Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-20
POSTAL CARRIERS
DOING THEIR ALL
TO HELP COUNTRY

i feel that a word OF apprecia
ton Is due the public for its for
besrance and patience in the face
OF unavoidable conditions infuenc-
ing to a greater or less extent the
mail delivery service in Rock Is
land" said Postmaster H. P.
Simpson. this morning. II do not
say this in any sense as an apoI-
ogy for any impairment of service
to which the public is accustomed,
and hence in no answer to com
plant. but rather am l prompted
/ by the fact that there las been
no complaint.
There are two circumstances
that have delayed carriers on Ger
tain routes, and while these have
{ resulted in inquiries being made al
the postoffice as to the cause, the
invariable answer has always beer
one of satisfaction
One of these circumstances is
the fact that for several months,
the carriers have been doing their
part to win the war by the sale of
e. 90 "a Al So anu I'LL 1T STAMPS. vi
their respective routes. The
other is the fact that the carriers
are now taking their annual vaca-
tons to which they are entitled
/ The vacations are given to the
carriers of this Office II groups
with the necessity of employing
/ substitutes, and while these latter
/ are naturally inexperienced and
are not able to get over the
! ground as rapidly as the regular
/ men, they are rendering excellent
| service, and doing their part in the
4 sale of war stamps as we'll That
/ these conditions tend to cause d
/ difference in the time mail is deliv-
cred, is natural.
! Nevertheless, as l have said, the
public has been accomplishing,
/ and when in response to inquiries,
! people have been informed of the
( cause, the almost universal reply
/ has been that is all right and If
/ it is to help win the war there is
/ no kick coming here and similar
remarks. All these reassurances
are helpful to the postofice which
| is doing its utmost to be both of
use to the government i'll It's big
/ gest opportunity as war conditions
require, and at the same time, TO
/ perform its regular mission to its
patrons.
L sometimes wonder if the
people of Rock Island fully realiZe
how hard the carriers of this Office
are working to back up the boys
over there. There is scarcely one of
them who would not rather be in a
soldiers than a carriers uniform
and yet all know that there is work
that has to be done, and they are
doing it with a will. l have known
of instances of real sacrifice they
have made in order to do their full
part in the sale of war stamps each
day, and at the same time serve
| their patrons l have heard in the
most casual way. of carriers in this
office going without their midday
meals that every minute of theiI
time might be given to the govern
ment, and when ! say casual way
l mean that it was not intended
that the Office should know of theiI
deprivations; that the carriers who
had worked in this quiet way had
agreed among themselves thai
nothing would be said about II.
Il consider this the real spirit o.
patriotism. with heart and soul il
certain line of work, because Of
what it means and with no thought
of self l draw attention to this
act on the part of carriers of this
Office not only from a source o.
pride, but that their patrons may
know when they see the familiar
figure in the gray uniform coming
that within that uniform are al
the qualities Of the real soldier o
the American republic, and tha'
when you buy war savings stamp
from him, you are giving him a.
much pleasure as it affords you Il
buy them"
elders, Beards1ey's.