Omaha daily bee., 1919-04-23
BURLESON ASKS
CRITICISM OF
POSTAL SERVICE
Invites Delegates to Wash
ington Conference to State
Troubles; Recommend More
Care in Preparing Packages.
BY EDGAR c. SNYDER.

] - ~e~-~ -
Washington, April 22.-Durine
the first week of April three-days
conference was held at the post of
| flee department which will probabl!
result in a closer cooperation here
after between the postal service ane
the business organizations of The
country.
In consultation with postmasters
of IS of the largest cities. including
Charles E. Tanning of Omaha anc
the corps of inspectors and superin.
tendents of the railway mail service
there were IS representatives Of
leading firms and business organize
tons. The United States Cham
Der of Commerce. the American
Bankers association. the Merchants
Association of New York, the Asso.
citation of National. Advertisers, the
Chicago Association of Commerce,
the Publishers Postal Service. Sears,
Roebuck & Co., Marshall Field &
Co., Montgomery Ward & Co., the
National Cloak and Suit company,
and the Charles Williams stores
were among the business organiza-
tons represented. The conference
was presided over by First Assist
ant Postmaster General Rooms and
attended by officials of the several
bureaus of the department.
Over 80 Topics.
Subjects affecting the business in
terests throughout the country, as
extensive users of the mail, were
fully discussed from a practical
operating point. of view. The range
of the discussion is indicated by the
fact that a special committee ap-
pointed to receive suggestions, COM
plants, etc, reported more than 80
topics for consideration by the con-
ference.
Postmaster General Burleson In
his address opening the conference
spoke plainly of the conditions un-
der which the postal service has
been operated and the policies which
have been attacked in some quar-
tiers.
II want you and invite you, gen.
tlemen," he said, speaking to those
who represent the business inter-
ests particularly, to make known the
criticisms which you have of the
postal service. ! do not want you to
be mealy mouthed about it. l want
you not only to make criticisms, but
if there are criticisms to be made. l
ask that they be not mild criticisms.
I pledge you in advance that every
knock will be welcomed by these
men (referring to postal representa-
tives) provided there is an honest
desire behind it for improvement of
the postal service"
The members of the conference
followed this suggestion.
Many of the topics discussed were
purely technical, though of import
ance to the efficiency of the service,
and with respect to all of these def
mite recommendations were made.
Special Subjects.
Topics of especial public interest
that were discussed and acted upon
were the special delivery service, the
of indemnities on in
sured parcel post, the safeguarding
Of parcel post packages by special
label, the improvement of method of
handling fragile, perishable and spe-
cia1 delivery parcels; improvement
in the delivery of third-class matter.
plans for closer cooperation be-
tween the post offices and publish
.rs, and complaints with reference
10 inadequate and slow railroad
train service between important
business centers and failures of mail
rains to make connection or to al
ow sufficient time for the transfer
IF the mail.
The discussion, which occupied
.wo full days of the conference, was
neither accusative or defensive in |
one, but was characterized by frank
less and familiarity, on the part Of
he business representatives as well
IS of the postal officials, with every |
letail and intricacy of the service
,nder consideration.
The business representatives on
he committee reporting subjects
or consideration were Charles ].
Bell. president of the American
Bankers association; F. B. DeBe-
ard, the Merchants Association of
New York; A. B. Schmidt, Sears,
2oebuck & Co., who, for a number
If years resided in Omaha, being a
brother of the late George 3.
rzschack, Chicago; E. A. Skinner.
Chamber of Commerce of the Unit
ID States; George Rosenberg, the !
Publishers Postal Service, New
FORK, and H. L. Fairfield, repre-
enting the Chicago Association of
Commerce.
Perfect Understanding.
One result of the conference was
lie establishment of a perfect I'M
between business mel
nd the representatives of the pos
service, with assurances on both
of cooperation.
c consensus of opinion with
ence to some of the problems
vas that the difficulties in the way
If more perfect service could be
net only through the cooperation
# users of the mail by improving
heir method of packing and deliv-
ry to the post office for trans
mission.