Evening star., 1923-09-09
Heard and Seen

Perhaps no more striking testimony
ever was given to the interest-com
pelling charm of the National Capital
than that unconsciouslE paid last
week by the delegates to the twenty
fourth annual convention of the
United National Association Of Post
Office Clerks.
WHY did the officers of the conven-
ton overnight change the place Of
meeting from the National Museum
to the Willard Hotel?
1t was like this.
When the opening session was held
on Labor day-this organization
always opens its conventions on a
holiday-there was a good attendance.
The delegates came from all parts of
the country. too.
But when the officers saw how
many of the delegates were roaming
through the corridors Of the Museum.
walking through the Mall. and in
other places of interest disporting
themselves. they decided upon the
change of meeting place.
1t was found almost impossible at
the Museum to get the delegates and
their families within the auditorium
The various exhibits enthralled them.
The new exhibits of world war ma
terial held them with bated breath.
Postal clerks. like railway men,
work by the clock.
At their jobs they are the most
punctual of men.
Perhaps that was why. AT the con-
vention. they never began session
on time Minutes after the time set
for converting, there would be no
sign of life.
Even at the hotel. removed from
those charming exhibits. the. dele
gates strolled in late.
Nothing begins on time" one dele
gate was heard to remark to another,
"Eyerybody is out Sightseeing.
THAT is what conventions are for"
grinned the other.
X ::
Whatever conventions may be for.
there is no gainsayinE that the postal
clerks had a very good and successful
one.
Postmaster General New. First As
sistant Postmaster General Bartlett,
Postmaster Mooney of the Washing
ton city post office, and other govern
ment officials made addresses, eX
pressing their appreciation of the
work of the clerks.
1t was deserved compliment which
President Deming of the Civil Service
Commission paid the postal men, when
he said that they set the pace for
loyalty among civil service workers.
That is exactly true. In saying
IL there is no reflection on the re-
mainder of the civil service. 1t is
merely praise to those to whom praise
is due.
If everything in life went as
smoothly as the postal service. this
world would be the tabled bed of
roses. When one takes into consid-
Grafton the millions of letters, par
cells and other mail matter that the
postal service handles and delivers
each year. and then compares the
matter, the efficiency of the service
stands remarkably high.
And it is all done by men who are
underpaid.
There is something to think about
for these persons who are in the habit
of sneering at tho intellectual level
of the government clerk. superficially
Judging his brains and capacities by
the money scale.
Men are really not to be measured
by money. 1T is too bad that that
has to be said over and over again.
The postal workers, in the matter of
salaries, are the victims of circum
stances and the increased cost Of
living.
1t is true. that nobody forced them
to enter. the service.
1t is good for Uncle Sam, however.
that they did enter. and that they
stuck.
Now they are asking for. another
recIassifcation of salaries. SO that
they may enter the service at $1,000
year, and look forward to-oh,
dream of avarice-$2,600 as the
maximum.
Here's hoping Congress will give it
= ! CHARLES E..TRACEwELL.-