The Coolidge examiner., 1944-09-01
Should Mail
Packages For
Overseas Soon
Strong boxes, well wrapped,
only ones to reach desti-
nation, says postmaster.

Save strong string and box ma
terial and start to plan shopping"
Postmaster J. B. Boone advises
Americans in announcing the rules
for mailing of Christmas gifts for
army and navy personnel overseas.
This year the Christmas mailing
period for both army and navy
overseas forces is the same-Sep-
tember Is to October Is. After
October Is no gift parcel may be
mailed to a soldier without the
presentation of a written request
from. him.
The great demands upon shipping
and the need for giving preference
to arms, munitions, medicine and
food is the prime reason for the
early mailing date. Moreover, gift
parcels must travel great distances
to reach army and navy personnel
who are located at remote points,
and frequently the transfer of large
numbers to new stations necessi-
tates forwarding of the packages
and additional time is required.
Postmaster Boone stresses the
Importance of proper addressing
and packing of parcels to the mill
tary to insure safe delivery.
Speaking of parcels to be mailed
overseas the postmaster declared,
"Our postmaster general has ex-
pressed his regrets that he ever
mentioned the size of a shoebox,
as so many folks have taken that to
mean that an ordinary shoebox was
durable enough to reach its desti-
nation when as a matter of fact
shoeboxes are not in themselves
nearly strong enough to stand the
trip to far distant outposts where
our military men and women are
stationed.
Actually every box destined for
overseas should be extra strong,
made of metal, wood, solid fibre
board or double faced corrugated
board reinforced with strong paper
and tied with heavy twine.
"And another thing to remem-
ber-do not send fruits, vegetables,
intoxicants, lighter fluid or pois-
ons."
Among the more important dulles
for Christmas mailings to the armed
forces overseas are the following:
The parcel must not exceed five
pounds and must not be more than
Is inches in length or SO inches
in length and girth combined. 1t
should be marked Christmas Par
ceP so that it may be. given spe-
cial attention to assure its arrival
before December %.
Not more than one parcel may
be mailed in any one week to the
same member of the armed forces
by or in behalf of the same mailer.
When combination packages are
made up of such items as miscel-
laneous toilet articles, hard can
dies, soaps, etc., the contents
should be tightly packed so that
they will not become loosened in
transit and damage the contents Of
the cover. Hard candies, nuts,
caramels (including those covered
with chocolate), cookies, fruit cake,
and chocolate bars individually
wrapped in waxer paper should be
enclosed in inner boxes of wood,
metal or cardboard.
Relatives and friends who know
that the personnel in the armed
services to whom they plan to send
gifts are at far distant points
should begin to mail their packages
on the opening day-September Is
of the mailing period. Last year
late mailings, causing concentra-
ton of great numbers of packages
in the final days of the mailing pc
riod, threatened to defeat the pro-
gram. 1t is stressed that success
can be assured with the limited
personnel and facilities available,
alton through prompt mailings of
only if the public gives full cooper
the overseas gift parcels from the
opening of the mail period.