public to the privileges of those classes, the requirements for proper wrapping and mailing of matter to be mailed, an explanation of the collection and delivery services of the Department, and details of the special mail and nonmail facilities of the Department. Notwithstanding any statement contained in this chapter, the burden rests with the mailer to assure that he has complied with the laws enacted by Congress.

(R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369) [19 F. R. 7765, Dec. 1, 1954]

Part 2-Domestic Mail Service

§ 2.1 Domestic mail service. Domestic mail means mail transmitted within, among, and between the United States; its Territories and possessions; ArmyAir Force (APO) and Navy (FPO) post offices; also mail for delivery to the United Nations, N. Y. The term Territories and possessions includes Alaska, Baker Island, Canal Zone, Canton Island, Enderbury Island, Guam, Hawaii, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Island, Kingman Reef, Midway Islands, Navassa Island, Puerto Rico, American Samoa (Manua, Swain's, and Tutuila Islands), Sand Island, Swan Islands, Trust Territory of the Pacific (Caroline, Mariana, and Marshall Islands), U. S. Virgin Islands (Saint Croix, Saint John, and Saint Thomas), and Wake Island. (R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369) [20 F. R. 1647, Mar. 18, 1955]

Part 3-Confidential Treatment of Mail

§3.1 Confidential treatment of mail. Sealed mail while in the custody of the Post Office Department is accorded absolute secrecy. No persons in the Postal Service, except those employed for that purpose in dead-mail offices may break or permit the breaking of the seal of any mailed matter, without a legal warrant, even though it may contain criminal or otherwise unmailable matter, or furnish evidence of the conviction of a crime. (R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369) [19 F. R. 7765, Dec. 1, 1954]

AUTHORITY: §§ 4.1 to 4.4 issued under R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369.

SOURCE: §§ 4.1 to 4.4 appear at 19 F. R. 7765, Dec. 1, 1954.

§ 4.1 Inquiries. Make all inquiries in regard to mail of your postmaster. If you have good reason to keep the knowledge of your inquiry from your postmaster, address your inquiry to the Post Office Department, Washington 25, D. C.

§ 4.2 General postal publications(a) The Postal Manual. (1) The Postal Manual contains the regulations and internal instructions governing the operation of the Postal Service."

(2) Chapter 1 of the Postal Manual contains the regulations governing domestic mail service intended to assist the mailing public in obtaining maximum use of this service.

(3) Chapter 2 contains corresponding regulations governing the International Mail Service.

(4) You may obtain in pamphlet form chapters 1 and 2 from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington 25, D.C., for 65 cents per copy. You may also obtain this edition, together with periodic looseleaf supplements, for approximately 1 year, for $2.

(b) Directory of post offices. A directory of post offices is to be issued during 1955. It will replace the directory in Part I of the Postal Guide.

§ 4.3 Confidential matter. The following records, documents, and information are confidential, and may not he disclosed by subordinate officers or employees of the Department without authorization:

(a) Reports of Post Office Inspectors. (b) Records of the Post Office Inspection Service.

(c) Names of post office box holders.

(d) Names and addresses of post office patrons and former patrons, except as provided in § 13.5 of this chapter.

(e) Records regarding mail matter. (f) Records regarding postal savings accounts.

(g) Records regarding money orders.

§ 4.4 Available records—(a) Formal hearing records. You may inspect formal records of proceedings in which a hearing has been held or offered if you have a proper interest in them.

(b) Conditions. You may inspect all other records of the Department or field

service if permitted to do so by the head of a Bureau or Office in the Post Office Department. In making such determinations, the following items will be taken into consideration:

(1) The interest of the person requesting permission to make the inspection.

(2) Whether disclosure of the information contained in the records will violate the privacy of mail matter.

(3) Whether the release of the record will jeopardize future Government access to information.

(4) Whether the release of the record at the time is premature and will improperly affect a pending action.

(5) Whether the disclosure of the record will have the effect of hindering free administrative decisions in the same or similar matters in the future.

(6) Whether the purpose for which the record is sought is prejudicial to the public interest.

(7) Whether the record is already otherwise made public, such as reports of public hearings and conferences, recorded maps, plats and documents, records published for the information of the public, and material of a similar public nature.

(c) Transfer of records. All records of the Post Office Department and its field service are the property of the Department. Postmasters and other employees are not authorized to turn over such records to other persons without authorization from the head of a Bureau or Office of the Post Office Department.

(d) Compliance with subpenas duces tecum. Postmasters and postal employees will comply with a proper subpena duces tecum issued by a court of record only after consultation with the Post Office Department and authorization from the Department. When employees are authorized to comply with subpenas duces tecum, they will not leave the records themselves with the court but will leave copies prepared for that purpose.

(e) Compliance with summons. A postmaster or other postal employee will comply with a summons requiring his appearance in court. He will not testify as to names and addresses of post office patrons, mail matter, postal savings accounts, or money orders unless he is specifically directed to do so by the court

after first calling attention of the court to this regulation. In no event will he testify concerning reports of Post Office Inspectors or other records of the Post Office Inspection Service.

(f) Costs. The head of any Bureau or Office of the Post Office Department may authorize copies of records which are open to public inspection to be furnished to members of the public at the cost of the person requesting them.

Part 5-Complaints

§ 5.1 Complaints. Make complaints concerning any phase of the Postal Service to your postmaster. If you have good reason to keep the knowledge of your complaint from your postmaster, address your complaint to the Postmaster General, Washington 25, D. C. (R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369) [19 F. R. 7766, Dec. 1, 1954]

Part 6-Fractions

§ 6.1 Fractions. In the sale of postage, and the computation of rates, fees, and other charges, any fraction of a stated basic unit is treated as a whole unit, by the following rules:

(a) Money. If the stated basic unit is 1 cent, fractions of a cent are treated as a whole cent; if the basic unit is 12 cents, fractions of 12 cents are treated as 12 cents; etc. In the settlement of cash balances payable to the post office, the next highest even-cent amount must be paid. The rule on fractions does not apply to dollars.

(b) Weight. Fractions of the stated unit are treated as a whole unit, thus: 3 cents an ounce means 3 cents an ounce or fraction of an ounce; 2 cents each 2 ounces means 2 cents for each 2 ounces or fraction of 2 ounces; 2 cents each halfpound means 2 cents for each halfpound or fraction of a half-pound.

(c) Length. Fractions of any stated unit of length-inches, feet, miles, etc.are treated as a whole unit.

(d) Time. Fractions of the stated unit-hours, days, months, quarters, years, etc.-are treated as a whole unit, except that in the computation of post office box rent the rent for the first quarter in which the box is rented is prorated by days.

(R. S. 161, 396, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369) [19 F. R. 7766, Dec. 1, 1954]

Sec.

Part 11-Packages

11.1 Adequacy of packaging standards. 11.2 Cartons and boxes.

11.3 Internal protection.

11.4 Outside wrappings (closure). 11.5 Marking on packages.

AUTHORITY: §§ 11.1 to 11.5 issued under R. S. 161, 396, as amended, sec. 24, 20 Stat. 361, sec. 1, 62 Stat. 781, as amended; 5 U. S. C. 22, 369, 18 U. S. C. 1716, 39 U. S. C. 250.

SOURCE: 11.1 to 11.5 appear at 19 F. R. 7766, Dec. 1, 1954, except as otherwise noted.

§ 11.1 Adequacy of packaging standards. This part contains standards and methods for ordinary packaging and wrapping of parcels. Certain types of items are excluded from the mails unless packaged so as to assure safe transit. For such special packaging regulations, see Part 15 of this chapter.

§ 11.2 Cartons and boxes—(a) Types of shipping containers. Shipping containers must be strong enough to retain and protect their contents from the weight of other mails. Boxes or cartons of the following materials are commonly used: Corrugated or solid fiberboard, kraftboard, chipboard (for small items), fiber mailing tubes and metal ends, metal, and wood. Heavy wrapping paper or burlap or similar cloth may be used for parcels containing unbreakable goods which would not be damaged by the weight of other mails. The strength of carton required will depend on the weight, size, and nature of the article shipped as well as the distance it is to go. Parcels addressed to distant zones receive more handling and therefore require stronger containers than parcels addressed to nearby points.

(b) Size of container. The outer shipping container should be the proper

size to hold the goods shipped with enough space for cushioning material inside. If the container is too large, the contents are apt to shift while in transit. If it is too small, or if too much is put into it, there will not be enough room for protective internal cushioning. An overstuffed carton may burst in transit.

(c) Used containers. You may obtain a good used corrugated fiberboard box at a grocery or drug store. Select one in good rigid condition with the four top flaps intact. If a box of the desired size cannot be found a larger one may be cut down as shown in the following illustration. Bend the four sides over the articles which have been cushioned in the box.

(d) Chipboard boxes. Small rigid telescoping chipboard boxes are usually used for small articles such as watches, jewelry, pens, etc.

§ 11.3 Internal protection—(a) Purpose of cushioning. (1) If a single item is shipped, sufficient cushioning material should surround the item so that it will be protected from outside impact against the carton in which it is shipped.

(2) If two or more items are shipped in the same carton or box, the cushioning should protect the items from damaging one another, in addition to protecting against outside impact. Each item should be separately wrapped so that no damage will result regardless of the position of the package inside a mail sack.

(b) Cushioning materials. (1) Excelsior, flexible corrugated fiberboard, or felt are commonly used to cushion heavy articles. Cellulose materials, cotton, clothing, shredded paper, or tissue paper are used for lighter items. The amount