Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-02-21
Burke Plans 10 Hire
Many More Women
AT D. T.. Post Office
Expects to Use Them
On Collection Trucks,
Parcel Post Delivery

Women soon will play new role
In the country's post Office system
that of postwomen on mail collec-
ton trucks.
That's because Washington's post
master, Vincent c. Burke, can find
no more manpower. The Washing
ton post Office is in the same fix
as the Federal Government. Capital
Transit Co. and other public utili-
ties. No men available.
I'VE are preparing to take on a
lot more women" Mr.. Burke SAYS.
There just aren't enough men
around. Applicants don't show up
any more. In January we took on
$50 new men and lost $50. We
are losing about IS men week.
About half of them go into the
Army and Navy. The other half
resign to take other Jobs. Many
don't give any reasons for quitting.
We call them 'quickie designations. -"
THE first step in replacing men
with women will be on collection
trucks" he continues. They will
bring in the mail from street let
ter boxes and chutes in large build
ings. We may also put them on par
eel post delivery. The average par
Gel is fairly light"
VIII Not Carry Letters.
Women will not be used as letter
carriers plodding the sidewalks from
house to house with individual mail.
Even though we relay the mail
by truck to certain points in the
city" Postmaster Burke explained,
"a letter carrier hauls an average
of 40 pounds Of mail in his pouch.
He climbs lot of steps and stairs.
We don't believe a woman has the
physical strength to do this"
The Washington post office. with
the blessing Of the Post Office De-
partment, will initiate a recruiting
drive. Good pay will be the incen-
tive offered. In peacetime an en-
ploye in regular position on 40
hour schedule receives S2,100 per
annum after four years. Last Easter
the post Office went on the 48-hour
week, which increases pay to about
S2,500. The post Office will soon
offer temporary employees who quail
fly regular jobs" for the duration
of the war and six months there
after, with regular salary and all
privileges. such as sick and annual
leave. Various extra emoluments
should, under these conditions, bring
salaries Of persons employed at ST.
700 year up to $1,000 and $4,000
per year.
Handle Window Work.
eve have always employed some
women" Mr.. Burke says, but We
are now scraping the bottom of the
manpower reservoir. From now on
we probably will take on great
man ymore women"
Women have always been used for
window work" and on desk jobs.
Last Christmas the Post Office took
on 100 young girls who distributed
and arranged mails on long belts
carrying them to cancelling ma
chimes. The work is performed
standing up, eight hours day.
"The women did nobly," Mr.,
Burke said. He recently hired so
women used on first day covers"
and various special assignments.
The regular staff comprises about
1000 employees. Among these, in
round figures, are $50 letter car
riers, 200 special delivery messen-
gers, 800 people on the custodial
maintenance staff, and 2,700 cleri-
cal workers. Eighty per cent of the
mail is handled at night, adding
10 per cent bonus to workers pay.
The Post Office operates 80 sta
tons, sells 10000 money orders a
day and pays out 10000 money or
ders in the same time. 1t sells at
least 1000 War Savings bonds every
"a hours and functions as a savings
bank for $4,000 depositors with ap-
proximately sl2,000,000 in their ac-
counts.
Business Grows Enormously.
During the last seven years the
business and labors of the Wash
ington Post Office have grown enor-
mously.
The annual payroll has risen from
approximately S3,650,000 in 1885 to
s6.600,000 last year. Postal Savings
accounts have increased from 25,685
to 5l,272. In 1885 some 38 900 United
States Treasury Savings bonds
were sold, a total which increased
more than tenfold to 100000 War