=Information Required.= The shipping clerk should be fully informed on all traffic questions that affect the shipment of the goods of his house. Of first importance is a knowledge of classifications, that he may know that his shipments are placed in the lowest classification to which they are entitled. Copies of the classifications can be obtained from any local freight office. In this country there are three principal classifications, these being the _official_, governing the eastern territory; _western_, governing western territory; _southern_, governing southern territory. There are also a few special classifications governing classifications in certain states. While some attempt at uniform classification has been made, the several classifications show many variations, the same article taking different classifications in different territories. When classifications are received, they must be carefully studied by the shipping clerk that he may really understand to what classifications his goods are entitled. It might be supposed that a certain article or class of goods would always take the same classification, but this is not the case; other questions than the name have a bearing on the question. The manner of packing goods very often determines the classification. Certain articles are placed in a lower classification if boxed than they would be if crated. This is specially true of goods that are liable to damage in transit. Many shippers make a practice of crating goods because it can be done more cheaply than boxing, without realizing that the difference in packing cost is more than offset by the increase in the freight rate. The classification is also sometimes determined by the manner in which the goods are described. It is necessary, therefore, to study the classifications with reference to the description that will insure the most favorable rate. However, false descriptions made for the purpose of securing a lower classification must be avoided, as the Interstate Commerce Act provides a heavy penalty for such falsification. But there may be several different descriptions which legitimately apply to a given article, each placing it in a different class. A case in point: The western classification made no provision for filing cabinets in carload lots, with the result that a carload shipment, described as filing cabinets, took the rate provided for less than carload lots. But the same classification gave a lower classification, consequently a lower rate, on office furniture in carload lots. Filing cabinets being office furniture, it was entirely legitimate to describe such shipments as office furniture.