Fashions in Statements

Plain Language. First Assistant Postmaster General John H. Bartlett, who last month instructed postmasters to omit departmental slang* from their reports and to use "every day" language instead (TIME, Oct. 31), last week issued a statement to his subordinates urging them to see that letters stamped for special delivery should really be specially delivered. He pointed out that the Special Delivery stamp is a contract between the mailer and the U. S. He invited public criticism of the special delivery service in future. Quite as notable as the frankness of the statement, which implicitly admitted a shortcoming of the Department, was the statement's language. First Assistant Postmaster General Bartlett practiced what he had preached about "every day" English. There was no bureaucratic circumlocution, no departmental obscurity. Mr. Bartlett said: "Special Delivery letters must not be allowed to accumulate for the convenience of Special Delivery carriers. They must be delivered promptly and as soon as received, even if the carriers do have to retrace their steps. If you are not getting good results on your Special Deliveries, it would be a good idea to change the man who supervises it and put in somebody that can get results. If the boys are not faithful and prompt, change them. If you are in a dilemma and cannot get anybody to deliver your Specials, take a substitute or a regular or anybody. Just make it a business to get those Specials delivered, and delivered promptly." Fancy Language. Far different from the accent of the First Assistant Postmaster General was the accent of a bulletin issued last week by Third Assistant Postmaster General R. S. Regar. Mr. Regar merely wanted to urge the public to address its Christmas mail plainly, wrap it securely, despatch it early, prepay postage fully. He prefaced his message as follows: "The tang in the air and the wonderful colors of autumn leaves evidence the fact that another year is its close and that the holiday season, with its spirit of good-will and cheer, will soon be here.

"Christmas is a time of joy and gladness, and the custom of exchanging gifts, greeting cards, and other remembrances which is so generally followed during the holiday season is this happy condition. The observance of the custom of exchanging gifts greatly increases the volume of mail during the month of December and it is therefore necessary to do everything possible to facilitate and its Handling ....

*Such as "graveyard shift," "nixie," "bumper." "logs," "reds." "Mother Hubbard."