The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-03-15
UNCLE SANS BOYS PASS TWO
MILLION IN STAMP DRIVE


built, in keeping with proven success
full business methods, among those
who are assigned to carry into force
full effect plans that should be out
lined before any steps are taken to
carry out the purposes of any general
movement. 1t matters not how wor-
thy or meritorious any cause which 1t
is desired to further may be or how
necessary its success is to the protec-
ton of the interest which it serves,
there must be sincere purpose, ener-
getic effort, firm discipline and ag-
gressive spirit of action, and all indi-
viduals who are interested in it must
be impressed equally at the begin
ming.
So it is highly important that every
man who is to participate in the work
be taken through a course of intense
training in order TO become inspired
with the true spirit of that work.
Having these fundamental principles
in mind when the pleasing duty of as
sisting in the sale of Thrift Stamps
and War Savings Stamps was assign
ed me, ! Immediately laid my own
plans and operations before my asso-
ciates connected with our office and
outlined to them a program calculated
to enthuse and thoroughly arouse all
of the employees of the st. Louis post
office to the Importance of eXerting
every energy and of employing ev-
cry moment of time not necessary to
the continuance of the efficiency of the
postal service in the sale of these War
Savings Stamps. Conferences of all
supervisors of this Office were called
at different periods, and they were
thoroughly schooled in the line of
craftsmanship in order to make sales
men out of them. The supervisors
were trained in order that they might
train the employees under their super
vision. 1t was explained to them
that they were to direct such en-
ployes and to aid in qualifying them
for the performance of this duty in or
der to get the best results. In this way
a perfect and Systematically working
organization was effected and every
supervisor and every clerk and every
letter carrier became, to some degree
at least, a personal representative of
the United States Government in the
sale of War Savings Stamps. The
letter carriers were instructed from
day to day as to any new methods
that might have been evolved as the
campaign progressed relative to the
manner in which they were to be APP
piled. AS result, instead of the let
ter carrier being Stunned by the pa
irons. his pleasing smile on each
trip was welcomed and his earnestness
was commented upon by the postal
patrons on his route. His greeting to
each of them was "How many Thrift
Stamps do you want today" or II
have Thrift Stamps which you or
dered yesterday, how many shall l
bring you tomorrow" He did not ap-
proach his patrons in a ocular man
ner but with courteous seriousness.
He always had the War Savings
Stamps with him and was able to
make the change for bills of large de-
nomination. He was taught, and also
discovered by his own experience,
that the opportunity to sell to a pa
or might not be presented tomorrow,
and he took no chance on future sales.
Friendly competition also has been en-
couraged.
So much for our work here at home.
After having placed tour own house
in order" and having demonstrated
that we could sell these War Savings
Stamps to ourselves and to our pa
irons "in our own home town., as
Chairman, Division of Post Offices,
Missouri War Savings Committee, we
felt prepared to launch out into the
broader field of our great State and
help all the post offices of make rec
ord that would reflect credit not only
upon ourselves but upon that distin-
guished Missourian, Governor Alex
ander M. Dockery, Third Assistant
Postmaster General, who is our chief
tain in this campaign. But systemat-
ic organization was also necessary in
this case. A man who cannot or will
not take and obey orders, of course,
is not qualified to direct others or give
orders. We therefore sent out letters
to every postmaster in the State of
Missouri, urging them to cooperate
with the War Savings County Chair
man, and the editors of newspapers.
And right here let me state that many
postmasters in our State have been
fully alive to the situation and have
from the very beginning been doing
noble patriotic work; but there are
some postmasters, and just like all
other men, there are some who need
only to be revitalized and there are
some who need to be vitalized and
awakened for the first time. So, there
fore, in order not to miss any of these,
! communicated with all Of them. l
have preached the doctrine of the 10y
atty of mankind and I put the Stacker
dollar in the column of disloyalty and
call the hidden dollar traitor dollar.
Colin M. Selph.
AID MII DE GIVEN