Evening star., 1937-06-07

states that Where mall nlllello Ao~'
been delivered to the Offices OF the
Republic Steel Co. and not to the
plants, it will continue so to do. Hence
any packages of food or anything
else which are sent to the o. es OF the
steel company will be '.elivered there.
But any packages of food or anything
else addressed to plant not hitherto
on the mail route will not be delivered
This is regarded as abnormal or irregu-
lar service.
Virtually the same situation existed
In Detroit during the Chrysler strike.
The mail for the Chrysler company
was delivered as usual to particular
address. The trucks owned by the
Chrysler company called for the mail.
These, therefore, were not in the view
of pickets and strikers entitled to the
same consideration as Government
mail trucks since they were private
mail vehicles from the moment they
left the post office. Since 1t was
suspected that these company trucks
were carrying food nd supplies or
perhaps strike breakers, they were
held up in Detroit In one instance
Government truck VIZ detained by
the strikers and the police arrested
those who interfered, but later the
strikers were released on the ground
that the trucks were not actually
delivering mail at the time, but were
returning from a route on which all
the mail had been delivered.
Usual Practice.
In the case of the Republic Steel
Co. the Post Office Department AYERS
that no special instructions were issued
to the local postmasters and that they
had been given instructions time and
again not to establish new routes or
unusual service for delivery without
going through the regular routine at
the Post Off1ce Department.
This still leaves the question OF why
the assistant postmaster at Niles,
Ohio, did not deliver a package OF
medicines for the Niles plant until
after he had consulted representa-
tives of the strikers. If the Niles
plant was not a point for the regular
delivery Of mail, then the assistant
postmaster was right in withholding
delivery, though it is not clear Why
he permitted the package to be ex-
amined by outsiders, and later to be
delivered, unless he acted in an
emergency as best he could, trying on
the one hand to avoid legal difficult
ties and on the other hand to get
the package of medicines into the
hands of the man who needed it.
The broad question of protection for
the United States mails is involved
only II a regularly established mail
route or service is in any way inter-
fered with. AS yet there is no evil
dence of this, but should it be pre-
sented, then a case of negligence may
arise with respect to those who fail to
deliver mail and prosecutions for
those who interfere with deliveries.
The position taken here is that the
Post Office Department does not wish
to be used as means of breaking
& strike or as partisan in the con-
hoversy. 1t would be partisan if
1t refused to deliver parcel post pack
ages on regularly established mail
kind is brought to the attention Of
the authorities here, prompt action
may be expected to follow. To un-
dertake a food delivery service Is
looked upon as abnormal.
Not Governments Business.
~ iv vP-Ni
Cleveland used troops to see that
the mails were delivered referred to
the attempts of strikers to prevent
mail trains from passing through
strike area. No interference with mail
cars as such has been reported, and
it is held here that mail truck owned
by a private company is not in any
sense in the same category as a Gov
eminent mail car.
The attitude of postal officials here
Is that If the parcel post should un-
dertake a food delivery service at
plant, where strike occurs, then the
local grocers and merchants would
begin to send supplies in to the be-
leaguered workers that way and the
strikers would feel that the Govern
ment had taken sides.
1t is contended in the Post Office
Department that the local grocers
and others who wish to deliver sup
plies to the plants should get the
protection of the local authorities,
and if necessary OF the Governor Of
Ohio, and that it is not the business
Of the Federal Government to supply
protection for local delivery service.
1t is especially pointed out that even
when mail trucks are stopped, the
postmaster must call on the same
local authorities for protection and
until this remedy is exhausted the
Federal Government cannot step in.
Briefly, the Post Office Department
holds that any attempt to circumvent
the pickets by aiding the company to
deliver food to the men would cause
violence and that this is to be avoided.
This, however, appears to be a weak
point in the situation Of the postal
officials for If they have reason to
suspect interference with delivery or
possible violence they would be justi-
fed in putting armed guards on the
truck even if they had to get Federal
troops from nearby Army barracks
to help put the mails through.
AS this dispatch is written the
postal officials say they have no re-
port of any interference with regu-
larly established mail routes or serv-
icas tn apv rla pt II, thu stAAl rAa and
that prompt action will follow II any
interference does occur.
Attempts Of strikers to interfere
with the passage to and fro of rail-
road cars delivering freight to or car
rying freight from an industrial plant
are plainly violation Of Federal law