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Show Must Rush Parcels For Boys Overseas "Save strong string and box material ma-terial and start to plan shopping," Postmaster General Frank 0. Walker advises Americans in announcing an-nouncing the rules for mailing of Christmas gifts for army ami navy personnel overseas. This year the Christmas mailing mail-ing period for both army and navy overseas forces is the same September Sep-tember 15 to October 15. After October 14 no gift parcel may be mailed to a soldier without presentation pre-sentation of a written request from him. i The great demands upon shipping ship-ping and the need for giving preference pref-erence to arms, munition, medicine and food is the prime reason for i the early mailing date. Moreover, 'gift parcels must travel great distances dis-tances to reach army and navy personnel who are located at re-jmote re-jmote points, and frequently the transfer of large numbers to new j stations necessitates forwarding of the packages and additional time is required. j "The response that our people made last year during the overseas over-seas mailing period demonstrated that they will cooperate in any measure designed for the welfare of our armed forces personnel," Mr. Walker said. "It is not easy to concentrate on Christmas gifts in the midst of warm weather here at home but our people recognized the need, and because they want the men and women who are absent ab-sent from their homes to know that they are not forgotten at Christmas they took pains to as-jsure as-jsure prompt delivery of Christmas j gifts. "I know that our people will observe ob-serve the overseas mailing schedule sche-dule once more this year, but I jdo wish to stress this fact: More !care must be taken in wrapping land packing parcels securely and i addressing them clearly and correctly. cor-rectly. "It is not a pleasant thing to visit a postal concentration renter and see the number of Christmas parcels par-cels which will never reach servicemen ser-vicemen and servicewomen. Post-office Post-office personnel have orders to do everything they can to effect delivery of such gifts, because we know how important they are for the hapiiness of the armed forces. Too frequently nothing oai IT done. "I am sorry that anyone ever mentioned that the size of a sho. box is the approximate limit for packages intended for gift mailings mail-ings overseas Unhappily many people became convinced that a shoe box is the best possible container. con-tainer. We must be mindful that these gifts must travel far, with shipping spaco crowded. If Ve gifts are to be protected in transit tran-sit they must be packed in boxes made of metal, wood, solid fiber-: fiber-: board, or strong double-faced cor-rugated cor-rugated fiberboard, reinforced with strong gummed paper tape or tied with strong twine. If both tape and strong twine are used, so much the better. If the outer wrapper is crushed and this is likely to happen the loss of contents con-tents may be prevented if fiber-hoard fiber-hoard boxes are wrapped in heavy paper "Wlo were unable to deliver many parcels which families and (Continued on last page) Parcels For Boys (Continued from first page) friends sent to men and women overseas last year because they were crushed in transit and the gift and the outside wrapper became be-came separated. We would have been able to make delivery if the address had been shown on the inside in-side wrapper. We advise that everyone write the address of the sender and addressee inside the package as well as outside. "Christmas gifts mean much to o u r people overseas Because strong twine, heavy paper boxes and fiberboard will prove a real help in making delivery of gifts possible I urge those at home to begin saving these materials now As time goes on they are going to become even more scarce than they are now." Among the more important rules for Christmas mailing to the armed arm-ed forces overseas are the following: fol-lowing: The parcel must not exceed five pounds, and must not be more than 15 inches in length or 36 inches in length and girth combined. It should be marked "Christmas parcel" so that it may be given special attention to assure its arrival ar-rival before Desember 25. Not more than one parcel may be mailed in any one week to the same member of the armed forces or in behalf of the same mailer. When combination packages are made up of such items as miscellaneous miscel-laneous toilet articles, hard candies, can-dies, soap, etc., the contents should be tightly packed so they will not become loosened in transit tran-sit and damage the contents or the cover. Hard candies, nuts, caramels, cara-mels, (including those covered with chocolate), cookies, fruit cake, and chocolate bars individually indivi-dually wrapped in waxed paper should be enclosed in inner boxes of wood, metal or cardboard. Perishable goods, such as fruits and vegetables that may spoil, are prohibited. Intoxicants, inflam-ahle inflam-ahle materials such as matches or lighter fluids, poisons, and anything any-thing that may damage other mail also are prohibited. Gifts enclosed in glass should be substantially packed to avoid breakage. Sharp instruments, such as razors and knives, must have their edges and points protected so they cannot cut through the coverings and injure postal personnel or damage other packages. i Relatives and friends who know that the personnel in the armed services to whom they plan to send gifts are at far distant points should begin to mail their pack-i pack-i ages on the opening day September Septem-ber 15 of the mailing period. I Last year late mailings, causing concentration of great numbers of I packages in the final days of the mailing period, threatened to defeat de-feat the program. It is stressed that success can be assured, with the li t.ited personnel and faeili-; ties available, only if the public gives full cooperation througji piompt mailings of the overseas gift parcels from the opening of the mailing period. I The Red Cross also stresses i some "do's and don'ts" for Christ- j mas gifts to send to men and ' women overseas, as follows: I It is better not to send home cooked food of any kind, for even fruit cake generally arrives molded mold-ed or mashed beyond recognition; don't send diaries unless request- j ed; don't send leather goods to the Pacific theatre for leather cannot take the tropical climate; don't j send gum or candy, unless vacuum packed in tins, to the tropics; and don't send anything you yourself. ; wouldn't want if you were travel- j ing or camping. j Suggested as gifts for men or women are: pocket size books, a waterproof watch, stationery, dark glasses, map of the United States, address book, sheet music, pocket , games, vacuum packed salted pea- nuts, canned delicacies, Christmas decorations, pocket size family pictures, folders for pictures and unbreakable mirrors. Possible gifts for women over- ', seas are: cosmetics, bedroom slip-J pers, travel type clothesjpins and line, coat hangers, handkerchiefs j flashlight, housecoat, bathing suit and cap, slips and panties, boJbby : pins, soap flakes, sewing kit, hose or toilet kits. j Logical gifts for men might be a pipe, tobacco pouch, shower shoes, metal dogtag chain, harmonica har-monica or ocarina, pocket comb, playing cards, stationery, writing folio, fountain pen or cigarette: lighter. v |
