The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-08-29


 rect terminal for every state in the Union. Postal laws and regulations we read the question and write the answer. We have about GOO queS- tions on this subject.
 We presume you will say as others have said, that no human being could
 mcmorize so much, but we do it and must make a grade of at least 9S per cent. or be demeritcd and required to appear for re-ez1amination. In all case examinations we must case at least 25 cards per minute or receive minus points for any average less than this. A total of roo minus points subjects the clerk to removal from the service and we receive minus points for every error, either in ex- aminatiOns, or at work in the car, or for any deviation from orders or reg ulations.
 A work in the car it is not unusual for a clerk to distribute sixty to sev- enty letters per minute or forty to if ty papers or packages, and nearly all this work is done while the train is in motion. Often times we must han dIe and be responsible for as much money as a bank during the course of a days business, and this in addi- tlOll lO ONI lGS uldI " UT h OI ing mail matter. Records are kept of all service performed and daily and monthly reports made. We must maintain regular office and study in our homes or elsewhere, for the pur- pose of handling work in connection with the service. There is no diff ference between the main lines anc the branch lines as far as the work is concerned. The heavy lines have more mail and more men to handle it and the study requirements are about the same, therefore a change must be made in the classification of railway post offices so as to 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 classification was drawn up this way with the idea of making as many low salaried 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- cCive any mere salary. Railroadmen
 when they run for another in
 higher saIaTied position, receive the same pay as the man for whom they are running. Clerks running extra uufllS the IesiNN nDludS SGdSOn uO not receive any pay therefor but must perform this service gratis. This con
 dition should be immediately reme- died.
 AIthcugh the best men are selected by a physical and mental test for this
 work, it usually greatly effects the
 health in about six years. The fast
 and heavy work with the irregularity and nervous strain soon make a tell ing effect on the clerks health.
 The Post Office Department has 1 fought substantial increases in salary and when Congress allowed us an m crease over their protest it was but
 a mere trifle. Then in 1918 the Post master General eliminated all meri-
 rious promotions and this beat all clerks out of S1OO 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 ana receiving more salary. II is al most unbelievable the number of schemes that have been practiced on the clerks and it is remarkable that we have any service at all. The Post
 master General says it will be impos-
 sibIe for a clerk to receive more than SlUU increase uuElnS tue year i51 .. Tn 1918 Congress allowed us S2OO increase and the Postmaster General issued orders that no clerk would re- ! ceive his meretorious promotion C S1OO this year, so with the small lr- crease of $500 during the past seven years the Postmaster General has pre- vented all meretorious clerks from re- ceiving but S1OO more than they were receiving with the classification reg Ulations of 1912 Since Congress has allowed us s1OO increase this year the Postmaster General has not only eliminated all meritorious promotions but he has issued orders bringing up technical points to prevent clerk | from receiving this amount. He brings up other unnecessary requirements and his order reads in part as fol- l lows: Clerks whose records are ] otherwise satisfactory and who have | not cased satisfactory examinations l to the extent indicated within the l three-year period shall be promoted l oonditionally and it will be necessary ] for them to meet theSe requirements | on or before December S1, 1919, or | they will be reduced to the former ] grade or the maximum successive ! grade" A great many clerks will be i unable to meet these new anu un- l necessary requirements prescribed by 1 the Postmaster General and will | therefore lose this years incerase also. This is but one of the numerous : tricks played on the clerks to pre- vent them from receiving any increase | in salary and to fOTestal any move | made by Congress in this direction. | Every time an increase has been all 1 lowed the Postmaster General has l cnleavored to evade the law and pre- l vent. us receiving the same. The | Clerk who was due for his meritor- ' ious promotion during the years of ] 1918 and 1919 will not receive the i same and if he fails to meet tho Tew requirements as stated above he ! will be receiving exactly the same salary as prescribed in the regulations 1 of 1912 i e. Congress has granted us
 an increase of s3OO since 1912 and
 the Postmaster General has sought to prevent us receiving this amount. Do
 you wonder that the clerks are stirred ! to the limit and have been forced to { take immediate steps to protect them