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PRACTICAL COLLECTION PROCEDURE

of each seven or each eight days. Then as the letters progress and become more urgent, the interval can be shortened until the last letters are mailed about three days apart. This rapid fire of letters impresses upon the debtor the need for action and is an inducement to that end.


Postal Cards.

Practically every collection man knows that the use of postal cards for the purpose of dunning is expressly forbidden, and little need be said. However, the postal regulations are given below for the benefit of those who are not familiar with them.

Ruling in Article 92, Page 19, July 1919 Postal Guide: “The Department has ruled that the clause of the above section prohibiting delineations, epithets, terms, or language * * * calculated by the terms, or manner or style of display and obviously intended to reflect injuri- ously upon the character or conduct of another, covers and makes unmailable cards by which it appears that the ad- dressee is being dunned for an account that is past due. This does not include cards that bear respectful requests for the settlement of current accounts, or that give no- tice when an account, paper, assessment, taxes, gas bills, etc. will be due, and such cards are regarded as mailable. The provision of this section against matter of a ‘threat- ening character’ is held by the Department to cover and make unmailable cards that threaten the bringing of suits or legal proceeding if debts, accounts, etc. are not paid. This does not include cards that bear notice of assessments of fraternal and other societies which contain a respectful