in their own right only. Persons desiring to purchase them in other forms of registration authorized by Treasury Department Circular 530 may obtain them from Federal Reserve banks and branches and from the Treasury Department, Washington, DC 20220.

(2) Accepting applications. The postal employee shall check Form 920, Application for U.S. Savings Bonds, to see that inscription requested is in a form authorized by the latest edition of Treasury Department Circular 530 (circular may be obtained from the regional finance division); write serial number of issued bond on Form 920; initial; and file alphabetically.

(3) Filling out bonds. The postal employee shall:

(i) Issue bonds in the names of individuals only, as follows:

(a) One person: "John A. Jones."

(b) Two persons-coownership form: "John A. Jones or Mrs. Ellen S. Jones."

(c) Two persons-beneficiary form: "John A. Jones, payable on death to Miss Mary L. Jones." Payable on death may be abbreviated as p.o.d.

(ii) Use a typewriter if available and fill out the bond and stub in one operation.

(iii) Enter the full names on the bond and stub. Men's names may be preceded by any applicable title. Women's names must be preceded by Mrs. or Miss. A married woman's own given name must be used, not that of her husband.

(iv) Enter the full address of the owner on the bond. The address of the coowner or beneficiary is not necessary.

(v) Enter the month and year in the upper right corner of both the bond and the stub. Stamp the date of issue with the post office dating stamp in the circles provided on the bond and its stub.

(vi) Be sure that all entries are legible and exactly the same on the bond and its stub.

(vii) Detach stub from bond. Deliver bond to purchaser and retain stub for submission by postmaster with his accounting period bond report.

(4) Errors on bonds. (i) If an error is discovered on a bond after it is issued, it should be returned to the postmaster for correction. If returned during the

accounting period of issue, and if the error was made by the postmaster, he shall spoil the bond and stub, write the name of the office on them, and issue a new bond in its stead. He shall correct his records if necessary.

(ii) If an error is discovered after the accounting period of issue, or if the error was not the fault of the postmaster, the postmaster shall prepare a receipt for the bond in triplicate; give a copy to the owner; keep a copy; and send the original with the bond to the postal data center for reissue. The reissued bond will be mailed direct to the owner.

(5) Errors on stubs. If an error is on the stub only and the bond is correct, or if an inscription needs explaining (as when a feminine owner's given name is one generally accepted as masculine), an explanation shall be made on the stub. The postmaster or a designated supervisory official must initial the notation. If the address or date is omitted from a stub, the postmaster must find out from the purchaser whether the bond is complete and, if the bond is complete, insert the missing data on the stub. If the bond is not complete, the address or date must be filled in on the bond and stub. The addition shall not be initialed.

(e) Undeliverable bonds. Bonds issued and mailed by other agents, which are undeliverable by mail, shall be handled in the following manner:

(1) Bond shall be forwarded to the addressee if change of address is on file. If no change of address is on file or if addressee is deceased, bonds shall be returned to issuing agent without further action.

(2) Bonds that cannot be delivered or returned to issuing agent and unclaimed bonds found loose in the mail shall be held for 60 days. After 60 days, they shall be sent to the Treasury Department, Division of Loans and Currency, 536 South Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60605.

(f) Examination of stock of bonds. Clerks who issue bonds shall check each bond and stub to see that the denomination and serial number agree. If the stubs are attached to the wrong bonds, they must be reassembled so that the two parts of each assembly agree. The post

master shall hold bonds that cannot be reassembled, report the discrepancy to the postal data center, and await instructions.

(g) Certification for payment—(1) What to certify. Postmasters shall not cash savings bonds but will certify them for payment if sufficient identification is furnished and if the bonds are to be forwarded by the owner to a Federal Reserve bank or to the Treasurer of the United States for payment. The certification may be made on the bond itself or on a detached request for payment, Treasury Department Form TD 1522. Bonds that are to be presented to banks or trust companies for payment shall not be certified.

(2) How to certify. The certifying officer must require positive identification that the person presenting the bond is the person whose name is inscribed on the bond and must be sure there is no alteration or erasure on the bond. If the registered owner signs by mark, his mark must be witnessed by at least one disinterested person besides the certifying officer. All certificates must be in the name and title of the postmaster, followed by the certifying officer's signature and official title. The specially designated clerk or carrier must sign as designated clerk or designated carrier.

(3) Who may certify. The following persons may certify to requests for payment on bonds: Postmaster; assistant postmaster; any postal inspector; supervisor; or clerk temporarily in charge of the office, branch, or station; or any clerk or carrier specially designated by the postmaster.

The Postal Savings System was discontinued by Public Law 89-377, approved March 28, 1966. The effective date for closing the system was April 27, 1966. After that date no postal savings deposits were accepted. In accordance with the law, all funds remaining on deposit July 1, 1967, were transferred to the Treasury Department to be held there subject to proper claims. Interest ceased to accrue on postal savings certificates on the interest anniversary dates of the individual certificates occurring before April 26, 1967. No interest accrues after that date, but the face value of a certificate and the interest due to anniversary date will be paid whenever the certificate is surrendered.

§ 173.2 Records of accounts.

The records of accounts with outstanding balances, Form PS 600, Record of Postal Savings Account, which were established when the accounts were opened, have been transferred to the Treasury Department. They will be maintained there as the official records of the accounts.

All withdrawals will be paid by the Treasury Department. Postmasters will keep on hand a supply of Form 315. Depositor's Application to Withdraw Postal Savings, and other forms which have been used by the Post Office Department in connection with the accounts of deceased depositors. They will supply applicants with Form 315 and any other necessary forms, assist them in completing them, and tell them to mail them with the endorsed certificates to the Treasury Department, Bureau of Accounts, Division of Financial Management, Postal Savings Section, Washington, DC 20226. A legal representative of a depositor should be advised to include a copy of his appointment with his application for payment on Form 315. If uncertain as to the requirements to be met for the Treasury Department to pay an account, the postmaster should advise the claimant to write the Treasury Department, Bureau of Accounts, for information.

Universal Postal Union.

The exchange of all mail except parcel post between the United States (see Part 112 of this chapter) and other countries is governed by the provisions of the Convention of the Universal Postal Union, of which the United States is a member. § 211.2 Postal Union of the Americas and Spain.

The United States and the following countries are also members of the Postal Union of the Americas and

(PUAS):

Argentina.

Bolivia.

Brazil.

Canada.

Chile.

Colombia.

Costa Rica.

Cuba.

Dominican Republic. Ecuador.

El Salvador.

Guatemala.

Spain

Haiti.
Honduras Republic.
Mexico.

Nicaragua.

Panama.

Paraguay.

Peru.

Spain and 1

Possessions.

Uruguay.
Venezuela.

Certain special provisions apply to the exchange of mail, including parcel post, with the countries listed above. Those provisions appear in the appropriate sections of this chapter.

Spanish possessions include Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, and the Spanish Offices in Northern Africa; also Fernando Po, Rio Muni, and Spanish West Africa.

Sec.

212.1 212.2

PART 212-CATEGORIES OF INTERNATIONAL MAIL

Postal union mail. Parcel post.

Postal union mail, both surface and air, is exchanged under provisions of the Universal Postal Convention or the Convention of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain. The weight and size limits and other general provisions (but not postage rates) for the various classifications of mail exchanged under those conventions are the same from and to the United States. Postal Union mail is divided into two categories, known as "LC mail" and "AO mail,” as follows:

(a) The term "LC mail" refers to letters, letter packages, post cards, and aerogrammes. See §§ 222.1, 222.2, and 241.5 of this chapter.

(b) The term "AO mail" refers to postal union mail other than letter mail, post cards, and aerogrammes. It includes printed matter of all kinds, matter for the blind, samples of merchandise, and small packets. See §§ 222.3 through 222.9 of this chapter.

§ 212.2 Parcel post.

Parcel post is a separate and distinct category from postal union mail. The exchange of parcel post with other countries is governed by the provisions of individual bilateral agreements with various countries and the Parcel Post Agreement of the Postal Union of the Americas and Spain. Unless otherwise noted under the country items in the Directory of International Mail, the weight and size limits and other general parcel post pro

§ 221.1

Preparing and addressing.

(a) Preparing (1) Senders must prepare articles securely, especially if they are for distant countries. International mail is handled more often and subjected to greater pressure and friction than domestic mail, hence it must be enclosed in strong envelopes or other wrappings.

(2) Use envelopes of any light color on which the address and postmark will be legible. Do not use three-cornered envelopes. Window envelopes meeting the conditions in § 122.4 of this chapter with the exception of open-panel envelopes, are acceptable in the international mail. Open-panel envelopes are accepted only in the ordinary (unregistered) mail to Canada.

(3) Letters and letter packages (LC mail) may be placed in bags, boxes, envelopes, or containers, and, if unregistered, may be sealed at the option of the sender. Registered letters and letter packages must be sealed. See § 242.2 (b) (1) of this chapter.

(4) Articles other than letters and letter packages (AO mail) must be prepared in such a way that their contents are sufficiently protected but so as not to hinder quick and easy inspection of the contents. They should be placed under wrapper, on a roller, or between cardboard; in open bags, boxes, envelopes, or containers or in closed, unsealed bags, boxes, envelopes, or containers provided with fasteners that can be easily opened and reclosed without being dangerous; or they may be tied with string or twine in a manner that will permit them to be easily untied Sealing of postal union "other articles" is not permitted, even if registered, and they must be prepared in such a way that other articles do not run the risk of being trapped by them.

(5) As an exception to subparagraph (4) of this paragraph, items in AO mail articles which would spoil if packed according to the general rules, and samples of merchandise packed in a transparent packing permitting check of their contents, are admitted in hermetically sealed packing. The same applies to samples of industrial and vegetable products in a packing sealed by the manufacturer or by an examining authority in the country of origin. In such cases the sender or the addressee may be required to assist in a check of the contents, either by opening certain of the items or in some other satisfactory manner.

(b) Packing requirements for certain articles (1) Glass. Articles of glass or other fragile materials must be securely packed in boxes of metal, wood, or strong corrugated fiberboard filled with paper, wood shavings, or other protective material that prevent the articles from moving about or coming in contact with each other or with the sides of the box in course of transmission.

(2) Liquids, oils, etc. Liquids, oils, and substances which easily liquefy must be enclosed in hermetically sealed receptacles. Each receptacle must be placed in a separate box of metal, strong wood, or strong corrugated fiberboard containing enough sawdust, cotton, or spongy material to absorb the liquid in the event of breakage of the receptacle. The cover of the box must be fastened in such a way that it cannot become easily detached.

(3) Fatty substances. Fatty substances which do not easily liquefy, such as ointments, soft soap, resin, etc., as well as silkworm eggs, must be enclosed in an inside cover (box, canvas, or parchment bag, etc.), which must itself be placed in a second box of wood, metal, or stout, thick material.

(4) Powders. Dry powdered dyes such as aniline, etc., are not admitted unless enclosed in stout tin boxes placed, in turn, inside wooden boxes, with sawdust between the two packings; dry noncoloring powders must be placed in boxes of metal, wood, or cardboard. These boxes themselves must be enclosed in a canvas or parchment bag.

(5) Live organisms. Live bees, leeches, silkworm eggs, and parasites and predators of injurious insects intended for the control of such insects and exchanged between officially recognized agencies shall be enclosed in boxes so constructed as to avoid all danger.

(6) Perishable biological materials. See § 221.3 (b) (5) (iii).

(7) Radioactive materials. See § 221.3 (b) (6).

(c) Addressing. (1) Reserve at least the entire right half of the address side for the address of the addressee, postage stamps, or postage-paid impressions, and the service labels and notations (postmarks, etc.).

(2) Address mail legibly using roman letters and arabic figures placed lengthwise on one side of the article only. Write the name and address of the addressee precisely and completely so that employees distributing the mail will be able