The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-05-18
SERVICE First
HA||Y'SPROGRAn.
hopes to Give the Best
Service In Nations
History
5sy n, N. hickey.

~ one ambition, one determine
In the administration Of this
hi ofsice-that is TO give to the
paopisS 81 the United states the
most efficient postal service they
ever have had and the most ett'
eieut in the world
The speaker was Postmaster
General Hays, the youngest man
who ever held the office and one
oi the youngest who ever held q
cabinet post. The manner or his
Z, Speaking and mis- very evident Gin
keSity, convinced me that he meant
4ctly what he said.
- We were lunching together IN
A he cafeteria on the top floor Of the
tepartment building on Pennsyl.
yatia avenue, had asked Hays to
talk for publication about the prob
lens Of his department ~ their re.
lation to its employees and the pub
ac and his policy as postmaster
general.
The talk began in his office and
was being continued US we lunch
1lbe foregoing statement was
made in answer TO my suggestion
;haE his appointment had caused
some criticism on the ground that
II Was polItical-a reward for his
services as chairman okthe Repub
lean National committee during
the campaign.
lido not care to discuss the pc.
: litiesi Significance OF my appoint
\ ihent, continued Hays, except to
aas this; II anyone seriously thinks
that am going to run the Post
office department as a political ma
chine he Is Just as mistaken US he
could be, Even II were so short
sighted and had such perverted
idea ot sniy duties and responsible.
tics, President Harding would be
the last man In tho world to per.
Iplt such a thing.
~ am as Interested as any man
possibly can BIO in the success OF the
Republican party aud OF this I'D.
ininistfation. And i know that
there Is but one way that success
can be insured. We must gIvo the
country efficient, economical and
Just government
eThat is what We promised dur
ing the campaign and the seven
milton plurality indicated tho coun.
frg's belief In our ability and hon
esty % purpose.
Eve make good we shall DO en-
nfitiad to "a continuapce OF the coln.
rys confidence, and will got IL. II
1--WE fail, we will be turned out and
ought 10 be-
''Wht are some OF your definite
plans for making the postal service
n moro efficient servant OF tho pub
Nor asked.
aFifst tand foremost It Is my pur'
pose IA improve the conditions Of
the eniploycs. Tho one most Inn
portant element In any business Is
the spirit OF tho men and women in
h. We are going 10 get away en-
tiraly from any idea that labor Is, a
commodity,
"Isuggested in speech tho 9th,
er day that that idea was abandon,
ed 1921 years ago last Easter. |
repeat It now. ! AM going to what
aver lengths arc necessary to DO
gelop In the department the spirit
mat we arc 100000 partners.
M Is not q matter Of higher
wages. The 100000 increase re-
Gently made with no decrease now
that other wages are coming down,
takes care Of the wage situation In
a fairly reasonable way.
eWorking conditions. however.
I'M many branches Of the service arc
unsatisfactory and we arc going to
improve them. In short, we are 60.
ins 10 put some heart into the
works.
we have organized welfare de.
APARTMENT Just as definite in its du-
lies as any other, department.
There Is nothing original In this as
avery othef large business in the
tountry has done the same thing.
from q perfectly selfish business
standpoint.
III we can improve the spirit
andlconditlons Of the men and won.
en- who do this job, that In itself
,rHill be an accomplishment and 1t
perfectly certain to be reflected
tina quality OF their service IL
die public.
aThes fact that the Federal Com.
nensatioit commission is paying
many claims for Injured eyes
caused by poor light in postoffIces.