Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 July 1951 — Page 5

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SUNDAY, JULY 15, 1951 Short Staff, lowPay—

Disgruntled Workers Plague Postal Service; Promotions Frozen

By DAVE WATSON What's the matter with the mail these days? Why does Aunt Tillie’s letter saying she'll be here i | visit her favorite nephew arrive after Aunt Tillie, miffed at| not having been met at the train, is sitting on your veranda

transient

sipping a lemonade?

Will the mail service become any better?

Here are some of the answers.

Disgruntled regulars and temporary help are plaguing the postal service here. Civil service has been virtually wiped out for newly hired workers. Job assignments are in danger of becoming political footballs at postal stations.

New carriers and clerks have been shorn of incentive in many cases for lack of a secure future, the traditional virtue of government service, * Old-timers forsee a future decline in the quality of the force. Permanent promotions within the ranks are frozen. These conditions have scored heavily in service efficiency in Indianapolis—a reflection of the national picture. The local office stands 21st in volume of mail handled. : The work of the Indianapolis office operation is continually growing, but the staff cannot be increased to meet it. In the face of swelling mail volume have come rumblings of “slow-down” in the mail processing ranks. But this won't be said openly. It is veiled in the implications of some trade journals. . Rut the tendencies can he noted in the Indianapolis station capacity. Big Bulk Unworked

Postmaster George J. Ress said the office here conceivably could handle a million pieces a day with maximum employee efficiency. It is now handling about half a million, One day closed last week with 27,000 pieces unworked. The postmaster said part of this backlog was because of late train arrivals and heavy circular volume which i& cleared here for both Indiana and Illinois, Indianapolis carriers are serving 324 routes with one delivery a day under economy cut-backs ordered by the Postmaster General.

Postmaster Ress said a con-|

gervative estimate indicates 108 more carriers would be needed if two-trips a day were restored. He estimated this would cost up to $400,000.

Mail Volume Increases

Despite cut backs ordered last year, the loeal office was able to reduce its regular clerks and carrier complement by only 50 men—on paper. And increased mail volume absorbed 12 of these, Mr. Ress said. Yet the postal department in its ;annual report cited salaries and railway costs as representing 96 per cent of departmental expenses. And the railway systems are bidding for higher rates. ~ For all practical purposes the Indianapolis department is operating with as big a staff as ever, with just about as much money figured for quarterly expenses. The service, slump is more di-

rectly traceate to employee tem-

perament. Seek More Money

Regulars are seeking more money to meet living COSts. Washington recommendations are far below their demands. Retirements and resignations

Mr. Ross said personnel sections are not now required to adhere Strictly to the civil service orders to select help from the top three! scores on competitive examina(tions. By utilizing this loophole, a politically minded administrator could pack the office with party affiliates he said. “The trouble in the postoffice now is not basically a cut back in service,” Mr. Ress said, ‘but a personnel problem. It could be remedied for the most part by ‘unfreezing’ jobs and granting a little salary increase.”

Report Retail Food Prices Hit All-Time High

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UP) Retail food prices hit a new all-| time high in the‘two weeks ending June 25, the government reported today. i = The bureau of labor statistics ‘placed the new food index at 227.9 per cent of 1935-39 average an increase of one-half of one per cent in the two-week period. Food prices are now about 12 per cent higher than just before the outbreak of the Korean War, the bureau said. It said higher prices for fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs and chicken were the main reasons. Fresh fruits and vegetables, instead of showing a normal seasonal decline, were up two per cent. Biggest increases were reported for carrots. 16 per cent; lettuce, 15 per cent; and apples, 14 per cent, At the same time cab"bage dropped 17 per cent, green beans were down 11 per cent and tomatoes 10 per cent. The survey showed a slight rise in beef prices while lamb and pork were unchanged. Prices of chicken: were up one per cent | while fish prices dropped two per cent. { The bureau said the index was based on food prices in eight cities. !

| -

J. R. Skaggs .

Rites Tomorrow

John Rowland Skaggs, 69. retired carman in the Beech Grove shops of the New York Central Railroad, will be buried in New ! Crown Cemetery after services at

2 p. m. tomor- { row in Little & Sons Funeral Home, Mr. Skaggs.

who lived at 81 8. Fourth St. in Beech Grove, died Friday in Huff's Sanitarium. He came to Beech Grove in 1916 and retired in 1049. | He leaves his wife, four daugh-

Mr, Skaggs

*regular men.

drain experienced help from the force, oe replacements are not| ters, Mrs. Mary Sparks of Phoeon a permanent basis, Mr. Ress|niX, Ariz; Mrs. Karl Knapp, Mrs. said. This action stems from the Kenneth Fisher and Mrs. Lulu Whitten Amendment which seeks|Sanders; one stepson, Clyde Dris-| limits to the expansion of per-/ kell; one sister, Mrs. Lattrica manent personnel staffs under Madaris; two brothers, Eugene civil service. {and Robert, all of Beech Grove. “The turnover is terrible now,”| Sr ———eat— Mr. Ress said. “We can't keep We have trouble

Plan Pitch-in Supper

enough just keeping even with! The Arrius Court 5. Ben Hur our needs.” Life Association will hold a The station complement has not pitch-in supper at 7 p. m., July been increased for some time, he 29, at Christian Park Pavillion. said, although a recommendation Aj] ‘members and their families i§ for an additional 50 men a year are welcome. would probably be made under normal conditions to meet in- Advertisement creasing mail volume.

“It takes two years to train a Free Book on Arthritis man - properly,” Mr. Ress said. And Rheumatism

“They don’t stay that long these i ! days. Postal service takes home Excelsior = Springs, Mo. So re TYE us successful has a specialized training and study. Few tempo- _° 3 } 3 : ~ue SYStem proven for treating rheurary employees want to improve : F matism and arthritis that an themselyes. Some appear to hire i ; Bb . on for that first week's pay check amazing new book will be sent C i th Lr . free to any reader of this paper and then quit. who will write for it. Letters Misrouted The book entitled, “Rheumatism,” fully explains why drugs and medicines. give only temporary relief and fail to remove the

Mr. Ress said such inexperienced help often results in two men be-

ing required to do a single Job, coq of the trouble; explains properly. Letters get “thrown” In-y o or yer 31 years The Ball correctly into wrong routes, some-icyinis has helped thousands of times resulting in a 36-hour de- .haumatic sufferers. livery delay. = | You incur no obligation in sendIn any case, he added, the in-ijno for this instructive book. It experienced, short term employee may be the means of saving you is slow. years of untold misery. Address During the last service quarter. your letter to The Ball Clinic,! an upswing by 55272 additional Dept. 1339, Excelsior Springs, | man-hours was said to be partly! Missouri, but be sure to write! caused by inexperienced help. [today. |

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