(c) Dry, nonfragile materials may be wrapped in heavy paper and tied with twine. Thin paper bags are not acceptable.

(d) Articles which are self-contained may be mailed without outside packaging or wrapping. The Post Office Department will not be responsible, however, if the surface or finish of the article becomes marred or damaged. [19 F. R. 7766, Dec. 1, 1954, as amended at 20 F. R. 7834, Oct. 19, 1955]

§ 11.5 Marking on packages-(a) Fragile. Packages containing articles of a delicate nature such as glass, chinaware, electrical appliances, jewelry, musical instruments and radios, must be marked "Fragile" by the mailer.

(b) Perishable. Products which decay quickly, such as fresh meats, fresh fruits, and vegetables, must be marked "Perishable."

(c) Conditional labeling. (1) Words like "Do Not Bend or Do Not Fold or Crush" may be used only when content is fully protected with stiffening material.

(2) Words like "Rush or Do Not Delay" may be used only on packages intended for shipment as special delivery or special handling mail.

(d) Unauthorized labeling. (1) Labels and markings printed on cartons or on wrappers of parcels or on gummed tape on parcels are not permitted in place of any required label.

(2) Obsolete markings or labels shall be covered or obliterated.

(3) Parcels improperly labeled as to nature of contents are not acceptable.

12.4 Window envelopes.

AUTHORITY: §§ 12.1 to 12.4 issued under R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369. SOURCE: 12.1 to 12.4 appear at 19 F. R. 7770, Dec. 1, 1954, except as otherwise noted.

§ 12.1 Color. Use any light color that does not interfere with legible address and postmark.

§ 12.2 Quality. Use paper strong enough to withstand normal handling. Highly glazed paper, or paper with an overall design, is not satisfactory for showing the address and necessary postal endorsements.

§ 12.3 Size. Envelopes of standard sizes are .more easily and quickly handled. Envelopes less than 234 by 4 inches, or larger than 9 by 12 inches, are not recommended.

§ 12.4 Window envelopes. Window envelopes, or open panel envelopes, may be used when the following conditions are met:

(a) The address window must be parallel with the length of the envelope.

(b) The proper place for the address window is in the lower portion of the address side.

(c) Nothing but the name, address, and any key number used by the mailer may appear through the address window.

(d) The return address must appear in the upper left corner.

(e) No printing is permissible within % of an inch of the window.

(f) The address disclosed through the window must be on white paper or paper of a very light color.

[19 F. R. 7770, Dec. 1, 1954, as amended at 20 F. R. 3911, June 4, 1955]

AUTHORITY: §§ 13.1 to 13.6 issued under

R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369. § 13.1 General information. (a) Write the names and addresses clearly and legibly.

(b) Mail addressed to letter-carrier offices must include the street and number, or post office box number.

(c) Include the postal delivery zone number on mail addressed to cities using that system.

(d) Matter bearing dual addresses or the names of more than one post office in the return address or in the recipient's address is not acceptable for mailing.

(e) Matter bearing instructions to return to Point of Mailing (postmark) is not acceptable for mailing,

(f) Section 16.1 (c) of this chapter for special instructions on addressing second-class mail.

[19 F. R. 7770, Dec. 1, 1954, as amended at 20 F. R. 7835, Oct. 19, 1955]

[19 F. R. 7771, Dec. 1, 1954]

§ 13.4 Simplified address—(a) Style. Where general distribution of mail is desired for all patrons on a rural or star route at any post office or for all post office boxholders at a post office which does not have city or village carrier service, you may use a simplified address provided each piece is addressed in the appropriate following style:

(1) Rural or Star-Route Boxholder. (2) Post Office Boxholder.

(3) Postal Patron. (This style may be used instead of styles (1) or (2).)

(b) Post office address. Any of the styles shown in paragraph (a) of this section may be followed by the name of the post office and State, or by the word "Local."

(c) "Occupant" mail. To address mail to a specific street number without addressing the occupant by name, the following style may be used:

Postal Patron (or Occupant, Householder, Resident, etc.)

the distribution desired, such as: rural route, post office boxholder, etc. If the pieces are put up in quantities other than 50 for each separation, the number of pieces must be shown on the facing slip.

(2) If selective distribution is desired, a sufficient number of pieces must be presented to cover the route or routes selected and the route numbers must be shown on the facing slips.

(3) Postage at the proper rate must be fully prepaid by a method that does not require cancellation: by permit imprints, meter stamps, or by means of precanceled stamps, precanceled stamped envelopes, or precanceled postal cards.

(4) Designations such as "Farmer," "Food Buyer," "Voter," etc., are not permitted.

(e) Number of patrons. Upon request, postmasters will furnish without charge the number of patrons served, as follows:

(1) Number of post office boxholder patrons. (Only at post offices which do not have city or village carrier service.)

(2) Route numbers, and number of patrons on each rural and star route. [19 F. R. 7771, Dec. 1, 1954, as amended at 20 F. R. 3911, June 4, 1955]

§ 13.5 Correction of mailing lists— (a) Service available. Mailing lists submitted by departments of State governments, municipalities, religious,

fraternal, and recognized charitable organizations and mailing lists used by concerns or persons for the solicitation of business by mail will be corrected as frequently as requested, at the expense of the owners of the lists. Postal employees must not compile mailing lists including occupant lists.

(b) Name and address lists-(1) Method of submission. Lists should be submitted to the post office which serves the addresses, on cards, one name and address to a card. Cards should be approximately the size and quality of a postal card. The owner of the list must place his name in the upper left corner of each card. Lists should be submitted by mail only, except in the case of local firms presenting large lists for correction.

(2) Type of corrections made. Names to which mail cannot be delivered or forwarded will be crossed off; incorrect house, rural, or post office box numbers will be corrected; initials will be corrected where apparently the name is known to the owner of the list; and the head of the family will be indicated, if known, when two or more names are shown for the same address. New addresses for patrons who have moved will be furnished when permanent forwarding orders are on file. If no change is necessary an x will be marked in the upper right corner of the card. New names will not be added to a list.

(c) Occupant lists—(1) Method of submission. Lists of street addresses may be submitted on cards (as described in paragraph (b) (1) of this section), one address to a card, or in sheet form provided the sheets are made up separately by carrier routes and each sheet bears the list owner's name and address.

(2) Type of corrections made. Lists for mail addressed to "occupant" and street address will be corrected. Numbers representing incorrect or nonexistent street addresses will be crossed off, but numbers will not be changed or added. Business addresses will be indicated by inserting B opposite the number. Addresses on a rural route will be indicated by R. The number of separate family units will be indicated opposite addresses of apartment houses or other multiple dwellings. If no change is necessary an x will be marked in the upper right corner of the card or sheet. Corrected cards or sheets will be grouped by routes when returned to the owner

in order that he may handle and label mailings by routes.

(d) Charges. The minimum charge for each list corrected is 25 cents. For lists of more than 25 names or addresses, the charge is 1 cent per name or street address, including individual apartments. Payment must be made in advance by cash or money order, including return postage. Lists used by Members of Congress and Federal agencies are corrected without charge. Where rural routes have been consolidated or changed to another post office no charge will be made for correction if the list contains only names of persons residing on the route or routes involved.

(e) Postage on lists. Lists prepared in handwriting or typewriting are subject to postage at the first-class rate. Those prepared by stencil, mimeograph, printing, or similar process may be mailed at the third- or fourth-class rate depending on the weight. Postage for return of corrected lists is at the same rate chargeable for submission, as the changes do not affect the rate. Lists I will not be returned until the necessary postage has been paid.

[20 F. R. 4718, July 2, 1955, as amended at 20 F. R. 7835, Oct. 19, 1955]

§ 13.6 Delivery zones-(a) Description. Delivery zones are numbered units, based on carrier-station areas, into which the total delivery area of large post offices is divided to speed mail sorting and delivery. The number should be written immediately after, and on the same line as, the name of the post office. (See § 13.2 (a).)

(b) Notification of correspondents. Patrons of delivery-zone offices should notify their correspondents of their delivery-zone numbers, and include the zone numbers in their letterheads and return addresses.

(c) Mailing lists. Mailing lists covering delivery-zone post offices may be sent to those offices to have the zone numbers added without charge. Return postage is not required. They shall be returned by official mail.

(d) Zone directories. Postal Delivery Zone Directories may be obtained free from the postmasters of delivery-zone post offices.

(e) List of zone offices. The deliveryzone post offices are shown in the Directory of Post Offices.

14.8 14.9

Certain foreign communications. AUTHORITY: §§ 14.1 to 14.9 issued under R. S. 161, 396, as amended, sec. 15, 20 Stat. 359, secs. 3, 4, 25 Stat. 873, 874, sec. 1, 62 Stat. 740, 763, 768, 769, 781, 782; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369, 18 U. S. C. 871, 1302, 1461, 1463, 1716, 1717, 1718, 39 U. S. C. 227, 255, 256.

SOURCE: §§ 14.1 to 14.9 appear at 19 F. R. 7772, Dec. 1, 1954.

§ 14.1 Introduction—(a) Description. Nonmailable matter includes all matter which is by law, regulation, or treaty stipulation prohibited from being transmitted in the mails or which cannot be forwarded to its destination bacause of illegible, incorrect or insufficient address.

(b) Applicability. The harmful or objectionable things identified or described in this part are some of the matter which may not be sent through the mails, as a matter of absolute prohibition. See Part 15 of this chapter for matter mailable only under special rules or conditions. Notwithstanding any statement contained in this part, which covers only some of the items prohibited in the mails, the burden rests with the mailer to assure that he has complied with the law.

(c) Penalties for violation. Severe penalties, by fine or imprisonment, or both, are provided for persons who knowingly mail or cause to be mailed, any matter which has been declared nonmailable under law.

(d) Nonconformity with postal regulations. Regardless of its nature, matter may not be mailed in any form if done in violation of postal regulations for such reasons as failure to pay postage, improper size or weight, improper permits, improper addresses, etc.

(e) Responsibility of sender. If you are in doubt as to whether any matter is properly mailable, you should ask the postmaster. Even though the Post Office Department has not expressly declared any matter to be nonmailable, the sender of such matter may be held fully liable

for violation of law if he does actually send nonmailable matter through the mails.

§ 14.2

Harmful matter-(a) General provisions of law. Any articles, compositions, or materials, which may kill or injure another, or injure the mails or other property, are nonmailable. This includes but is not limited to:

(1) All kinds of poison or matter containing poison.

(2) All poisonous animals, insects, and reptiles.

(3) All disease germs or scabs.

(4) All explosives, inflammable material, infernal machines, and mechanical, chemical, or other devices or compositions which may ignite or explode.

(b) General examples of harmful matter. Harmful matter includes, among others, that which is likely to destroy, deface, or otherwise damage the contents of the mail bags or harm the person of anyone engaged in the postal service, such as caustic poisons (acids and alkalies), oxidizing materials, or highly flammable solids; or which are likely under conditions incident to transportation to cause fires through friction, through absorption of moisture, through spontaneous chemical changes or as a result of retained heat from manufacturing or processing; explosives or containers previously used for shipping high explosives having a liquid ingredient (such as dynamite), ammunition; fireworks; highly flammable liquids or substances; radioactive materials; matches; or articles exhaling a bad odor.

(c) Acceptability if properly packed. When authorized by the Postmaster General, various of the articles specified in this part as being nonmailable may be sent through the mails if they conform to special regulations as to preparation and packaging and if they are not outwardly dangerous, or of their own force dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property. See Part 15 of this chapter.

§ 14.3 Obscene and indecent matter(a) Lewd or filthy matter. Obscene, lewd, lascivious, or filthy publications or writings, or mail containing information concerning where, how, or from whom such may be obtained, and matter which is otherwise mailable but which has on its wrapper or envelope any indecent, lewd, lascivious, or obscene writing or printing. Any mail containing any filthy, vile, or indecent thing.