French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1918-10-17
PACKAGE REGULATIONS
TO SOLDIERS OVERSEAS.

There IS very little time tive
now and November 1920, after which
date no packages for our soldiers and
Sailors are insured delivery.
BY arrangement between the post
office department and the American
Red Cross the latter has agreed to
prepare the boxes in which all Christ
mast presents must be sent, AMI 10
supervise their distribution. The New
York Times describes the plan in de-
tail:
/ 1t is expected that approximately
100000 OF these packages will be
sent abroad and the amour CT snip
ping space provided for their trans
porLation will not permit Of any devia-
ton from the zone parcel a mar rule.
The men themselves will decide who
is to send these parcels. they are now
receiving Christmas parcel labels witt.
instructions to mail these labels to
the person in this country from whom
they wish to receive the holiday htX
To avoid any chance Of duplir .t:cn
each soldier gels Out one Of illese
laEC.s. Packages tha: do not near
these labels viii not be accepted. In
tn event Of this label being lost, i;
ca':ift be replaced. Nc IL~ristr1&s par
cells will be accepted TO-, shipment af-
ter o 20. The cardboard boxes, Or
cartons, to be provided TOR these bar
cells are 3 by 4 by , inches in size.
When packed, wrapped and ready for
mailing, the box must not weight moro
than three pounds.
The Red Cross has agreed to provide
the boxes and to supervise their dis
tribution to relatives of the soldiers
who present the proper Christmas par
eel label credentIal. The distribution
of the cartons will be made by Red
Cross branches throughout the coun-I
try. 1t will be incumbent upon the
person receiving one of these boxes
TO return it when filed, but unwrap-
ped to the collection point designated
by the Red Cross. Here it will be in
spected by Red Cross inspectors auth
orized to exclude any articles barred
by the postal authorities, after which
the box will be shipped. In short, the
Red Cross is responsible for the dis
tribution, receipt at designated points,
the inspection, and mailing of the
boxes.
The following is an outline of the
procedure to be followed by persons
planning to send one of these parcels
abroad:
On receiving one of these Christ
mas parcel labels, it should be pre-
scented at the nearest chapter, branch
or auxiliary headquarters of the Rec
Cross, where the holder will receive
a carton. These labels are not eX-
pected to reach this country before
Nov. 1, but by that time each Rec
Cross branch will have its allOtmen.
Of boxes based on the number of SOL
diers iH service overseas from tina;
community.
The articles prohibited are intoxica-
ting liquors, in1ammable material, in
Guiding friction matches and any COM
position likely to ignite or explode,
Cigarette lighters come under this
classification, liquids, and fragile ar
ticles improperly packed. Under the
postal regulations no note or message
or written matter Of any kind will be
permitted to remain In the boxes. In
addition to the foregoing list Of pro-
hibited articles, relatives and friends
of the soldiers are urged to bear these
facts in mind when preparing Christ
,,sslas parcels:
Do not put anything n the pack
re which will not keep fresh until
fhrIafnaaa, OVERWHELMINGLY
PACK uried fruits and other food
products lin small tin or wooden boxes.
Give preference to hard candy over
chocolates, Unless the latter are in
closed IN heavy wrappers. Soft choco-
lates are easily crushed and may spoil
the other contents.
Do not put articles packed in glass
in the package.
Gifts should be wrapped in khaki
coIored handkerchiefs tw~enty-seVen
inches square,
When the package has been packed
it should be taken, ~unwrapped ana
unsealed, together with the label ana
sufficient stamps, to the nearest col
lection center designated by the Red
Cross, After the package has passed
the inspection of the Red Cross rep
resentatiVes, as to contents Inc
weight, and been wrapped in stout
paper, the Christmas labels, bearing
the address of the man for whom it is
intended, is placed on it. The per-
son sending the package, in the pres
ence of the Red Cross worker is re-
quired 10 af1x stamps suthc1ent TO
carry it to Hoboken, N. ]. The postal
charges are to be at the rate OF fourth
class or parcel post zone rate. A labe
certifying that the inspection has been
completed by the Red Cross is placed
on the package, which is left in the
custody of the Red Cross until deliv-
cred to the postal authorities.
The navy department has issued the
following instructions regarding the
shipping of Christmas packages tC
sailors in home waters and abroad:
Packages forwarded by parcel pos
should conform to above regulations
and the postal regulations, and should
be inclosed in substantial boxes Will
hinged or screw top cover to facill
tate opening and inspecting.
All boxes shipped by express arr
limited to twenty pounds in weight
should measure not more than TIVE
cubic feet in volume, be of wood, wei
strapped and have a hinged or screV
top to facilitate opening and inspect
ing.