Show I CHRISTMAS MAILS FOR 1917 BREAK BREAKS S All RECORDS Tons ons of Presents Poured Into Postoffice for All Parts of U. U S. S By Dy y United United Press WASHINGTON ASHINGTON Dec 22 Tons Tons of Christmas presents throughout the country were dumped into the mails tonight giving the postoffice department department department depart depart- ment the most tremendous task in its history From all big biff terminal points came reports of mail sacks piled to the ceilings ceilings ceilings ceil ceil- ings of stations and offices preliminary preliminary preliminary nary to shipment or delivery In this last avalanche of bundles was seen the hand of the late shopper And it means disappointment to thousands of homes Christmas mails malls are two days days' behind be be- be behind behind hind schedule already the postoffice department admitted tonight Only those who shopped and mailed early will wili have hElve their remembrances in the home of relatives and friends on onI Christmas day But in thousands of cases there will willbe willbe willbe be be a greater Joy than presents For Forone Forone Forone one of the causes for delay in the final rush is the divergence of trains for transporting soldiers and sailors on Christmas leave to their homes The Christmas mailing tonnage has bas exceeded all records Shortage of cars interrupted transportation war economies economies mi mies s and natural congestion resulting from world conditions has made the I postal task one of unprecedented pro pro- I I portions In the far Northwest floods and en ensuing ensuing en- en suing congestion caused delayed mails I en-I In the East storms have had their ef ef- ef In the South the train service is poor and in the Southwest tremendous extra traffic in troops on furlough has necessitated even e officials joining inthe In Inthe inthe the task of clearing mail mai from platforms platforms plat pat forms and getting it on its ifs way Among the early mailers was the government sending out millions of questionnaires calling upon the homes of the country to stand ready for sacrifice sacrifice sacrifice sac sac- in the interests of the nation |