The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-06

excessive, and also to eliminate delay
and difficulty.
Dealing with complaint Of delays in
mail for soldiers In France, both be-
fore and after the mail service was
taken over by the army. Mr.. BurleSon' 8
report says that much OF It was due
to the handling Of mail by orderlies in
military service.
perhaps the most serious Of these
delays arose from the attitude OF the
military authorities" it says. who de-
clined to reveal to civilian postal
organization the whereabouts OF mill
tary units, In many cases until their
location had been discovered by the
enemy. There was also good deal OF
trouble in obtaining motor transport,
and at one time the military autho1-
ties undertook to take from the postal
stations the small details OF enlisted
men who were assisting in the work
on the ground that they were needed
for purely military service"
In the United States. 12S branch
postoffices were established at camps
and cantonments to deliver mail to
the troops. Censorship boards were
established at nearly all ports OF exit
from the United States, in connection
with military operations, and 1850 en-
p!oyes were engaged in censorins ap-
proximateIy $4,000 pieces Of mail
daily during most OF the period COW
cred by the report.
A very wide extension OF the aerial
mail service has been planned, the re-
port indicates and outlines are given
for four routes, two OF which extend
outside the United States.
The trunk line and feeders decid-
ed upon for the aerial mall" the Post
master General says, after describing
experimental operation between Wash
ington, New York, and Philadelphia.
under the present program are:
AZ. New York to San Francisco.
with feewers from (a) Chicago to st.
Louis and Kansas City Cb) Chicago
to st. Paul and Minneapolis. (c)
Cleveland to Pittsburgh.
"2. Boston to Key West. with feed
ers from (a) Philadelphia to Pitts
burgh. Cb) Washington to Cincinnati
(c) Atlanta to New Orleans.
as. Key West, via Havana to Pan
ANA.
-. Kew west. via the West Indies,
to South America"
The Postoffice department only
awaits the day when the aircraft pro-
ductior OF this country can more than
supply the needs Of our own army and
those OF our allies TO make effective
the program for aerial mail that have
directed to be put into operation as
speedily as the war conditions Will
permit" Mr.. Burleson continues. He
points out that planes for the over
seas service decided upon must be
powerful, fitted with wireless, and of
special construction. and declares that
the commercial advantage resulting
from the expected reduction in the
time Of communication between South
and Central America will justify the
expense.
Discussing the rural truck lines, and
the expected requirement by the de-
partmeEt Of many hundreds Of war
trucks. the report says that the COM
nercial an deconomic advantage OF
the service are evident. and its extern
sion desirable. The transmission of
food products from farms to urban
centers is particularly facilitated by
tee motorized parcels post lines.
Due to enlistments. and high wages
in outside service, SOS postal en-
pIoyes left government employment
during the year, the report says. neces-
stating extra efforts IN training sub
stitutes. OF the number leaving The
service 4.S9S resigned for other en-
pIoyment. or 12.4 per cent OF the en-
tire force, but the report says that IN
creased pay, and overtime allowances