Advertiser, Humanizer

"Before man was, or fish or birds or living things were, the postal service existed. . . . Before there was a mode of writing, before there were nations or kings or governments, there were messengers bearing news. "LET THERE BE LIGHT" was the first message to sweep across the face of the earth, according to the book of Genesis; and God, Himself, was the delivering Postman, and for six days God created and delivered messages to the earth, and He, on the seventh day, rested." Thus began the first of many rhapsodies, conceived by U. S. Postmaster W. J. O'Callaghan of Nashville, Tenn., to sell the U. S. mail service to Nashvillians. The emanations of Dr. O'Callaghan addressed to "Mr. Nashville Businessman" ran on exuberantly, telling of Cyrus the Great of Persia who had " a snappy mail service," quoting Gibbon on Rome, explaining the function of the Swiss yodelers, glorifying the Pony Express and the air mail. Last September, Dr. O'Callaghan held a pageant to exhibit his mighty works--with "an original, Historical and Educational Cavalcade of Floats, Men and Costumes, with Lessons on Correct Method of Addressing Mail Matter." Dr. O'Callaghan has been rewarded. He reports that the Nashville mail service is famed "from Ellis Island to the Golden Gate," that as little as 22% of outgoing mail arrives at the Nashville Post Office after 6 p. m.* The Christmas deluge was spread out and handled efficiently, partly because of Dr. O'Callaghan's plea last month: "My Dear Postal Patron: "CHRISTMAS TO THE POST-OFFICE is not a mere tempest in a tumbler of water, but it is an ambitious ocean of cards and parcels, a veritable whirlwind, and while riding 'THIS WHIRLWIND,' we must 'DIRECT THE STORM.' "WILL YOU BE OUR RAINBOW ? By shopping early and mailing early, scatter our usual seven day storm over a twelve day whirlwind. . . . Let's humanize Christmas." (Signed) W. J. O'CALLAGHAN Postmaster Said critics: "Hail to Dr. O'Callaghan--advertiser, humanizer--a scholar/- among Post-masters."

*In most large postoffices, due to the business mail at the end of the day, the percentage after 6 p. m. is as high as 50% to 70%. /-Dr. O'Callaghan is a tactful scholar. In the following manner he cheers both fundamentalists and evolutionists : "YOUR GRANDAD WAS EITHER A MAN OR A MONKEY--Take your choice--but if you write to the MAN give us the STREET and NUMBER, and if you write to the MONKEY, give us the TREE and LIMB." His title of "Doctor" is no nickname. He is a graduate of the medical school of the University of Tennessee. During the influenza epidemic, he left his postoffice and went to heal the sick.