Pueblo chieftain., 1921-07-23
HUMAN|z|NG THE POSTAL SERVICE

| complaints when they come in. Also.
these postmasters have been instruct
ed to get in touch with school author
tiles with a view of educating school
children in postal matters.
Mr.. Hays is not claiming credit for
the system as the child of his brain.
1t has been urged for years. He does
believe. though, that he Is going to
get results from pushing the plan as
hard as 1t can be pushed.
In the campaign to induce mailing
throughout the day. the begin at
home" policy was adopted. The Post
master General first took 1t up with
the other members of the cabinet and
brought the mail situation to the at
tention of members of Congress. 1t
was found that nearly every govern
mental bureau had been holding mail
up until the close of the day. then de-
posting 1t all with the post Office.
This clogging of the mails naturally
resulted in delays which were often
unavoidable.
One of the first results of the plan
was that IL was possible to shift many
of the night mail workers to day Jobs.
from which these employees naturally
benefited. To business men MIR. Has
appealed on n give and take basis.
He asked them how they would like
the Post Office Department to ho'd
their mail all day. then dump II all ON
them at the close of the business day.
TT is Just as blessed ito deliver mail
10 the post office hour by hour as II
is to receive it hour by hour" he
pointed out Almost immediate re-
suits were seen.
In order to give postal employees a
close interest in the detection OF mail
robbers. Mr.. Hays astonished them by
offering a reward of $4,000. without
any strings TO it. TO any postal en-
ployee who brought IN a robber. Then
arms and ammunition for tho men
engaged In handling valuable mail
were obtained from the War Depart
mert. Since this happened. there
hasn't been a mail robbery of major
importance.
In the handling of many phases of
the business of the Department. Mr..
HAYS has drafted men OF the greatest
ability in their own lines. DR.. Frankel
is an example The purchasing agent
Of n big railroad is serving without
compensation I'm the purchasing de-
partment of tho Post Office Depart
ment. The proper man Is now being
sought to take care OF the system OF
vehicles operated by the Department.
automobiles. The transportation ex-
pert OF one of the big railroads Is
serving second assistant to Mr..
Hays. in charge of the railway mail
service, among other things.
The system IL being extended to the
parcel post service. an express husi-.
ness conducted by the government
and handling over 1000. 100000 pieces
OF mail in bulky form every year.
Then there is the banking end OF tho
postal business. Mr.. Hays is author
ity for the statement that there is a
billion dollars boarded away in Amer
lean socks and chimney corners which .
should be in circulation. through de-
post in tho postal savings system, to
assist IN tho nations industrial re-
vtval To lure these dollars from
their lairs, Mr.. Hays plans to in
crease the rate of interest paid to do
positors. 10 make interest payments
apply to deposits left In for less than
n year, to remove the age limit of
depositors. to provide for Joint and
trust funds and TO extend the pc-.-.
savings feature of tho service 20
80. 900 post offices. n "a now eetah-
ilshed in only $500 offices.