Evening star., 1928-03-25
Seeking to Abate
A Postal Nuisance
BY HARDEN C0LFAX.

Innocent and unsuspecting citizens
| who receive frequent or occasional
| packages of neckties, handkerchiefs or
whatnot from total strangers "on ap-
proval" with choice of sending q
money order or returning the goods
| are about to find haven of refuge IL
| such unsolicited attention Is disagree
able.
A subcommittee of the House COM
mittee on post offices and post roads
| meets shortly tn draft a bill which
would give officials OF the Post ONCE
Department authority 10 exclude from
the malls certain classes of merchandise
sent without an order from the ad-
dressee. Bills previously introduced are
considered too broad.
For two years efforts have been made
in Congress to whip into shape some
form OF legislation to protect the peace
ful citizen from imposition on the part
Of those who abuse the privileges of
using the mails The ditfieulty has
been 10 evolve plan which would
stand the test OF constitutionality and
at the same time not cut of legitimate
operations which might fall within the
scope OF a broad unsolicited meTehan-
disc bill
| II Is the present intention OF the sub.
| committee 10 attempt TO write a meas
ure broadening the discretionary au-
thority of the Post once Department,
so that the situation might be handled
through specific cases rather than along
general lines. This, OF course, means
more trouble for the postal officials,
who, under such a plan, would be
| obliged TO make special Investigations In
~ al
and would face the possibility OF a law
suit every time they issued an exclu-
| sion order
| But the officials Of the Post once
| Department feel strongly that some
thing should be done 10 protect reeip-
! tents OF mail. Their attitude Is that the
! Government owes duty not only TO
transmit mail matter expedi.iously and
| safely, but also TO see that those whose
| doors must be open always for receipt
OF mail are not imposed upon.
Under ordinary conditions, consumers
may refrain from buying by staying
| away from the stores and the solicitor
at the door. when that method of mer-
, chandising Is followed, can he admitted
or excluded as judgment directs, lut
| there II no protection against the mer-
| chant who puts ones name on a mail
| Ing list and sends his wares through the
medium OF Uncle Sam without invita-
| ton,
| =
| Several new forms OF merchandising
have taken root IN the United States
within the last few years, Among them
| IL that termed unsolicited merchan-
disc" The idea probably was borrowed
| from the practice OF some churches and
charitable institutions In sending tick
| cts To benefit entertainments through
| the mails without request from the re-
| eiplenta, The "antt-tuberculoals seals"
mailed widespread during the Christmas
| season illustrates the form ot raising
| money for worthy cause, which
generally Is approved by the public,
But mail slot cannot be dlaefimi-
mating, and when II comes 10 packages
of merchandise which may be whplly
unwanted there has arisen considerable
| criticism, Some OF the Arms which have
adopted this method OF merchandising
are operated ON u high plane OF business
| ethics, their goods are worth the money
asked for them. they facilitate return
| Of the goods II they are not wanted. aud
their tracer or tollowvup letters are IN
good taste, Hut this II not true of ali
| tirms IN this huslneas hence the hue
and cry and the search for a legal and
practicable way Of applying q remedy
A . matter OF legal Eisht. post otties