The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-02-12
MAIL DELAYED
BY INCOMPETENTS
CHARGES BRITTEN
Representative Repeats Story
Of German Spy Evidence
Being Stolen.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12.-Represen-
tative Fred Britten Of Illinois reiterat-
ed today before the House Committee
on Expenditures In the Post Office De-
partment, investigating mail censor.
ship in New York, that there were ali.
ems among the Government employees
and that evidence OF the German spy
system had been stolen from the New
York Post Office. He maintained his
original position despite official deni-
ais, and asserted that he based his
statement upon Information given to
him by James V. Forster. former
employe OF the Committee on Public
Information.
Mr.. Britten testified that a great
deal Of the censorship in New York
City was conducted by aliens. that
there was an appalling lack of system.
and that Of the ESQ employees engaged
in this work only thirty We're experts
In handling mail. Because Of the lack
OF system and the employment of ali
ems, the safety Of registered mail he
declared, was constantly endangered.
The confusion, said Mr.. Britten, was
increasing rather than giving way to
system.
These facts were all given me by
James v. Forster, who was formerly
connected with the New York office"
said Mr.. Britten. "He was employed
by the Committee on Public Informa-
ton, but is no longer in that service.
Mr.. Forster is prepared to testify un-
der oath of the theft of evidence of the
German spy system, and also to pre-
sent sworn affidavits of others to the
: effect"
"Roughnecks" Employed.
Criticism of the system at Chelsea,
The New York terminal. where mail
for the soldiers in France is handled,
was expressed by Gilbert E. Hyatt.
He testified that the employees were
nearly all unframed, and that "Coney
Island roughnecks" were employed on
important work for which they we're
not qualified. These men, he said, did
not have ony responsibility, and ap-
peared to have no desire to expedite
the transportation of mails to France.
There IS indescribable confusion
there, no preparation and no apparent
means being taken by the Government
TO remedy the condition." Mr.. Hyatt
asserted.
r.. j. Ryan testified along tho same
line. He read letter received by him
from a railway mail clerk on duty in
France, in which the writer said he
had never seen anything like it, and
1t is no wonder that the boys over
there wonder what Is the matter with
their friends at home" Mr.. Ryan said
that Christmas mail had been delayed
so long in the Chelsea terminal that it
did not leave there until Jan. Is.
Long Delay.
Representative John ]. Rogers of
Massachusetts,, who recently returned
from France, told the committee that
the average time in getting letter
from the United States to France was
seven weeks. He said that great
deal of the inefficiency was due to the
military authorities in Europe, al
though the insisted that there were
objectionable delays in transmission
on this side.
Representative Huddleston Of Ala
bama said that the War Department
had sent an order to a commanding Of
ficer dated Sept. 26, ordering the dis
charge Of private named Gallagher
The man had enlisted when under Is
years Of age without the permission of
his parents. The orders were receiv-
ed in France on Nov. s, by which
time Gallagher had been sent into the
first line trenches. Soon after going
there he was captured and is now a
German prisoner.
The only redeeming feature of this
condition is that no favor is shown to
officers of high rank" continued the
witness, who told Of visit to the Chel-
sea terminal where mail was piled so
high that shovels had to be used to
clear a passage way.
One OF the witnesses testified tina
cigarettes addressed to American SOL
diers apparently had been stolen in
transit. as letters notifying the boys
Of their being sent came without the
cigarettes. This evil has become so
great that cigarette manufacturers are
now devising means to disguise their
packages so their contents cannot be
detected.