Not every shipper is doing a business of sufficient volume to warrant the employment of a man to devote his entire time to this question, but, in the organization of every business doing even a small amount of shipping, there should be one man who will make a study of traffic matters. He need not have an intimate knowledge of the entire subject of traffic affairs, but he should be posted on all questions that have a bearing on the shipment of the goods of his house. When no regular traffic manager is employed, the duties of the position fall on the shipping clerk; he is the logical man to make a study of the subject. Considered from the standpoint of his knowledge of shipping requirements, classifications, manner of packing, and the application of special rates, a man who has had experience in the freight department of a railroad makes the most successful traffic manager. Such a man may not be fitted to organize and handle the work of the shipping department but, in a concern large enough to require the services of a traffic manager, there will be work enough to warrant the employment of an assistant to look after this branch of the work. THE SHIPPING CLERK In this discussion of the organization of the shipping department, the shipping clerk will be considered as assuming the duties of traffic manager, as well as those that usually pertain to his position. He will be at the head and have full charge of the department, keeping such records as may be called for by the business. It is the duty of the shipping clerk to see that all goods are shipped promptly, packed and described to secure the most favorable rates, and properly routed. He must have a checking system that will enable him to locate errors and to know that all goods called for by an order have been shipped. He will be assisted by such packers, checkers, and porters as may be required to handle the work. The packers will receive the goods called for by an order from the stock men, and will pack them properly. They will check all goods packed against the order. In this, they will be assisted by checkers, who check the goods received on the shipping floor and again when they are packed. Discrepancies must be reported at once and adjusted immediately. In some concerns, the shipping clerk is also the stock clerk, in which case he has charge of the actual filling of the orders. He is assisted by stock men, who select the goods and assemble the orders under his direction. Like the head of any other department, the shipping clerk should have full control of his department. No other person in the organization should be permitted to make shipments. Concerns have been found in which it was the custom for different employes to ship small articles without the knowledge of the shipping clerk. Invariably, this leads to mistakes and results in blame being wrongfully placed on the shoulders of the shipping clerk. And even greater damage is done in the disruption of the organization.