Public Law 66–88

An Act

Making appropriations for the service of the Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

office of the postmaster general. For gas, electric power and light, and the repair of machinery, United States Post Office Department equipment shops building, $7,000. For salaries of post-office inspectors: For salaries of fifteen inspectors in charge of divisions, at $4,200 each; and four hundred and twenty inspectors, $1,327,000; in all, $1,390,000. For compensation of clerks at division headquarters: One hundred and fifteen, $238,000. For traveling expenses of inspectors, inspectors in charge, and the chief post-office inspector, and for the traveling expenses of four clerks performing stenographic and clerical assistance to post-office inspectors in the investigation of important fraud cases, $447,000. For necessary miscellaneous expenses at division headquarters, $16,000. For payment of rewards for the detection, arrest, and conviction of post-office burglars, robbers, and highway mail robbers: Provided, That rewards may be paid, in the discretion of the Postmaster General, when an offender of the class mentioned was killed in the act of committing the crime or in resisting lawful arrest: And provded further, That of the amount herein appropriated not to exceed $5,000 may be expended, in the discretion of the Postmaster General, for the purpose of securing information concerning violations of the postal laws and for services and information looking toward the apprehension of criminals, $25,000. For compensation of a special assistant to the Attorney General to assist in the defense of cases against the United States arising out of the transportation of the mails, and in other cases and matters affecting the postal revenues, $6,000. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the Postal Service, office of the Postmaster General, $1,000.

office of the first assistant postmaster general. For compensation to postmasters, $42,300,000: Provided, That hereafter, whenever the office of a postmaster becomes vacant through death, resignation, or removal, the Postmaster General shall designate some person to act as postmaster until a regular appointment can be made by the President in case the office is in the first, second, or third class, and by the Postmaster General when the office is in the fourth class; and the Postmaster General shall notify the Auditor for the Post Office Department of the change. The postmaster so appointed shall be responsible under his bond for the safekeeping of the public property pertaining to the post office and the performance of the duties of his office until a regular postmaster has been duly appointed and qualified and has taken possession of the office. Whenever a vacancy occurs from any cause the appointment of the regular postmaster shall be made without unnecessary delay. For compensation to assistant postmasters at first and second class post offices, $7,000,000. For compensation to clerks and employees at first and second class post offices, including substitutes for clerks and employees absent without pay, $97,000,000. For compensation to printers, mechanics, and skilled laborers, five at $1,400 each, five at $1,500 each, five at $1,600 each, seven at $1,700 each, thirty-five at $1,800 each; in all, $97,400. For compensation to watchmen, messengers, and laborers, five hundred at $1,350 each, two thousand six hundred and twenty-five at $1,450 each; in all, $4,481,250. For compensation to clerks in charge of contract stations, $1,400,-000. For temporary and auxiliary clerk hire and for substitute clerk hire for clerks and employees absent with pay at first and second class post offices and temporary and auxiliary clerk hire at summer and winter resort post offices, $12,000,000. For separating mails at third and fourth class post offices, $800,000. For unusual conditions at post offices, $250,000. For allowances to third-class post offices to cover the cost of clerical services, $4,500,000. For rent, light, and fuel for first, second, and third class post offices, $10,500,000. For miscellaneous items necessary and incidental to post offices of the first and second classes, $700,000. For pay of letter carriers at offices already established, including substitutes for letter carriers absent without pay, City Delivery Service, $70,000,000: Provided, That hereafter the marine letter carriers assigned to the Detroit River postal service shall be paid $300 per annum in excess of the highest grade for carriers in the City Delivery Service, and that those in the service on July 1, 1920, who have continued in the service be paid such salary from July 1, 1920. For pay of substitutes for letter carriers absent with pay, and of auxiliary and temporary letter carriers at offices where city delivery is already established, $10,500,000. For pay of letter carriers, substitute and auxiliary letter carriers at offices where City Delivery Service is established during the year, $200,000. That that portion of the Act reclassifying salaries of postmasters and postal employees, approved June 5, 1920, which provides “that hereafter substitute clerks in first and second class post offices and substitute letter carriers in the City Delivery Service when appointed regular clerks or carriers shall have credit for actual time served on a basis of one year for each three hundred and six days of eight hours served as substitute, and appointed to the grade to which such clerk or carrier would have progressed had his original appointment as substitute been to grade one” shall be amended by adding the following: Provided, That Postal employees and substitute Postal employees who served in the military, marine or naval service of the United States during the World War and have not reached grade of salary shall receive credit for all time served in the military, marine or naval service on the basis of one day’s credit of eight hours in the Postal Service for each day served in the military, marine or naval service and be promoted to the grade to which such postal employee or substitute postal employee would have progressed had his original appointment as substitute been to grade one. The provisions herein shall be effective as of date of passage of the original Act of June 5, 1920. For village delivery service in towns and villages having post offices of the second or third class, and in communities adjacent to cities having city delivery, $1,500,000. For vehicle allowance, the hiring of drivers, the rental of vehicles, and the purchase and exchange and maintenance, including stable and garage facilities, of wagons or automobiles for, and the operation of, screen-wagon and city delivery and collection services, $15,000,000: Provided, That the Postmaster General may, in his disbursement of this appropriation, apply a part thereof to the leasing of quarters for the housing of Government-owned automobiles at a reasonable annual rental for a term not exceeding ten years. For mail-messenger service, $9,500,000. For car fare and Dicycle allowance, $1,100,000. For street car collection service, $7,000. For Detroit River postal service, $14,400. For car fare for special-delivery messengers in emergency cases, $17,000. For fees to special-delivery messengers, $6,000,000: Provided, That the Postmaster General may, under such rules and regulations as he shall prescribe, authorize the delivery of special delivery matter without obtaining a receipt therefor: Provided further, That nothing herein contained shall be construed as excusing the delivery of special delivery matter by messenger in the first instance. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the Postal Service, office of the First Assistant Postmaster General, $1,000.

office of the second assistant postmaster general. For inland transportation by star routes in Alaska, $230,000: Provided, That out of this appropriation the Postmaster General is authorized to provide difficult or emergency mail service in Alaska, including the establishment and equipment of relay stations, in such manner as he may think advisable, without advertising therefor. For inland transportation by steamboat or other power-boat routes, $994,000. For inland transportation by railroad routes, $96,000,000: Provided, That not to exceed $1,500,000 of this appropriation may be expended for pay of freight and incidental charges for the transportation of mails conveyed under special arrangement in freight trains or otherwise: Provided further, That the Postmaster General may contract with any individual, firm, or corporation for the transportation of mail by aeroplane between such points as he may deem advisable and designate, in case such transportation service is furnished at a cost not greater than the actual cost of the same service by rail, and shall pay therefor out of the appropriation for inland transportation by railroad routes. For pay of freight or expressage on postal cards, stamped envelopes, newspaper wrappers, and empty mail bags, $70,000. For the operation and maintenance of the aeroplane mail service between New York, New York, and San Francisco, California, via Chicago, Illinois, and Omaha, Nebraska, including necessary incidental expenses and employment of necessary personnel, $1,250,000. Railway Mail Service: For fifteen division superintendents, at $4,200 each; two assistant superintendents, at 33,100 each; fifteen assistant division superintendents, at $3,200 each; assistant superintendent in charge of car construction, $3,000; one hundred and twenty-one chief clerks, at $3,000 each; one hundred and twenty-one assistant chief clerks, at $2,500 each; sixty clerks in charge of sections in the offices of division superintendents, at $2,500 each; four thousand four hundred and ninety-five clerks, grade six, at $2,300 each; seven thousand six hundred and twenty-three clerks, grade five, at $2,150 each; three thousand seven hundred and fifty clerks, grade four, at $2,000 each; one thousand six hundred and eighteen clerks, grade three, at $1,850 each; seven hundred and sixteen clerks, grade two, at $1,700 each; three thousand four hundred and forty-nine clerks, grade one, at $1,600 each; one hundred and eighty-one laborers, grade two, at $1,450 each; forty-three laborers, grade one, at $1,350 each; thirteen joint employees, grade one, at not exceeding $300 each; in all, $45,000,000; and the appointment and assignment of clerks hereunder shall be so made during the fiscal year as not to involve a greater aggregate expenditure than this sum; and to enable the Postmaster General to reclassify the salaries of railway postal clerks and make necessary appointments and promotions, he may exceed the number of clerks in such of the grades as may be necessary. For travel allowances to railway postal clerks and substitute railway postal clerks, $3,089,931. For actual and necessary expenses, general superintendent and assistant general superintendent, division superintendents, assistant division superintendents, assistant superintendents, and chief clerks, Railway Mail Service, and railway postal clerks, while actually traveling on business of the Post Office Department and away from their several designated headquarters, $58,000. For rent, light, heat, fuel, telegraph, miscellaneous and office expenses, schedules of mail trains, telephone service, and badges for railway postal clerks, including rental of offices for division headquarters, and chief clerk, Railway Mail Service, in Washington, District of Columbia, and rental of space for terminal railway post offices for the distribution of mails wnen the furnishing of space for such distribution can not under the Postal Laws and Regulations properly be required of railroad companies without additional compensation, and for equipment and miscellaneous items necessary and incidental to terminal railway post offices, $1,032,156. For inland transportation of mail by electric and cable cars, $707,000. For transportation of foreign mails by steamship, aircraft, or otherwise, $5,920,000: Provided, That not to exceed $150,000 of this sum may be expended for carrying foreign mail by aircraft. For balances due foreign countries, $681,000. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the Postal Service, office of the Second Assistant Postmaster General, $1,000.

office of the third assistant postmaster general. For manufacture of adhesive postage stamps, special-delivery stamps, books of stamps, and for coiling of stamps, $1,460,000. For manufacture of stamped envelopes and newspaper wrappers, $6,358,000. For pay of agent and assistants to examine and distribute stamped envelopes and newspaper wrappers, and expenses of agency, $19,875. For manufacture of postal cards, $1,240,000. For ship, steamboat, and way letters, $150. For payment of limited indemnity for the injury or loss of pieces of domestic registered matter, insured, and collect-on-delivery mail, $4,500,000. For payment of limited indemnity for the injury or loss of international registered, insured, and collect-on-delivery mail, in accordance with convention stipulations, $50,000. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the Postal Service, office of the Third Assistant Postmaster General, $1,000. For traveling and miscellaneous expenses in the service of the Postal Savings System, office of the director, $500.

office of the fourth assistant postmaster general. For stationery for the Postal Service, including blanks, books, printed and engraved matter, binding and carbon paper, and other miscellaneous items for the money-order and registry systems; the preparation, publication, and free distribution by postmasters to the public of pamphlet containing general postal information; the pay of one assistant envelope inspector at $1,200 per annum; and also for the purchase of supplies for the Postal Savings System, including blank books, forms, pamphlets, rubber stamps, canceling devices, certificates, envelopes and stamps for use in evidencing deposits, and free penalty envelopes; and for the reimbursement of the Secretary of the Treasury for expenses incident to the preparation, issue, and registration of the bonds authorized by the Act of June 25, 1910, $2,000,000. For miscellaneous equipment and supplies, including the purchase and repair of furniture, package boxes, posts, trucks, baskets, satchels, straps, letter-box paint, baling machines, perforating machines, duplicating machines, printing presses, directories, cleaning supplies, and the manufacture, repair, and exchange of equipment, the erection, manufacture, repair, and painting of letter-box equipment, and for the purchase and repair of presses and dies for use in the manufacture of letter boxes; for postmarking, rating, money-order stamps, and electrotype plates ana repairs to same, metal, rubber, and combination type, dates and figures, type holders, ink pads for canceling and stamping purposes, and for the purchase, exchange, and repair of typewriting machines, envelope-opening machines, and computing machines, copying presses, numbering machines, time recorders, letter balances, scales, test weights, and miscellaneous articles purchased and furnished directly to the Postal Service; for miscellaneous expenses in the preparation and publication of post-route maps and rural-delivery maps or blue prints, including tracing for photolithographic reproduction; for other expenditures necessary and incidental to post offices of the first, second, and third classes, and offices of the fourth class having or to have rural defivery service, and for letter boxes, $1,226,000; and the Postmaster General may authorize the sale to the public of post-route maps and rural defivery maps or blue prints at the cost of printing and 10 per centum thereof added, the proceeds of such sale to be used as a further appropriation for the preparation and publication of post-route maps and rural defivery maps or blue prints; of this amount $1,500 may be expended in the purchase of atlases and geographical and technical works. For wrapping twine and tying devices, $628,000. For defraying expenses incident to the shipment of supplies, including hardware, boxing, packing, cartage, freight, and the pay of one storekeeper at $2,650 per annum, one freight clerk at $2,000 per annum, one foreman at $1,800 per annum, ten requisition fillers, at $1,600 each per annum, ten packers, at $1,600 each per annum, and two chauffeurs at $ 1,400 each per annum, for assignment in connection therewith, $279,810. For rental, purchase, exchange, and repair of canceling machines and motors, mechanical mail-handling apparatus, and other laborsaving devices, including cost of power in rented buildings, and miscellaneous expenses of installation and operation of same, including salaries of five traveling mechanicians and for per diem allowance of traveling mechanicians while actually traveling on official business away from their homes and their official domiciles at a rate to be fixed by the Postmaster General, not to exceed $4 per day, $462,080. For the purchase, manufacture, and repair of mail bags and other mail containers and attachments, mail locks, keys, chains, tools, machinery, and material necessary for same, and for incidental expenses pertaining thereto; also material, machinery, and tools necessary for the manufacture and repair in the equipment shops at Washington, District of Columbia, of such other equipment for the Postal Service as may be deemed expedient; for compensation to labor employed in the equipment shops at Washington, District of Columbia, $4,000,000: Provided, That out of this appropriation the Postmaster General is authorized to use as much of tne sum, not exceeding $5,000, as may be deemed necessary for the purchase of material and the manufacture in the equipment shops of such small quantities of distinctive equipments as may be required by other executive departments; anti for service in Alaska, Porto Rico, Philippine Islands, Hawaii, or other island possessions. For inland transportation by star routes (excepting service in Alaska), including temporary service to newly established offices, $13,000,000. For pay of rural carriers, substitutes for rural carriers on annual and sick leave, clerks in charge of rural stations, and tolls and femage, Rural Delivery Service, and for the incidental expenses thereof, $86,800,000. For travel and miscellaneous expenses in the Postal Service, office of Fourth Assistant Postmaster General, $1,000.

Approved, March 1, 1921.