During the last few months an increasing number of FIFTH ESTATE subscribers have complained to us that they receive their mailed issues either very late or not at all. Others complain that they receive their copy in a mutilated condition.
This is particularly disturbing since our office staff makes every effort to get the paper out to subscribers as soon as we get it back from our printer. We publish a paper for people to read not to lay in a back room of the post office.
Several inquiries have been made to the post office, but because of the massive bureaucracy we have not been able to learn the cause of the poor service.
Also, we have learned that we are not alone in this problem. RAMPARTS magazine reports in its April issue that it took its February edition five weeks to reach subscribers. The Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee reports in a recent newsletter that a number of bags of SNCC mail were DESTROYED by the Post Office because of the civil rights group’s failure to meet a certain postal regulation.
We don’t know what these bureaucrats are up to, or whether this poor postal service represents any conscious pattern, but we do know that we invest a lot of time and money in postage and mailing and we want good service. We would like FIFTH ESTATE subscribers to assist us and themselves in the following ways:
1. This issue, dated May 1, was mailed to you late in the afternoon of Friday, April 28. Detroit residents should have it delivered by Monday or Tuesday; suburban residents by Tuesday or Wednesday; and out-of-state people by the end of the week.
If you do not receive your paper according to this schedule, please do two things. First, call the Post Office and complain and second, notify us by phone or mail that you have made a complaint.
2. If your paper arrives in a mutilated condition follow the same procedure.
If we can establish a large-scale pattern of poor service we will file a formal complaint with the Post Office.