New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1921-09-28
UNDUE |. / |! CRITIC ] | CISM
OF 2 Z, EMP DYES Z !. J.
FORMER POSTMASTER WOULD
COMPARE WORK WITH
THAT OF PAST.
lH '7I,al .':,''' DAYS OF HIS REIGN
HAVE PASSED SEVERAL
YEARS SINCE.

The senior publisher of our Second
street contemp exhibits an UNI
seemly joy over the new regulation
which is supposed to keep postmasters
Of the first, second and third class on
the Job for eight hours each day. This
Joy is, however, only mere flash in
the pan, for, so far as Postmaster Fred
Pfaender Of this city is concerned, POST
master-G General Hays new rule is SUI
perfluous, for he is at his post and busy
with his many duties at least that
length Of time, if not longer. Since
Mr.. Pfaender assumed charge of the
local postofice, he has been unusually
industrious, compared to the hours put
in by some of his predecessors, and es-
pecially during the wartime period
and the annual holiday rush, both he
and Assistant Postmaster John II.
Weddendorf have been on duty con-
siderably longer than eight hours
practically every day.
Halcyon Days Are Gone.
The halcyon days of the Journal
publishers regime as postmaster in
New Ulm have long since passed, APP
parently unbeknown to him, for when
Mr.. Pfaender succeeded him in 1915,
the receipts of the local postoffice were
just SO per cent less than they were
last year 1920. But this increase,
as substantial as it may seem, is but
small compared to the increase in
other departments. For instance,
during the same fve-year period, the
registry business has increased 21s
per cent; the insured mail business,
81 per cent, and the C. Cd. business,
595 per cent. There was also SUBJ
|stantial increase in the money order
business, am uniting to a. per cent.
Many Other Duties.
Besides looking after the multi
farious additional details incidental to
these material increases in the post
Office business, Postmaster Pfaender
and his assistants were kept quite
busy in connection with the issuing of
War Savings Stamps, and there is still
considerable work to do relative to
revenue and proprietary stamps.
Mr.. Pfaender states that all of the local
postofice employees are very faithful
in the performance of their duties.
No Increase in Help.
Another fact that SHOULD be consid-
cred by anyone tempted to critieise
| the local postofice employees, is the
| fact that there has been no increase in
the personnel of the clerical force at
the postofice here since Mr.. Pfaender
took charge, succeeding Mr.. Liesch,
five years ago. And this in spite of
/ the great increase in the work that
must be performed there. Some re-
] lief is in sight, however, for Postm aster
Pfaender has finally succeeded in COM
yincing the department at Washing ton,
D. c., that more help is absolutely
imperative, and an additional clerk
Twill soon be appointed, according to
assurances received by him. This is
further proof Of the increase in the
/ local postofice business, for two post
office inspectors, who were in New
Ulm recently, informed Mr.. Pfaender
that in many other posto fces through
out the country the number OF en-
ployes is being reduced.
Four Additional Periodicals.
! Besides the material increase in
4 frst-class mail business at the loca
! postoffice during the past FIVE years
there are four more periodicals pub.
llished here now than there were al
that time. One Of. these is a weekh
newspaper having circulation o
4 {, 900, while two other weeklies hay,
q combined list Of 5000, and 4
monthly magazine havidg an average o
$4,000 subscribers. All Of these peri
odicals represent additional worl
A turned out by the Review printer,
and we know whereof we speak w1le,
we say the local postoffice force is KEEP
4 quite busy handling this second-clas
1 mail matter, and we also know the.
are right on the jump and get til,
4 material worked through in time t,
/: catch catch t the first possible mail.
], No Idle Moments.
4 In view Of the above facts, no ration
4 al person will infer that the local post
a office employees have a great deal q
4 time left over during working hour
4 Tor smoking and visiting. IN fact, "
n don't believe that the former post
4 master would tip the scales quite at th
same mark they now show if he woul
swap jobs with one Of the local ma.
clerks. Nss'
William and Oscar Muesing wer
/. Nicollet callers, Sunday.