Government to require the postmaster to donate rent, fuel, light, and equipment. No fourth-class postmaster could live on the salary he gets; therefore he is permitted to do other business. But if he allows his other business to interfere with the proper discharge of his duties, an inspector speedily recommends his removal.

Now, the fact is that the storekeeper, by virtue of his position as postmaster, invites competition from outside. He is the agent of the mail-order houses in distant cities and near-by department stores, both of which use the Parcel Post and C. O. D. to take the trade from the locality served by the fourth-class office. Further proof that it is not a trade-bringer is found in the fact that the annual turnover in the fourth-class postmaster service is very large. If it were a fact, as has been stated, that it is such a great advantage to have the post office in the store, and if it is a fact that the vast majority of the post offices are in stores, there would not be such turnover as is shown by the figures.

But not all fourth-class offices are kept in stores, particularly of the higher grades. If they are, the department, through its inspectors, insists that sufficient space and adequate equipment be provided. The postmaster is not the judge of what is adequate, but the department, through its inspectors.

Many cases have been brought to my attention where fourth-class postmasters have been compelled to enlarge the space used for postoffice purposes and purchase additional fixtures, which prove that these postmasters have a pride in the service that outweighs the remuneration. It seems to us unfair and unjust that they should be penalized for their pride in the Postal Service for their public spiritedness.

Gentlemen, I thank you for the opportunity of presenting these facts, and respectfully request that you give this measure early and favorable consideration.

The CHAIRMAN. The next is Docket No. 114, a House bill, granting sick leave to employees in the Postal Service. This bill has been heard in part. Are there others who wish to be heard?

Representative HOGG. I would like to be heard briefly, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. We will be glad to hear you, Congressman Hogg. STATEMENT OF HON. DAVID HOGG, A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE STATE OF INDIANA

Representative HOGG. This is a bill, Mr. Chairman, that will cost the department or the Government nothing. Under the existing law a postal employee has annual sick leave of 10 days, with a cumulative provision for 30 days. This would extend the time to 180 days. Now we all know that the cumulative provision of 180 days can not be taken advantage of, except in a legitimate manner. Therefore, as long as the law is in existence, and we can not regulate our illness to 10 days a year, it does afford a humane provision that a postal employee may reserve to himself any such sick leave.

As I say, it will cost the department, nothing, and I earnestly hope that it will be favorably reported by this committee.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there others who wish to be heard on this

STATEMENT OF M. T. FINNAN, SECRETARY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mr. FINNAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the National Association of Letter Carriers is heartily indorsing this bill. In 1922 this matter was considered at considerable length on different occasions. It had been acted on by the employees' organizations, with the request that this provision be extended.

In 1920 the law was enacted to provide for 10 days' sick leave annually, cumulative for the period of 30 days. This law, if recommended out of the committee as passed by the House, provides that a man would have to work 18 years before he could receive the maximum.

The Postmaster General, in his report for 1925, treats of this matter, and states [reading]:

While the law provides that sick leave shall be cumulative, it limits the use of such accrued leave to 30 days in any one fiscal year. I see no good reason why the amount of accrued leave which may be used should be limited to 30 days in any one year. An employee may be incapacitated for duty and on sick leave for 5 days in 15 out of 20 years, thus using 75 days, while another employee may have used no sick leave within 20 years and be sick 75 days or more in the twentyfirst year. He is as much entitled to sick leave as the employee in the first case. It is recommended that the law be amended so as to provide that sick leave shall be cumulative and that sick leave with pay may be granted for the unused accumulated leave in any case of sickness, not exceeding six months.

The bill introduced by Congressman Hogg of Indiana, is identical with the recommendation of the Postmaster General in 1925, and we sincerely hope that the committee will order the bill favorably reported to the Senate.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there others to be heard?

STATEMENT OF C. P. FRANCISCUS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POST OFFICE CLERKS

Mr. FRANCISCUS. I desire also to bespeak your favorable consideration of H. R. 12383 by Mr. Hogg of Indiana, which was passed by the House of Representatives April 16, 1928. This bill provides that postal employees may be granted accumulative sick leave with pay not to exceed six months in any one fiscal year.

Under existing statute no sick leave in excess of 30 days may be granted within one fiscal year. No exceptions are provided for, regardless of circumstances or the amount of the sick leave accumulated to the credit of the employee. This restriction imposes unnecessary hardships in many deserving instances in that employees who have suffered from serious and prolonged illness receive no compensation beyond 30 days, although they may have considerable more sick leave to their credit. The enactment of this law would bring much comfort to all postal employees, and I earnestly hope that the committee in its wisdom will grant this boon to the faithful workers for whom I am privileged to speak.

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, I desire to thank you heartily for this opportunity to testify in support of these

measures.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS,
Pittsburgh, Pa., April 19, 1928.

To the CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE SENATE POST Office and PoST ROADS
COMMITTEE.

GENTLEMEN: As several bills have been introduced in both Houses this session proposing to amend the present law granting sick leave it is our privilege at this time to add a few words of recommendation to this well-merited legislation on behalf of the National Association of Postal Supervisors.

H. R. 12383 was passed in the House April 16, covering all features relating to sick leave for employees in the Postal Service which provides that sick leave shall be cumulative and that accrued leave amounting to six months chall be granted in any one fiscal year instead of 30 days, as now provided by law.

There are many cases of prolonged illness in wnich more than 30 days are needed to effect a cure. It seems only just and fair that when an employee has more than 30 days of sick leave to his credit, he should have the privilege of using it in such cases when the illness extends beyond that period.

The passage of this measure would be an incentive to the postal employees to accumulate as many days as possible for such an emergency. Consequently, it would improve the service by securing a higher percentage of attendance at work each day, and so would increase the efficiency of the service by having a larger number of trained employees on duty.

In our opinion there would be no additional cost and no extra appropriation required from the Treasury.

We urgently recommend approval of H. R. 12383 by your committee.

HARRY F. FOLGER, President.
FREDERICK MILLER, Secretary.

STATEMENT OF THOS. F. FLAHERTY, SECRETARY-TREASURER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF POST OFFICE CLERKS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mr. FLAHERTY. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, I merely want to report my approval of the bill now under consideration, for the reasons so clearly stated by Secretary Finnan.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there others to be heard? [After a pause.] If not, we will go to the next one.

The CHAIRMAN. The next one is Docket No. 115, which is a House. bill, which is identical with a bill introduced by me, and which has already been discussed. Unless there are further statements to be made in reference to that bill, we will proceed.

Mr. FLAHERTY. Just one matter, Mr. Chairman.

The CHAIRMAN. Very well.

Mr. FLAHERTY. I would like permission, Mr. Chairman, to insert in the record a report from the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads in the Sixty-seventh Congress on this question of night work. This report followed a rather exhaustive investigation made by this committee under the direction of Senator Townsend. This report covers the subject matter rather clearly, and I should like to have it in the record.

The CHAIRMAN. That may be done.

(The report referred to is printed in full, as follows:)

REPORT FROM SENATE POST OFFICE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDING A TIME DIFFERENTIAL FOR POSTAL NIGHT WORK

(January 16, 1923, Sixty-seventh Congress)

The Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads, to whom was referred the bill (S. 3773) to reduce night work in the Postal Service, having considered the same, report favorably thereon with the recommendation that the bill do pass without amendment.

This bill was introduced subsequently to the consideration of Senate Resolution 259, Sixty-seventh Congress, second session, which was as follows:

"Resolved, That the Senate Committee on Post Offices and Post Roads be, and hereby is, authorized to investigate the matter of night work by postal employees for the purpose of determining the extent of such work and the best method of reducing it, and whether necessary night work in the Post Office Department should be compensated by shorter hours or increased pay. Such committee shall report its findings to the Senate with such recommendations as to it may seem desirable not later than July 1, 1922."

In accordance with the terms of this resolution the committee submitted a report of its findings to the Senate on April 20, 1922.

During the consideration of this resolution hearings were held on May 11 and 18, 1922. The committee submitted a request to the Post Office Department for information as to the amount of night work in the service; its character; its necessity; the classes of mail handled at night and the relative amounts of each class worked; the department's opinion as to whether night work could in any manner be reduced without affecting detrimentally the service to patrons; and the department's estimate of the cost of a reduction of the hours constituting a day's work during night hours―i. e., between the hours of 6 o'clock postmeridian and 6 o'clcok antemeridian.

In order to obtain this information the department sent out questionnaires to over 100 postmasters in charge of the largest post offices throughout the country. Departmental representatives presented the replies of postmasters to the questionnaires and gave such other information as they possessed in reference to the subject matter to the committee. Representatives of the employees were also heard, especially representatives of employees performing night services.

As a result of its investigation the committee is convinced at the present time much unnecessary night work is being done in the Postal Service. It believes that the department should be able to devise methods whereby considerable reduction in the amount of night work may be effected. The committee is of the opinion that the passage of this bill will exert pressure upon the Post Office Department so that ways and means of reorganization of personnel will be adopted to eliminate such unnecessary night work. The committee further believes additional compensation in the form of a time differential for night work, such as is essential to the best interest of the service, should be awarded to employees performing such service.

It is well recognized that night workers in all lines of business are not as efficient as those who perform their functions during daylight hours. A contented employee in the Postal Service will without question accomplish more satisfactory work than one who is working unusual hours and under discouraging conditions. The reduction of night work as provided in this bill will promote better health and better social conditions for the largest possible number of employees in the Postal Service. The principle of additional compensation for night work has long since been recognized by the Government, the most notable beneficiaries being employees of the Government Printing Office.

It is very difficult to estimate with exactness the extra cost in money which this bill would impose upon the Post Office Department. If the present night force were not reduced, the cost might reach as much as $5,000,000, but since the hearings by the committee the department has reduced the number of night workers, and by limiting night work to first-class mail matter the night forces can be greatly reduced. The cause for such a large night force is due largely to the daily late mailing of postal matter. It is believed that proper departmental regulations can be issued materially expediting earlier mailings. The cost is secondary to the efficiency which would be secured through that contentment which would come from shorter working hours at night. In a majority of cases six hours of work would be equal to that now performed in eight hours. The health of men and women would be conserved, and that bulwark of our publicthe American home-made happier and better.

The only question which divided the committee was whether night workers, of which there always will be some, should receive special consideration by increased pay or shorter hours, and the majority feel that the latter is the better and wiser method.

STATEMENT OF M. T. FINNAN, SECRETARY NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS, WASHINGTON, D. C.

Mr. FINNAN. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen, the National Association of Letter Carriers wishes to be recorded as in favor of this bill. This bill has received the approval of the Postmaster General

at one time. Doctor Work, while he was Postmaster General, treated extensively on the matter in an annual report. In two of his annual reports he has expressed his thought that a pay differential for night work should be allowed.

I think Senator Copeland will agree with me that medical authorities agree that night work is hard on the human.

Senator COPELAND. I agree with that.

Mr. FINNAN. We who have our members employed at night know that they have to assume an entirely different outlook on life. The meals must be additional. The housewife must prepare her work to conform with the night work of her man. The children have a different vision, and it has been stated that at one time when a letter carrier was at home during the daytime on Sunday the children inquired of the mamma who that strange man was.

We earnestly hope that this bill will pass and be put into operation. Night work should be given more pay than the daytime work for the reasons assigned. It is a good bill, and we think it should be passed.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POSTAL SUPERVISORS,

Pittsburgh, Pa., April 19, 1928.

To the CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE POST OFFICES AND POST ROADS COMMITTEE OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE.

GENTLEMEN: We desire in behalf of the National Association of Postal Supervisors to register our approval of S. 2999, introduced by Senator Moses, granting an increase of 10 per cent per hour for service rendered between the hours of 6 p. m. and 6 a. m.

There is a greater strain on the employee during this period of the day on account of the great volume of mail to be handled, practically 75 per cent, important outgoing train connections to make and consequently a more intensive effort and greater concentration required than during other periods of the 24 hours. Consequently the physical condition of these employees is reduced to a point where they are more easily subject to infection and disease and the additional compensation asked is needed to provide the extra necessities required to offset the above named conditions.

In the large terminals employees are required to work two or three shifts of night work to one of daytime and in some cases supervisors get one shift of day work in nine turns.

Besides being detrimental to their health it also retards social development because of lack of recreation and opportunity to mingle with freinds or attend social functions.

We earnestly recommend its enactment into law.

HARRY F. FOLGER, President.
FREDERICK MILLER, Secretary.

The CHAIRMAN. We will next hear from Mr. C. P. Franciscus, representing the post-office clerks.

STATEMENT OF C. P. FRANCISCUS, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POST OFFICE CLERKS

Mr. FRANCISCUS. Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, my name is C. P. Franciscus, president of the United National Association of Post Office Clerks.

Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the committee, the association which I have the honor to represent includes among its membership approximately 42,000 post-office clerks employed in first and second class post offices in the United States, Hawaii, Porto Rico, and Alaska.