Evening journal., 1919-08-27


I case. Committed to memory the exact
location OF every postofllce, every rail-
road and junction point in the follow
| ing states: North Dakota, South Da-
kots, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and the
north one-half Of Missouri These
States have about 7i00 offices. The
time Of all trains and mail connections
We're memorized All changes in the
supplies OF post offices and change In
train schedules were committed TO
memory In addition TO this we are
examined on the postal laws and regu-
| latlons and must keep memorized all
! the changes in law and regulations. In
! the past we have been examined on
| the postal laws and regulations once
year, and on other subjects every
six months, and the examination re-
quirements have been as follows Give
| the connections Of all trains and the
best connection for oil post offices.
Take space basis and give all the
rules and regulations governing space.
/ Take examination on circular and par
| eel post massiny scheme, giving the
correct terminal for every State in the
/ Union. Postal laws and regulations we
read the question and write the an
swer We have about GOO questions on
this subject.
We presume you will say as others
have said, that no human being could
memorize so much, but we do 1t and
must make a grade of at least 9S per
cent or be demerited and required 10
fappear for a re-eXamin9tion. In all
case examinations we must case at
! least - cards per minute or receive
minus points for any average less than
| this. A total Of eco minus points sub
| iects the clerk TO removal from the
! service and we receive minus points
| for every error, either I'm examina-
! lions, ar at work in the car, or for
any deviation from orders or regula-
tlons.
At work in the car 1t is not unusual
/ for a clerk 10 distribute sixty TO sew
enty letters per minute or forty TO
fifty papers or packages, and nearly all
This work is done while the train is
in motion. often TIMES we must
handle and he responsible for as much
money as a bank during the course of
h days business, and this in addition
to our regular work OF distributing
mail matter. Records are kept OF all
service performed and daily and
monthly reports made We must main
blin a regular Ofllce and study in our
homes or elsewhere for the purpose
Of handling work in connection with
the service. There Is no difference be
tween the main lines and the branch
lines as far as the work Is concerned
The heavy lines have more mail and
more men 20 handle II and the study
requirements are about the same,
therefore a change must be made in
The classification Of railway pOstOfiices
so as 10 place the clerks on more Of
an equable basis. The lines are at
present divided into three classes with
a different salary for each, although
the work is the same. This classifl-
cation was drawn up this way with
the idea OF making as many low sal
aried clerks as possible.
When clerks in the higher grades
lay Off. the clerk in the next lower
grade takes his place but does not re-
ceive any more salary. Railroad men
when they run for another I'm a higher
salaried position, receive the same
pay as the man for whom they are
running Clerks running extra during
the heavy holiday season do not re-
ceive any pay therefore but must per-
form this service gratis This condi-
ton should be Immediately remedied.
Although the best men are selected
by a physical and mental test for this
work. Il usually greatly effects the
nealth in about six years. The fast
and heavy work with The irregularity
and nervous strain soon make a telling
effect on the clerks health
The Postofllce Department has fought
substantial increases in salary and
when Congress allowed us an increase
over their protest II was but a mere
trine. Then in 1918 the Postmaster
General eliminated all meritorious
promotions and this beat all clerks
out Of 500 who were due for this
promotion. This year he issued the
same orders. Promotions have been
held up In order TO prevent the clerk
from advancing another grade and re-
eeiving more salary. It Is almost un-
believeable the number Of schemes
that have been practiced on the clerks