Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-23
.BLAMES ARMY FOR DELAY
IN MAIL FOR SOLDIERS
PoStoffiCe Department Kept in
Dark on Movement of
Troops, He Says
BY THEODORE TmLER.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 20.-The
mothers. fathers and sweethearts of SOL
der boys in France who have worried
because of the SLOW delivery of mail
consigned to the American expedition
airy forces have an unusuaI interest in
a statement made today to the house
committee on postoffices by Otto Prae-
ger, second assistant postmaster gen.
eral.
Mr.. Pracger has revealed what has
been known for some time to official
Washington-namely, that there is a
lack of cooperation between the war
department and the postoffice depart
ment in the handling of soldier mail.
| Unquestionably there mas peen a dis
| tressing delay in the dispatch of mail
! to American soldiers on foreign soil.
| From Georgia to Oregon and New
! York to Texas, there has been concern
about the slow delivery to Americans
who want to hear from home. In some
instances parents have feared that
their sons were lost because they have
failed to hear FROM them, and, in turn,
the soldier in France has doubtless
felt that something was wrong at home
because he did not get a letter.
Mr.. Praeger's statement explains to a
degree the cause of the delay. The
remedy is yet to be found. Meanwhile
Georgia mothers and fathers who are
worried because their letters are unan-
swered should not consider their loved
ones as sick or dead.
Military red tape" it seems has un-
reasonably delayed communication be-
tween the soldier and his loved ones in
the United States.
War Department Blamed
Second Assistant Postmaster General
PranRRr he
department IN placing responsibility for
slow mail deliveries.
Mr.. Praeger told the house committee
the war department declined to advise
the postoffice department concerning
troop movements and the postal service
was in the dark as to the exact where
abouts and postoffice addresses of SOL
diers Recently, said the second assist
ant, the department sent quantities of
mail to France for soldiers who were
still in training in England.
Some change must be made" said
Mr.. Praeger. Either the war depart
ment must cooperate with us or else
the war department should itself dis
tribute the soldier all from French
ports"
Mr. Praeger said the attitude of the
wa, department was contrary to that
of the British authorities as we'll as
our own navy department. The British
war office, re said, keeps the postal
service informed Of the wherea bouts of
units and the navy department here ac-
quaints The postoffice department with
the movement of ships
THE war department" said the sec
ond assistant, thinks it is a military
necessity to divulge no information as
to the movement of units, and this nee
essarily forces the postof1ce depart
ment TO work blindly. We have no way
of checking up at times until troops
have been moved for two or three
weeks. Their theory is that by the time
the enemy knows and it does not hurt
to give information to the postofice
department.
Their whole theory, from command
er down, is that mail is a secondary
matter and our efficiency suffers in con-
sequence. The system is to send all the
mail to France and then let it work its
way out to the troops the best it can.
have sent mail to France for soldiers
who were training in England and
Italy"
For a time, said Mr.. Praeger. the
postoftlce department was uninformed as
TO the difference between a machine gun
company and a machine gun battalion.
AS an illustration, he said mail for the
One Hundred and Second machine gun
company was sent to the battalion.
whereas it belonged to the regiment of
that number
The second assistant recounted tho
delay in the handling of Christmas
packages, which, he said, had swamped
the postoffice department. Up TO the
Tine parcels post mail shipments were
recently restricted, he said an average
Of 100000 pieces were sent abroad
each month.