Evening journal., 1921-07-15
The Health and Welfare of Postal Employees
An Hon. VIII H Washington d. C
Reprinted from July

The announced intention OF Post
master General Hayes TO improve
working conditions of postofiice EN-
ployes has attracted much atten-
tion throughout the country Mr..
Hays statement that he intends TO
have a Welfare Department in the
/ Postal Service with as definite duties
as those Of any other branch of
work has brought much speculation
as TO the manner in which the Post
master intends to carry out the work.
The appointment of Lee K Franl1el,
vice president of the Metropolitan
Life Insurance Company and one OF
the best known experts in health
and welfare. as head of the new
Welfare Bureau, has just been an
nounced as tho first step IN the new
program
In response 30 a request from the
Nations Health, Mr.. HAYS, for the
first time, outlined his plans for
the new Welfare Department He
says.
I have visited some OF the
larger post offices and viewed work.
/ ing conditions personally. have
had a number Of postmasters from
the larger post Offices, representa-
tives OF Che employees, and welfare
workers from several large industrial
plants IN conference concerning wei
fare work in post Offices
From my own observation. and
what has been gathered from the
conferences of postmasters and en-
ployeea. n h very certain that a
great program of improving working
conditions among the employees Of
the Postal Service Fwaats us.
I'VE are going TO have a welfare
department m the Postal Service
Just as definite in its duties and GER
tain in IT'S flnctioning as tho fiscal
department or any other department
IL will be IN charge OF an individual
competent GO look after II. doing
nothing elsa Every other harSe in
dustry IN the country has adopted
welfr1e nr-awra This humanizing
business ts.-uot original. II has been
tho -<feafnite trend OF American busi-
neaa for the past generation. Just
how Ear lean go With II In the Post
Office Department i DON'T know. but
n rs certain that very much can be
done and not An any sense m 91eu
of wages. An the things that are
done successfully for the welfare OF
the employees in other successful
business must be done as far as pos
sible in this. the greatest OF all
businesses. Why n has not been ser
fousfy undertaken before in the
Post once Department II is dificult
Co understand II Is certainly one
Of the very definite PURPOSES Of the
days just ahead. n we can improve
the spirit and actual conditions OF
the 500. 900 men and women who do
this job, that IN itself is an ac-
compiishfnent and II is just as GER
tain 10 bring a consequential Inn
provement In the service as tonor-
rows sun
'Srhe question OF providing facfH-
ties to improve working conditions
| OF employees has been left to each
individual postmaster OF the larger
postoffices, numbering several thou
sand. II rs unfair TO expect this
initiative on the part OF these post
masters. although I was pleased tC
learn that some postn1asters at the
larger Offices had provided certain
benefits To employees at Their owl
private expense. But for the mos
part welfare work is almost unknown
in the Postal Service. This is no
unnatural when the limitations IA
4 Government are known
Definite Limitations.
Tho post Office Sbufldfngs ar
under control of the Treasury De
partment, not tho Postoffice De
partment- When dark. dingy room
needs painting 90 give light to IL
when alterations arc necessary II
give ventilation; when space il TO