
made to have replacement unit of $50
men, as 1t leaves camp in the United
States given distinctive company
number which it will retain until it
reaches replacement camp in France.
Every member of such unit will then
be one of $50 men instead of one of
one and half million men.
THE matter of the address to insure
prompt delivery is of vital importance.
The mis-spelling of name or the use
of initials where a word should be
spelled out may not only retard the
delivery of a letter but may prevent
its being delivered at all. Many thou
sands of letters are being constantly
received which cannot be promptly de-
livered, if delivered at all, on account
of the manner in which they are adj
dressed. A letter for an American sol
der in Europe should be SO addressed
as to show his rank, his full name in
GLIDING his middle name, his company
or battery or his regiment, as well as
the branch of service. 1t should bear
the name and address of the sender In
the upper left hand corner Of the en-
velope.'