Deming graphic., 1921-08-23
MISDIRECTED MAIL CAUSE
or MUCH TROUBLE

is reported as an official fact that
100000 pieces Of misdirected mail are
handled dall~ nj the New York post
office. which includes Manhattan only.
This means that l27 10000 misdirect-
cd pieces are handled every year In
this one metropolitan center. II re-.
quires no Imagination to appreciate
what this means by way Of hamperisg
and slowing down the Postal Service.
Great armies Of postal clerks. who
might otherwise be engaged in facil-
tating the general service. are thus
tied down TO problems Of rectifyirg
the mistakes and Supplying the omis-
siOns that are chargahle 10 careless
correspondents. We Americans sort of
take our postal service for granted.
We kick like steers when one of oEr
letters out Of millions handled daily
goes astray or Is delayed few hours
yet we are neglectful of our own re-
sponsibilities in this connection thai
we pile thousands Of pieces CT misd-
rected mail into the post office aud
expect that the postal machinery car
and must In some way surmount our
negligence.
The New York situation is merely
typical Of the situation I'm every other
city in the land Take Grand Rapid..
for example Postmaster Hogadonc
SAYS that. ~ nearly az can be- esli-
mated, the local post office handles
5000 nieces Of misdirected mail every
24-hours; and. In addition therei
about 10000 pieces OF mail are recie'
ed without street addresses. II ~.
quires the full time Of five clerks here
In Grand Rapids alone to correct the
addresses on misdirected mail The
mail without complete address causes
loss Of time TO distributors who could
otherwise have ben employed In hand.
ling properly the fully addressed mail.
thereby making il possible in many in
stances to give an earlier delivery We
who constantly yell for greater econ
omy" and greater efficiency in the
public service may well pause and ask
ourselves whether Il wouldn't be a
good thing CONSTANT thing. If W.
took a little more time and care IN max
ing economy" and efficiency" in the
public service possible.
Some Of the more common mistakes
locally observed in addressing mail are
noted as follows: Addresses are writ
ten hastily and illegiby, often In lead
pencil; pencil addresses become oblit-
Grated in the course of handling.
Authorizations in the names of firms,
post offices, and states are confusing
and invite trouble; for instance con
template the similarity in the abbrr-
viatioHS Of pa" for PENNSYLVANIA.
La for Louisiana and ia" for Iowaa
also COR for Colorado and "Cal" for
California. Unless all the letters in
these authorizations are written very
plainy. there is danger of mistakes
Street addresses are often omitted
lal>o the regional direction ST.
Nv, Sw.. on city mail,) and obsolefr
mailing lists are the bane off postal
eXistancc.
All things considered. il is really a
wonder that the post office makes ns
few mistakes as il does. When one
thinks Of the 5000 misdirected pieces
of mail in Grand Rapids daily-and
350OOO pieces in New YorkJand when
one multiplies an average figure by
the number of post offices in the co1n-
try, It is necessary to confess that the
people do not do their part in the mat
ter of postal efficiency. If we are g.
ing 10 throw stones, we mustn't live I'm
glass houses We are all demanding
Of the Post Office Department that q
turn over new leaf" under lis
peppy new Washington chief Let US
turn over a new leaf" too.