Show 1 I our weekly washington letter from our special correspondent 1 rinI ANENT ENT REDUCTION OP 01 IN BUREAU or OP LIN GRAVING washington Washing toa april 17 the bu leau beau of engraving and printing lias has reduced its personnel beginning the lie first ot of april this is because of 0 the decrease in the amount ot of work demanded 0 of the bureau the bureau during the war at a time when there was a tremendous output ot of liberty bonds war ar savings stamps and other paper had bad the largest personnel in its history since the war this in is force has not been re deuced as rapidly as conditions might warrant rather than making an outright cut in the force the policy ot of laying a certain percell percentage tage ot lot the force orce ott off one day a week was adopted the government also urged fe federal derall reserve banks to have whatever printing they anticipated done at once however the federal reserve banks have stocked up on their paper and the output of 0 the bureau has decreased in the last twelve months until it has reached a point where it I 1 becomes to a pei manent reduction in the force 0 01 0 AND FOURTH lI CLASS rOST ASKED TO I 1 CLOSE OX ON SUNDAYS although under the laws governing the postal department only first I 1 and second class post offices are compelled to close on oil sunday postmaster general welk has just issued a bulletin to third and fourth class postmasters urging them voluntarily to close their post offices on sunday even though they are not compelled to do so by postal regulations the postmaster Post masier general says this request is made not only in the in terest of 0 human efficiency which demands that one day in seven be devoted to rest and recreation but it is also requested in ill the name of 0 proper respect and recognition of the attitude ot of a religious nation which seeks to encourage the observance of 0 the sabbath day 4 40 4 WHITE HOUSE LAWN TO BE RESTORED TO ITS 1 BEAUTY FAUTY 11 the chite louse house lawn will bloom again in former years the lawns surrounding the white house were verti able flower beds so sprinkled were they with crocuses under the thel wilson reiggie sheep were pastured on the white house grounds arid and they not only ate up all the grass but all the crocus bulbs times have changed however arid and the head bead gardener of the white house grounds has been authorized to replant the lawn with crocuses cioc uses so that in another year the grounds will resume their former lovely aspect 0 e 0 NEW POSTAL SAYS NEWSPAPER MAIL IS IMPORTANT the new first assistant postmaster general john if cartlett Bartl Dart elt lett is stressing the necessity of th the 3 expeditious handling of newspapers in a bulletin just issued to the employees of the postal service mr bartlett tays says that complaints of delay in receipt of newspapers are very common and that such a condition i irritating to subscribers arid and inexcusable from a service standpoint unless received promptly a ne newspaper spa has little or no news value and the postal service reaps the criticism ot of any delay postmasters we therefore urged to see that all daily papers both outgoing and incoming coming are handled immediately upon receipt to tile the end that we may have a satisfied public and aw an appreciative press A 0 0 SURPLUS WAR avalt MATERIAL DONATE TO PUBLIC HIGHWAY construction the bureau ot of pu public baic roads announces that it has board feet ot of lumber and worth of 0 other material such as steam and sas gas engines which are available at once to state slate highway departments for or toad road construction all of this is surplus material turned over to the bureau ot of public roads by the war department the lumber was intended for the construction of a mammoth embarkation pier at charleston south carolina and is especially suitable for highway bridges 0 4 PI IN U UIn finout R oUt I 1 OVER DISMISSAL president Ilar dings removal of 32 executives of tho bureau of printing and engraving for the good of the service started an immediate uproar in the camp of the democrat democratic tic party it was immediately charged by democratic leaders in the senate that tho the honor ot of the discharged efel ra 1 aloyes had been impugned by the executive order this statement had a 0 truthful truth tul foundation in tact fact there was nothing in the executive order which removed the directors of 0 the bureau of printing and engraving and 31 other officials which in any way reflected upon the lionor honor and integrity of 0 any one ot of them whatever injury iii jury may have come to the honor bonor of 0 ony o ny of 0 the discharged em cm aloyes came through the efforts of 0 I 1 th the e democratic leaders to make it appear that a federal employed cannot be removed tor for the good ot of the service other than for a violation of 0 the penal code it is to be Teg regretted retted that in their efforts to make political capital of the affair democratic senators besmirched the reputation ot of those whom they pretended to befriend NEW postmaster GENERAL WANTS BENEFIT OP NEWSPAPER CRITICISM postmaster general work is looking to the dally daily pi ess to keep him advised as to how bow the postal service is functioning and lor for this purpose he be has asked postmasters to send him clipping ot of news items and editorial comment on postal matters both critical and complimentary the newspaper is the medium through which the public is talked to and talks back said postmaster ge general n eral work and is an all in indispensable dispensable aill aid in improving the service |