Evening star., 1948-05-22
Calls for Neater City


70 the Editor Of The Star:
Upon reading letter from q Washingtonian
in a recent issue of the Christian Science
Monitor about the dirty, generally unkempt
appearance of many cities and towns here in
our country. feel quite sure he was including
our own city in that category. often wonder
how the general run of citizens here can be 80
lacking in civic mindedness, as they go care
lessly along strewing trash. And it's special
disgrace since this is our National Capital
City where general cleanliness and neatness
should be maintained above all other Cities
surely.
do think that all property owners should
be required to keep all their own premises,
both front and back, as clean and attractive
as possible. Where owners refuse to cooperate
in obeying the law, think the work should
be done for them and then added to their
tax bills.
Now, there is q small apartment house
almost directly across the street from our
property. The exterior Of the building itself
is kept pretty well painted and looks very nice,
but, OH the two lawns so-called! No care of
them is taken whatsoever and for two weeks
this past winter and early spring an old
secondhand electric refrigerator had a place
of honor out on one side Of the divided lawn.
To make it look still more unattractive the
motor had been removed. Most always there's
something similarly unattractive to. look at
over there, old cartons, empty cans, etc.
do hope you may see fit to print this letter
and that it may cause some readers to think
. bit when they are tempted to litter the
streets promiscuously, and also try to keep
grounds of their own homes as clean and at
tractive as possible, remembering that there are
Notl,a ollNx
set for them. URNA L. OMOHUNDRO.
Says Postal Clerks Have Speed
70 the Editor Of The Star:
Please allow me to answer letter published
in your paper on May Is, criticizing the han
ding OF mail in our city post ONCE and claiming
the service is very slow.
First Of all, I would like to point out the fact
that it is wise to inquire into causes 80 that
We know whereof we speak before we start
throwing mud at those whose work places them
in the category Of public servants.
Our acting postmaster has worked his way up
from an ordinary clerk, and according to all
reports he is one OF the most rapid distributors
of mail the post office ever has had. I'm sure
that average. air-minded citizens are con-
ndent that he is quite capable and deserving.
Personally, I'm = 'lackadaisical" Washing
tonian! please excuse the sarcasm) Perhaps
that's the reason I don't expect our postal
clerks and carriers to be mechanical robots
running on a push-button, and able in ap-
proximately two short hours to assort, deliver
to substations, assort again, and deliver to
homes and Offices, thousands of pieces Of mail
contained in those bags which arrive in Union
Station daily at 8 am.
1t is well to consider the processes through
which letter passes from time 1t leaves the
sender until it reaches its destination, for
actually, postal employees do have speed. They
are called upon to maintain an efficiency rating
which requires speed, as well as accuracy.
However, before we expect a clerk to stick
q hundred letters minute into those little
boxes or cases, without single mistake or a
moments delay, let us ask ourselves: Would
we be able to do it?"
And before we sneer at his request for q
raise We might very we'll ask: would we want
to work his hours? Would we be willing to work
between II and 16 hours day during Christ
mas rush? Would we care to be coming home
from work at am or at a.m?"
It is easy enough to wonder why the other
fellow deserves a raise but probably if we were
doing his work we'd know why he deserves It,
CONSTANCE STEEL