ANNUAL REPORT OF THE

PUBLIC PRINTER

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR

ENDED JUNE 30, 1921

WASHINGTON

1921

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER,

Office of the Public Peintee,

Decemher 5, 1921.

To the Congress of the United States:

In compliance with law, I have the honor to submit hereAvith the

report of the Public Printer for the fiscal j^ear ended June 30, 1921,

including the period from July 1, 1920, to April 5, 1921, under my

predecessor, Cornelius Ford, and from April 5 to June 30, 1921,

under my supervision.

When I took charge of the Government Printing Office, on April

5, the President simply but impressively instructed me to operate

the " big shop " on a strictly business basis, to stop wastes and ex- travagances in the public printing and binding as far as was vv^ithin the power of the Public Printer, and to place the personnel of the

office above all suspicion as to honesty and integrity. That mandate

I have faithfully endeavored to make effective without fear or favor

as far as was possible during the three months of the fiscal year 1921

that the Government Printing Office was under my management.

The time, of course, was too short to complete many of the new

undertakings that were deemed advisable to begin at once for the

betterment of the service, but the results were sufficiently successful

by July 1 to give encouragement for even greater efficienc}^ and

economy in the public printing the coming year. The Government Printing Office is essentially a manufacturing

plant—the largest of its kind in the world. It is entitled to be

treated as a big business proposition, free from all partisan bias and

selfish interests. This is not only a vast printing and binding establishment, but included in and necessarily a part of the Government

Printing Office are extensive electrical, engineering, machine, and

carpenter shops, ink and carbon-paper mills, metal room, a large

heating, lighting, and power plant, and the great distribution, sales,

and cataloguing forces of the Superintendent of Documents. These

activities fill more than 14 acres of floor space in the group of buildings covering half a city block on North Capitol between G and H

Streets. The total value of these buildings is more than $3,500,000, and the

cost of the plant equipment housed in them is estimated at not less

3
4 ANNUAL EEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

than $2,800,000 more. The output of this immense industry of the

Government represents an expenditure of approximately $14,000,000

annually and keeps busy nearly 4,500 employees throughout the year.

It is no wonder, therefore, that the President should give serious

thought early in his administration to the successful and economical

operation of such a vast business. In my efforts to comply with his

instructions I have had the very, helpful cooperation of a splendid

staff of supervisors and a loyal body of employees, without which

no Public Printer can hope to succeed. Other departments of the

Government have also aided generously in making effective numerous

economies in the public printing and binding. Likewise the Joint

Committee on Printing, which occupies the position of a board of

directors for the Government Printing Office, has been a steadfast

friend and supporter of the " big shop." To this committee, and to the chairman. Senator Moses of New Hampshire; the vice chairman,

Representative Kiess of Pennsylvania; and the clerk, Mr. Ansel

Wold, I am especially indebted for the continuance of good will and

cordial cooperation which were so helpful during the 12 years I

served as clerk of the committee before assuming the duties of

Public Printer.

Beginning my work in charge of the Government Printing Office

under such kindly circumstances, I can not and do not claim any

personal credit for the record that has been made thus far. Yet, it pleases me greatly to start an account of my stewardship with a report showing that there remains in the Treasury to the credit of the

taxpayers of the United States an unexpended balance of approximately $2,400,000 out of the total resources of the Government Printing Office for the year amounting to nearly $14,000,000.

This unexpended balance of $2,400,000 represents the fund which was available to the Public Printer at the close of the fiscal year

for such expenditures as he might desire to make for stock, equipment, and betterment of the plant. It has been the custom to " stock

up " during the last two or three months of the fiscal year if funds were available, regardless of market conditions or present needs,

in order to expend substantially all of the funds appropriated by

Congress for printing during such year. For example, in the last three months of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920, net purchases were made amounting to $2,627,646.21. In contrast with this sum

the purchases for the last three months of the fiscal year ended

June 30, 1921, amounted to $1,269,176.37, or $1,358,469.84 less than

the purchases for the corresponding period of the preceding year. In this connection it is appropriate to state that the unexpended

balance for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920, was only $262,137.20, or $2,203,709.67 less than the amount remaining unexpended on June 30, 1921.
AXXUAL REPOKT OF THE PUBLEC PEl^sTER. 5

ALTERATION OF TOP FLOOR AND ROOF. With such a hirge sum available for whatever expenditures the

Public Printer might desire to make in the short period of three

months, I felt, in view of the satisfactory condition of the stock and

equipment, that I was entirely justified in beginning at once an altera- tion of the eighth or attic floor and roof of the main building. It" was found to be necessary in any event to make extensive repairs to the concrete roof that had gone for nearly 20 years with little or no general overhauling. The roof was badly cracked in numerous

places, thus occasioning many leaks, which constantl}" endangered

the million dollars' worth of typesetting machinery on the seventh

floor. To repair the roof alone would have cost at least $15,000, and

possibl}^ more. With the advice of building experts, it was decided,

therefore, to raise each side of the steeply pitched roof to near the

elevation of the center ridge at the same time that the other necessar}' repairs were made. By thus altering the roof from a pitched

to an almost flat form practically a full story was added to the

building at a minimum of cost and without materially changing its appearance.

The plans for the entire improvement were prepared by Maj. W, R.

Metz. superintendent of buildings of the Government Printing Ofiice,

and to him belongs the chief credit for putting the idea into concrete and practical form. The proposition was submitted to the Joint Committee on Printing and received the hearty approval of that committee.

The extra space made available by thus altering the top floor

is to provide quarters for a much-needed photo-engraving plant, a better location for metal and storage rooms, an adequate cafeteria,

and suitable rest and recreation rooms for the employees. Although

the exj)enditure for this alteration, including equipment, will amount

to about $200,000, the cost is comparatively minor, taking into consideration the total investment which the Government has made in

the entire plant.

The time also was most opportune, as the improvement was greatly

needed to bring the Government Printing Office up to the standard

of modern factory construction and equipment. Situated as the

plant is, remote from the larger and better class of cafeterias, it seems but an act of simple humanity for the Government to provide

a suitable place where its 4,500 employees might obtain whole- some food at a reasonable cost, which they stand ready and willing

to pay without expense to the public othei' than for the necessary

space and equipment. Everyone who has investigated the miserable

conditions under which the employees of the Government Printing
6 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Office have had to eat their midday and midnight lunches for years

readily agrees that the cafeteria is a most essential addition to the

plant.

The rest and recreation rooms will provide proper and healthful accommodations for beneficial gatherings of the employees during

leisure hours or whenever the best interests of the office require their

assemblage in large groups. With the utter lack of such facilities in the past, it is no wondei- that many employees used their

lunch and rest periods to frequent race-betting and other ques- tionable places in the vicinity. As a matter of fact, I had to take

summary action against a score or more employees who were either

betting on the races or indulging in other improper conduct before

a stop could be put to the pernicious practices which were fast destroying the morale of the office as well as robbing the employees

of hundreds of dollars a day.

The experience of the most successful manufacturers of to-day,

nearly all of w^hom have adopted the modern method of helping

employees to better fit themselves for their daily work, clearly shows

that such comforts and conveniences as are now being installed in

the Government Printing Office are not only worth while from a humanitarian point of view but are also highly profitable from a mere commercial aspect, owing to the greatly increased efficiency that

results from a well contented and physically fit force of employees.

Expenditures for the welfare of employees, that they may be the

better able to work, are now so well recognized as necessary operating

costs of any up-to-date plant that there is no longer any question

in the business world as to the propriety of including such items as an essential part of the cost of operation.

Unfortunately, the Government Printing Office has lagged far

behind other industrial plants, and even other Government establishments, in this regard. A failure to keep the Government Printing

Office at least abreast of other establishments has had a most depressing effect on the employees, with, of course, a resultant decrease

in their efficiency. The plant was found to be sadly in need of some

stimulating and wholesome influence to bring it up to par as to production. Already the mere prospect of better conditions, as in- dicated by the work in progress for their welfare,- has had a marked

effect on the morale of the employees, who now have visible evidence

that the Government is interested in keeping them mentally and

physically fit not only for efficient work but also for good citizenship. I am confident, therefore, that even from a dollars-and-cents

viewpoint the Government will be fully reimbursed for the ex- penditure through the increased and better production of more con- tented employees.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 7

The fact is, this alteration to the building, including all expenditures

for the cafeteria and other plant comforts, will not take a single extra dollar from the taxpayers of the country. The entire undertaking has been paid for from profits that would otherwise have gone

into the pockets of paper and other contractors, if the precedents of

this office had been followed in an org}^ of purchases regardless of

prices with an unexpended balance of more than $2,400,000 available for that purpose.

The market or contract price for most of the materials and equipment which this office has had to purchase since July 1 has dropped

from 20 to 50 per cent, so that by refusing to stock up or buy unnecessary quantities prior to July 1 the Government Printing Office Has made a net saving of at least 20 per cent of the $2,400,000 un- expended balance. In other words, nearly $500,000 of this sum, if

it had been expended for paper and other material at the prices

prevailing prior to July 1, would have been of no benefit whatever

to the Government, as it has been possible to purchase the same amount of material since July 1 for a correspondingly less sum.

Accordingly, I believe I am fully warranted in asserting that the

entire eighth-floor improvement is, in effect, an involuntary contribution from the jobbers and manufacturers with whom this office has to deal rather than an expenditure of Government funds. I hope, therefore, that the use made of part of the money that heretofore would have gone to swell the excess profits of certain Goviernment contractors will meet with the approval of the employees and

the public in whom I am much more interested.

SAVINGS IN PURCHASE OF PArER FOR PRINTING.

In deciding not to stock up on paper and other materials at the

then prevailing high price the policies so well established by the

Joint Committee on Printing were followed. It is but fair to that

committee to record publicly the fact that its supervision over the

purchase of paper for the public printing and binding has saved

the Government more than $1,000,000 in the last year, notwithstanding the effort made by certain former officials to circumvent the

committee in its restriction on the procurement of paper at high

prices.

When the Joint Committee on Printing opened bids on January

31, 1921, for the annual supply of paper, it concluded that the prices

quoted were too high and rejected all of the proposals. The second

opening of bids was made on February 21, just three weeks later. The bids then submitted for the year's supply of paper were exactly

$684,638.25 less than the prices quoted January 31 on approximately

$4,500,000 worth of paper. In . view of the declining market, the
8 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

committee decided to award contracts, even at the loAver bids, for

only three months. This made a net saving of $171,159.56 for the

three months period up to June 1, 1921, based on the estimated

quantity required.

The continued decline in the price of paper, which has been from

25 to 50 per cent—in some cases even more—since the bids submitted on January 31 for the year beginning March 1, 1921, still further

demonstrates the wisdom of the committee in rejecting those proposals, which, if they had been accepted for annual contracts at that

time, would have cost the Government fully $1,000,000 more for

paper during the year than it has cost under the present plan of

short-term and open-market purchases depending on market conditions. For this reason I am glad to have the advice and good judgment of such men as always have constituted the Joint Committee on

Printing, and I can unhesitatingly say that in all my long association with that committee it has never failed to place the interests

of the Government Printing Office as a business establishment above

every personal and political consideration.

Notwithstanding these slashing retrenchments, the stock of the

Government Printing Office is ample for present requirements. In

view of the slump in the paper market and the advantage which was taken by the Government of the lower prices, I am of the

opinion that this office would be fully justified in asking Congress

for an additional appropriation to buy paper and other materials

for the present year if current funds prove insufficient to replenish the

stock, which was, of course, somewhat reduced by the refusal to buy at exorbitant prices. However, it is not now anticipated that

such a course will be necessar}^, especially in view of the prospective

decrease in the volume of printing.

APPROPRIATIONS AND EXPENDITURES.

Appropriations for the Government Printing Office for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1921, including deficiencies, were $8,095,100.52, a decrease of $1,123,729.04 from comparative figures of the previous

fiscal year. Of the appropriations, $7,657,207.32 was available for

the public printing and binding as ordered by Congress and the

various executive departments and independent establishments of

the Government. The remainder, $437,893.20, was for the operation of the distribution, sales, and cataloguing division under the

Superintendent of Documents.

Resources derived from repay printing, paid for by the executive

departments and independent establishments from funds other than

their regular printing allotments, totaled $5,892,787.51, in addition

to the direct appropriation, an increase of $1,234,762.81 in repay

work over the previous year. This increase was 26.5 per cent, as
AI^i^UAL EEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 9

compared with a decrease of 9.93 per cent for 1920 when compared

with the fiscal year 1919.

The large increase in the amount of repay printing done by the

Government Printing Office during the last two years is due principally to the provision of law enacted by Congress on recommendation of the Joint Coromittee on Printing as section 11 of Public Act

314, Sixty-fifth Congress, which requires that

On and after July 1, 1919, all printing, binding, and blank-book work for Congress, the Executive Office, the judiciary, and every executive department,

independent office, and establishment of the Government, shall be done at the Government Printing Office, except such classes of work as shall be deemed by

the Joint Committee on Printing to be urgent or necessary to have done else- where than in the District of Columbia for the exclusive use of any field service outside of said District. Much of the repay work now done by the Government Printing

Office was, prior to the enactment of the above law, executed by the

various field printing plants of the Government or else procured by

contract from commercial printers in various parts of the country.

The combined resources from direct appropriations and repays for

1921, including $166,702.70, also made available for 1922, and not in- cluding the bonus compensation, totaled $13,987,888.08.

Disbursements and outstanding obligations chargeable against this

amount were $11,522,011.14, leaving an unexpended balance, as has

been stated, of approximately $2,465,846.87, compared with an • unexpended balance of $262,137.20 for the previous year. This

unexpended balance consists of the following items : Salaries, office of the Public Printer, $15,352.23; holidays, $9,401.83; leaves of

absence, $12,779.98; salaries, office of the Superintendent of Documents, $16,945.84; general expenses. Superintendent of Documents,

$10,017.10; printing and binding, $2,401,349.89.

The total expenditures for maintenance, operation, and general

items of the Government Printing Office, not including the expenditures of the Superintendent of Documents, were $11,111,110.88, as compared with $13,223,709.38 for the previous year, a net decrease

of $2,112,598.50. The expenditures of the Superintendent of Documents were $410,930.26, as compared with $391,007.68 for the previous year. Increased compensation of employees due to the $240 annual bonus was $1,036,619.64, as compared with $1,146,130.39 for 1920. This

amount is not included in the foregoing totals for disbursements and

expenditures, as it is chargeable to an appropriation separate from

that for printing and binding, over which this office has no control.

Of the net decrease of expenditures for the year, totaling $2,112,>

598.50, the sum of $639,896.22 stands to the credit of the nine months

that my predecessor had charge of the office—an average per quarter

7680.3—21 2
m ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

saving of $213,298.74. For the last quarter of the fiscal year under

my direction there was a reduction in expenditures of $1,472,702.28, or more than double the decrease made in the preceding nine months.

It may not be amiss to state here that it is intended to continue the

economies begun during the fiscal year 1921 without abatement or

deviation. As evidence of this, I take the liberty of overstepping

the ordinary limits of this report to note that there has already been

a net decrease in the expenditures for the first five months of the

fiscal year beginning July 1, as compared with the same period last year, of $1,291,171.84, all of which, except $87,194.54 in wages and

leaves of absence, was saved on purchases alone.

UNEXPENDED BALANCEa OF ALLOTMENTS.

The unexpended balances of printing allotments to Congress and

the executive departments and independent establishments for the

year ended June 30, 1921, totaled $672,496.06, of which $168,326.10

remains unexpended out of the allotment of $2,100,000 to Congress.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1920, the unexpended balances of

printing allotments to the executive departments and independent

establishments totaled $660,037.63, while the expenditures by Congress in that year exceeded its allotment b}^ $566,357.54, leaving a net unexpended balance of allotments for the fiscal year 1920 of

. $93,680.09. For the fiscal jeav ended June 30, 1919, the unexpended

balances of allotments, including $179,122.96 to Congress, amounted

to $930,028.32. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 1918, the unex- pended balances of allotments, including $406,622.38 to Congress,

totaled $967,108.93.

These large unexpended balances of allotments are not available

in the succeeding fiscal year for completion of work which the Public

Printer may have on hand at the close of the preceding year. The

allotment is therefore lost so far as the allottee is concerned, even

thougli he may have placed requisitions with the Public Printer during the year to the full amount of his allotment. The appropriation

out of which allotments are made reverts to the Treasury unless the

Public Printer shall have expended the full amount for paper, equipment, and other supplies.

The result is that Congress is called upon each year to reappropriate from $600,000 to $900,000 for printing which the departments

had undertaken to procure from allotments of the prior year but

which the Public Printer was unable to complete by the close of the

fiscal year so as to charge out the entire allotments. Of course it is mechanically impossible to finish every one of the thousands of jobs

in the office by the end of each fiscal year. The Public Printer charges the departments for the work in

hand on June 30 of each year according to the operations that have
AXXr.4JL EEPOET OF THE PrBLIC PEIXTEE. 11

already been completed and the material used up to that time. Consequently, as has been pointed out. Congress and the departments

are annually tmable to take full advantage of the allotments that

have been made to them by la^ out of the appropriation for printing

and binding. Sufficient fimds to complete the work in hand have

to be reappropriated therefor, in addition to whatever siun may be

required for new work the coming year. This is an illogical and

imbtisinesslike situation which costs many thousands of dollars an- nually in duplication of accoimts and appropriations which could

be avoided.

rSE OF ALLOTMZXTS AXD '* REPAY " FIIXDS. As a practical solution, it is respectfully recommended that legislation be enacted permitting the use of printing allotments in the same manner that obtains as to other appropriations out of which the departments secure " repay " printing from the Government Printing

Office. To explain, if a department has a separate appropriation

available for printing, it may make payment therefor out of such

aiDpropriation if the order is placed with the Public Printer during

the year of the appropriation, notwithstanding the fact that the

entire work may be done in the succeeding year. I can see no reason why this same procedure ought not to be followed as to printing

paid for out of an allotment of the approj^riation in the hands of

the Public Printer.

If this office were authorized In' law to use the appropriation for

printing and binding to the extent of the respective allotments on

requisitions placed dttring the fi-cal year of the appropriation,

although the work, or at least part of it. may be done in the succeeding fiscal year, it would enable the departments to make full use

01 their allotments the >ame as they are now permitted to do of such

printing funds as may be appropriated directly to them. This, in

my opinion, would be a businesslike procedure and could not result in any misuse or extravagance in allotment printing.

As has been indicated already by the references to repay " and

" allotment '* work, the departments have two funds upon which

they may draw to obtain printing and binding. If one fund is ex- hausted or has been curtailed by Congress, then recourse is usually

had to the other. Thus the restriction that Congress may place

upon the amount of j^rinting a department can order through its al- lotment is of little avail in the case of those departments and establishments that have large lump sums at their command accessible for

printing. Evidence of this situation is shown by the fact that while

the allotted appropriation for printing and binding was decreased

by Congress $1,123,729.04 for the fiscal year 1921 the repay printing

charged to lump-sum appropriations increased $1,231,762.81 over the
12 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

preceding year. Although Congress may have thought that it was

cutting down expenditures for printing for the year by more than

$1,000,000, the departments simply transferred more than that

amount of work to their lump-sum appropriations, over which the

Public Printer has no control whatever, and thus set at naught any

reduction which Congress may have contemplated in the total volume

of printing and binding for the year. As long as this system of providing two drains on the public

Treasury through which printing may be procured is permitted ta

continue there can be no real or substantial economy in Government expenditures for that purpose. For instance, it is almost useless for Congress to limit the printing allotment to one department

(an actual case) to $665,000 and then make it possible for the same

department to obtain $1,469,696.53 more for printing out of a separate lump-sum appropriation.

A Government establishment like the Federal Board for Vocational Education, having a lump-sum appropriation of $65,000,000

out of which Congress has specifically authorized payments may be

made for printing, can use as little or as much of such an immense

fund as the board deems desirable for that purpose. In fact, this

particular board expended $123,616.47 for printing at the Government Printing Office last year. Of this I have no criticism to offer whatever, as the printing may have been necessary for the proper

functioning of the board. It is, however, most unbusinesslike to per- mit a 'department or establishment of the Government to have a fund of $65,000,000 or any other lump sum which may be used for

printing to such an extent as the department alone shall elect. That the Government Printing Office has not been overwhelmed

with orders for printing far in excess of its capacity is due to the

voluntary restraint that some departments and establishments have

themselves placed upon the use of numerous lump-sum appropriations. But it is significant that " repay " printing has increased

from $824,846.01 to $5,782,135.05 per annum in the last five years, a jump of nearly a million dollars a year. The time has come, it seems

to me, for Congress to exercise some definite control over the vast volume of repay printing, which is fast approaching the amount of

allotment printing specifically authorized by Congress. Last year the

allotment printing totaled $6,978,977.49, as compared with repay

printing amounting to $5,782,135.05.

RESTRICTIONS ON " REPAY " PRINTING.

It was the practice of the departments and the Government Printing Office for many years to regard repay printing as free from all restrictions placed upon the public printing and binding by Congress
ANNUAL KEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 13

in the general printing act of 1895 and similar laws. For instance,

the act of 1895 limited the number of copies of a Government publication to 1,000 unless otherwise authorized by Congress, but this

limitation was interpreted to apply only to allotment printing and'

not to repay work. Thus, if a department desired to print 100,000

copies of a publication instead of 1,000 and had a convenient lumpsum appropriation on hand, the 100,000 copies were charged to a

repay" account instead of the regular printing allotment. This

practice and similar evasions of the law were considerably checked by

a regulation which the Joint Committee on Printing issued on June

2, 1920, directing the Public Printer to

comply with all the laws relating to the public printing and binding and the

regulations of this committee pursuant thereto in the execution of work at the Government Printing Office for any branch of the Government service, whether

such printing and binding is chargeable to allotments of appropriations made

directly to the Government Printing Office or is paid for from available appropriations- made direct to the respective departments and establishments of the Government or from any other public funds of such department or establish- ment. This regulation, however, does not control the even more serious

situation over which neither the Joint Committee on Printing nor

the Public Printer appear to have any jurisdiction at present, and

that is the juggling of printing expenditures back and forth between the regular allotments and lump-sum appropriations. The

result is that this office can form no adequate idea in advance as to the

amount of work it will be required to do in any given period. We

do not know and can not estimate on any safe basis whether the

departments and establishments will place orders for $1,000,000 or

$5,000,000 of repay work the coming year. Such an uncertain sit- uation renders it impossible to make proper preparation, either as

to number of employees or quantity of stock, for producing the

amount of work the office may be required to undertake in any year

that lump-sum appropriations are available for printing.

This office can not, like a commercial plant, decline orders when

its normal capacity is reached, but must maintain at all times a force

and a stock sufficient to meet the maximum demands of Congress

and the departments within the limitation only of their appropriations. With no accurate knowledge as to the extent to which vast lump-sum appropriations will be used for printing, the Public

Printer can only make a wild guess as to how much printing one

establishment may order out of its $65,000,000 fund or how much

another establishment may require out of its $7,500,000 appropriation for the " enforcement of the narcotic and national prohibition

acts." The present Public Printer has no desire to engage in any

such an exciting " indoor sport " with the taxpayers' money as the big

stake.
14 AlsTNUAL KEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

ONE FUND INSTEAD OF TWO FOR PRINTING.

Two possible solutions have been suggested to remedy this inde-

•fensible situation which has kept the doors wide open for gross

extravagances in the public printing. Both plans contemplate the

placing of all printing funds for a department or establishment in one appropriation, with a limitation as to the amount that may be

used for that purpose. One proposition is that the appropriation

shall be made direct to the department or establishment, and the

other is that the appropriation shall be made to the Government

Printing Office and allotted by Congress to the various departments

and establishments, as is now done in the case of the regular printing

allotments.

The former plan would also require an annual appropriation to the Government Printing Office for a working capital, as otherwise

this office would have no funds available for stock and wages to begin

and carry on work ordered by the departments until enough jobs

might be completed and charged against them to provide sufficient capital. This, of course, could not be done for several months at the

beginning of each year, and it would be necessary, therefore, to have

a direct appropriation for this office to meet such an exigency.

Such situation might also be met by Congress making the appropriation for its own printing direct to the Government Printing

Office and permitting such fund to be used by the Public Printer as a temporary working capital until sufficient funds were realized by

the completion of departmental work. This, however, would be a rather uncertain capital for the Public Printer to rely upon, as Congress sometimes creates a large deficit in its own printing allotment,

which the Public Printer has been accustomed to charge off against

the unused allotments, if any, credited to the departments. For

example, in the fiscal year 1920 Congress exceeded its printing allot- ment by $566,357.54, and, except for the fact that the departments

had unexpended balances of $660,037.63 in their allotments against

which the Public Printer charged the congressional deficit, the Government Printing Office would have had to request a deficienc}^ appropriation of Congress for its own printing. Even by thus charging

off the congressional deficiency the Government Printing Office was

able in that year to show a net unexpended balance of $93,680.09 out

of the entire appropriation. Of course printing must be done for

Congress regardless of the amount it may allot to itself for that purpose, and this very uncertainty as to the printing expenditure of

Congress makes the use of the congressional allotment as a working

capital impracticable from a safe business viewpoint.

Another course open, if all printing appropriations were made

direct to the departments, would be to enact into permanent law
AK'I^'UAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 15

the provision in the siindry civil appropriation act for 1922 authorizing the Public Printer to request an advance of 90 per cent of the

estimated cost of the work at the time any repay order is placed

with him. While this provision is of some help to the Government

Printing Office, in special cases where it is likely that a department

may exhaust its appropriation for other purposes before making

payment for printing by this office, it would not be at all practicable,

in my opinion, to adopt such piecemeal procedure for the handling

of more than $13,000,000 annually expended in printing and binding. It would require the time of a large number of accountants,

both in this office and in the Treasury Department, to handle the

readjustments that would have to be made constantly in the thousands of bills on which an advance of 90 per cent of the estimated

charges might be required.

For instance, a department might send in a large job, the cost of

which would be estimated at $10,000, based on specifications made at the tim.e. If a 90 per cent of advance charge is made, the Treasury

would turn over to the credit of the Government Printing Office $9,000

of the funds appropriated to the department ordering the work. Subsequently the department may, as is frequently the case, select cheaper

paper or decrease the number of copies so as to reduce the cost of the

job to $5,000. This would necessitate a refund to the department of

$4,000 from the advanced 90 per cent charge of $9,000. Anyone who

has been tied up for weeks and even months in the almost endless red

tape which the Government winds about such transactions will readily

realize the almost impossible situation that would result from having

to untangle several thousand such accounts every year. APPROPRIATIOXS DIRECT TO GO^^RNMENT PRINTIXG OFFICE.

It is the opinion of this office, therefore, that the only real and

practical solution lies in the making of all appropriations for printing and binding direct to the Government Printing Office and allot- ments therefrom by Congress of such sums as it may allow the re- spective departments and establishments of the Governm.ent. This

would be a more simple and businesslike method for handling the

appropriations for printing and binding by the Government Printing Office. It would also give the Public Printer an adequate working capital each year and an accurate and most essential knowledge

of the amount of work the Government Printing Office may be called

upon to do during the year. Congress and the departments would

likewise have exact knowledge at all times as to the funds available

and expended for their respective printing requirements.

In this connection attention is respectfully invited to the following recommendation which the Public Printer submitted to the
16 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Director of the Bureau of the Budget for his consideration in preparing the budget of the fiscal year 1922

That hereafter at least 15 days before the Public Printer is required to submit his annual estimate for expenditures for the public printing and bind- ing all departments, independent offices, and establishments of the Government

shall forward to the Director of the Budget an estimate covering all printing

and bind ng which shall be required during the fiscal year in question, whether

it shall be ordered from the Public Printer or from commercial establishments

under authority of the Joint Committee on Printing, and whether such printing

and binding has been heretofore paid for out of an appropriation under control of the departments, independent offices, and establishments of the Government,

or has been charged to an allotment of the printing and binding appropriation.

After being approved by the Director of the Budget they shall be transmitted

to the Public Printer, who will then prepare his annual estimate of expenditures. If this estimate is approved, the total sum shall be requested in an

appropriation under printing and b'nding and allotted to the various departments, independent offices, and establishments of the Government. No printing

and binding shall be done for departments, independent offices, and establish- ments of the Government, whether by the Public Printer or by commercial

establishments under authority of the Joint Committee on Printing, unless it is authorized as a charge against the allotments as set forth in the appropriation

act. Such printing and binding as may be done by commercial establishments

under authority of the Joint Committee on Printing shall be paid for by the Public Printer out of the appropriation for public pr'nting and binding, after an

audit and approved by him, and shall then be charged aga nst the allotment in question. Provided, that nothing in these suggestions shall be construed as inter- fering in any way with the work of such minor printing plants as are authorized

by the Joint Committee on Printing.

By placing the entire appropriation for printing and binding to the credit of the Government Printing Office prompt payment for

such work would be insured. For j^ears it has required much of the

time of accountants in this office to collect repay bills, even from

those departments which had plenty of funds available to make

prompt and full settlement. There seems to have been a general

tendency to pay the printer last and let him hold the sack if a defi- ciency is in prospect.

Upon assuming the duties of Public Printer, on April 5, the out- standing bills which the various departments and establishments

owed this office for printing during the preceding months of the fiscal year amounted to $609,499.22. Of this sum, $89,813.84 was for work

completed more than a month prior and $20,670.88 dated back to the

first quarter of the year. Such dilatoriness in the settlement of

accounts by one Government department with another is utterly

inexcusable, and directions w-ere given that every effort be exerted to obtain payment forthwith of all bills outstanding for more than a month. Instructions were issued also that thereafter no printing

would be done for any department or establishment which was more

than 20 days in arrears on any of its repay accounts. This has had
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 17

a fairly satisfactory effect. At the end of the fiscal year out of $423,-

310.83 of repay bills then uncollected only $19,722.84: was due on

bills more than 30 days old. Unusual activity was apparent in June

in the repay settlements.

An investigation of the $609,499:22 of bills unpaid on April 5 in- dicated that some of the Government establishments for which this

work was done had little or no funds available from which to make

settlement. Instructions were issued, therefore, that no department

or establishment having allotments from the appropriations under

the control of the Public Printer should be allowed at any time to exceed such allotted resources and that work upon repay orders must

not be executed until ascertainment was made that the department

or establishment had sufficient funds therefor to its credit upon the

books of the Treasury. Since that time, when any question has arisen

as to whether a department or establishment has funds available for

repay printing, it has been required to make an advance of 90 per

cent of the estimated cost, as authorized by the sundry civil appropriation act. APPROPRIATIONS FOR HOLIDAYS AND LEA^T:S OF ABSENCE.

Tliere is another, though lesser, difficult}^ in the present method of

making appropriations for the GoA^rnment Printing Office that

somewhat and unnecessarily handicaps this office in its fiscal affairs. That is in the separation of the appropriations for holidays and

leaves of absence from the regular appropriation for wages, material,

equipment, and other expenses chargeable to the public printing

and binding. Both holidays and leaves of absence are fixed by law

and the Public Printer has no discretion as to payment for the same. Consequently there is no particular reason for limiting such

expenditures by specific appropriations any more than there would

be to make a separate appropriation for wages alone, which also are

fixed largely b}^ law. The result of these separate appropriations

for holidays and leaves of absence is that the Public Printer has fre- quently to ask Congress for what appears to be a deficiency appropriation, whereas, in fact, no actual deficiency exists in the funds of

this office. Whenever payment is made out of the holidays or leaves

of absence appropriations the expenditure for wages out of the general appropriation is correspondingly reduced.

For example, when the President, by Executive order, closed the

office on May 21 as a mark of respect to the late Chief Justice White,

payment of the wages of the 4,000 employees who consequently did

not work on that day had to be made from the specific appropriation

for holidays. This appropriation, however, was practically exhausted

7680.3—21—.3
18 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

at that time, having been based upon the usual number of holidays,

and it was necessary to obtain a deficiency appropriation from Congress by the act of June 16, 1921, amounting to $16,383.63, to meet

this emergency. At the same time, nevertheless, more than $2,400,000

remained unexpended in the general printing appropriation which

woukLhave been available for wages had the day in question not

been declared a legal holiday. Thus the Public Printer had to put

$16,383.63 back into the Treasury with one hand and take an equal

amount out witli the other, through the fiction of a deficienc}^ appropriation, notwithstanding the fact that the sum total of the trans- action did not increase or decrease the Treasury funds by a single

penny.

Likewise, in the case of leaves of absence, it is impossible to esti- mate within a reasonable degree of accuracy the amount of leave the

employees of this office may earn under the hiAV in one year to be

paid to them in the next year. This is due to the uncertainty of the

size of the force from year to year and the reductions that may occur from death, resignation, retirement, or dismissal, in event of either of

which leave money accrued to an employee's credit becomes payable at once. For instance, a reduction in the force miglit occasion a decrease

of $300,000 a year in the amount of Avages paid out of the general appropriation, but at the same time, under the present system, payment

of accrued leave to the employees so discharged might create a deficiency of $50,000 in the specific appropriation for leaves of absence.

Accordingly, the Public Printer would have to ask Congress for a

defi.ciency appropriation of $50,000 to take care of the leave pay while

at the same time he was saving $300,000 in wages paid from the general appropriation for the Government Printing Office. Such procedure is a waste of the time of Congress, the Treasury,

and this office. It could easily be remedied, without in any way

jeopardizing the interests of the Government, by authorizing the

Public Printer to pay for holidays and leaves of absence out of the

general appropriation for printing and binding the same as he

now does for wages. If these appropriations were consolidated into

one, as has been suggested, there would appear to be no need on the

part of this office to ask Congress for further deficiencies provided

both Congress and the departments keep within their respective allot- ments.

Furthermore, it is estimated that a single appropriation would

simplify the auditing of accounts so as to effect a saving of fully

$5,000 a year in clerical work noAV required to keep separate these

items on our office pa}^ rolls. I therefore most earnestly recommend that the separate appropriations heretofore made for holidays and leaves of absence be included

in the general appropriation for the public printing and binding.
AXJs^UAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 19

It will be observed that these appropriations are already included by

Congress in the total of allotments to Congress and the various departments and establishments as appropriated for under the general

heading public printing and binding."

PAY FOR PRIXTTXG OF PRIVATE ORDERS.

Still another handicap under which the Government Printing

Office is placed by law as to its funds is the requirement that money

derived from the printing of speeches for Members of Congress

under section 37 of the printing act of 1895, and from other private

orders under section 42 of the same act, has to be deposited in the

Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts instead of beingmade available the same as other repay funds to reimburse the general printing appropriation for the wages and materials required by

the Avork so done. This private printing costs from $75,000 to $161,000 a year and. although the Government is fully reimbursed

therefor, the Public Printer has to procure an equivalent amount

through increased charges against Congress and the departments to compensate the office for expenditure out of the general printing

fund for the wages and materials necessarj^ to fill tlie private orders

as authorized by laAv. The Government, of course, is no loser from the work, as its miscellaneous receipts are credited with the amount that such printingcosts the Government Printing Office, but the Public Printer has to charge the expenses he has incurred in doing this private work to the

general printing appropriation allotted to Congress and the depart- ments. This the Public Printer can do only by increasing the scale of charges for the departments sufficient to meet thus indirectly such

expenditures.

That the burden so placed on the departments is no inconsiderable one is shown by the fact that for the last ten years private orders, in- chiding the printing of speeches for Members of Congress, have

amounted to $946,807.09, all of which sum has been deposited in the

Treasury as miscellaneous receipts instead of having been used, as it ought to have been, to reimburse the printing appropriation. The

adding of nearly $1,000,000 in ten years to the charges for Government printing is no small item in considering the reasons for the

scale of prices that the Public Printer has to apply so as to insure

that '* the total charges for work done shall not be less than the total

amount actually expended from all of said appropriations," as re- quired by the annual sundry civil appropriation acts. In the case of

all other repay printing—that is, printing paid for from funds other

than the regular printing allotments—the money so received is used to reimburse this office for expenses incurred in connection with, the
20 Als^NUAL EEPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

work. This is true, also, as to the sale printing of the Congressional

Record and Directory and publications reprinted for sale by the

Superintendent of Documents.

I therefore recommend that the law be amended so that the receipts

from private orders shall go to reimburse the general printing

appropriation for the expenses of such work. It is unfair and unjust

to the departments to continue the present practice of indirectly

charging them with the cost of wages and materials for private work

Avhen at the same time the Treasury is fully reimbursed therefor by

the depositing of these private payments to the credit of miscellaneous receipts. There is no need for and there should be no dis- tinction in the use of repay funds, whether received from private

orders or from orders by the departments.

COOPERATION WITH THE BUREAU OF THE BUDGET.

In preparation for the fullest cooperation with the newly creat{Ml

Bureau of the Budget, the Public Printer ordered a consolidation of

the accountant's and cost accounting sections into one division, of

accounts under an officer designated as superintendent of accounts. To concentrate and simplify further the accounting work of the

office, the superintendent of accounts was also designated as the

budget officer for the Government Printing Office. This consolidation under one head definitely fixed the responsibility for the extensive accounting Avork which the Government Printing Office has to do in the handling of more than 65.000 accounts every year, besides

maintaining an accurate cost system, innumerable financial reports,

and complete records of the work and pay of 4,500 employees.

The centralized control over all the accounting activities of the

office effected an annual saving of approximate!}^ $5,550 in that work.

The chief benefit, however, was in providing means for more complete and more efficient cooperation with the Bureau of the Budget.

Although the Bureau of the Budget did not begin to function fully

in the fiscal year covered by this report, I can not let this occasion

pass without expressing my sincere appreciation of the very helpful

and considerate attitude that bureau has assumed toward the Government Printing Office. Gen. Charles G. DaAves, Director of the

Budget, early manifested deep interest in the public printing by

giving hearty approval to a plan which the Public Printer had the

honor of submitting to the President for the organization of a ])ermanent conference on printing, consisting of one representative from

each executive department and establishment of the Government

having work done by this office. The permanent conference on printing was organized with a selection of the Public Printer as its chair- man. .Vlready numerous substantial economies in the public printing
ANXUAL REPOKT OF THE PUBLIC PEINTEPv. 21

and bindino' have been proposed by the conference, approved either

by the Bureau of the Budget or the Joint Committee on Printing,

and put into good effect. The Public Printer is also much indebted to Mr. A. R. Barnes, head

of one of the foremost printing companies in Chicago, for his good

counsel and helpful study of the workings of the Government Printing Office. Mr. Barnes was a special representative of the Bureau of

the Budget in connection with its survey of the printing activities of the Government. Pie likewise rendered distinguished service as an advisor to the permanent conference on printings which gained

much from association with a man of Mr. Barnes's sound business

judgment and fine patriotic purpose in thus 'responding to the call of his Government.

In connection with the organization of the permanent conference on printing there was also created in this office, with the approval of

the President and the Bureau of the Budget, a requisitions review

board, which examines all requisitions for printing and binding with

a view to effecting further economies and standardizing, as far as practicable, such printed matter as may be in common use by the

several departments and establishments of the Government. Already

weekly reports of this board show a saving of from a few hundred

to several thousand dollars each week since the board was organized.

The Public Printer has little or no control over the amount of

printing and binding done b}^ the Government Printing Office, inasmuch as the volume of work depends entirel}^ upon orders placed

by Congress and the various departments and independent establishments of the Government. These orders must, however, come within

the limits of the appropriations annually made by Congress for

printing and binding. Therefore, the production of this office is regulated by the amount of money Congress authorizes to be so spent

by the departments. In other words, reduced appropriations mean

reduced printing ; and increased appropriations, an increased volume

of printing. The Public Printer's principal opportunity^ for econ- omy is in the m^ethod of executing work ordered by others. This in

itself affords a broad field for reducing expenditures which I intend

to explore to the utmost, but the point should always be borne in

mind that the amount of printing and the kind and number of publications issued by the Government are matters for which the departments themselves are solel}^ responsible in so far as Congress appropriates funds therefor.

rKODX'CTIOX RECORD FOR THE YEAR. The value of the finished product for the year Avas $12,876,362.86, an increase of $286,791.09 over the output for the preceding *year.

This establishes a new record for the plant, the former peak being
22 AN^^l\4L REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

$12,774,712.84: for the fiscal year 1919, which included a vast amount

of Avar work. The actual volume of work produced during the fiscal year 1921 was somewhat less than the previous year. The charges were 2 per cent higher, however, due to increased cost of paper,

materials, and illustrations, Avhich explains the higher value and

lower volume of the finished product for 1921.

The following comparative statement shows the charges, based

upon cost, for finished product for the fiscal years 1919. 1920, and 1921

1919

Letterheads, noteheads, an/1 envelopes ?317, 447. 86 Embossed letterheads, notehcads, em elopos 14, 403. To Blanks, notices, schedules, cards, etc 4, OOs, i>01. IS Blank books with patent backs, etc 49.31S.s;i Blank l)ooks wilhout patent Imcks 545, 547. 10

Bindin',' newspapers, documents, reports, etc 158, 990. 13 Locse-leaf and other patent binders, etc. 3, 811 . 83 Publications smaller than octavo ^ 511, fiW). 40 Octavo publications 3, 2m, 957. 32 Royal octavo pulilications 456, onn. 13 Quarto pubhc^ticiis ; 1. 398, ."i3y. .is Miscellaneous pul)Iications : ' 246, 367. 31 General miscell Mieous charges 447, 542. 03 Congressional Record for the yc ir 537, 640. 25

Bills, resclutions, and amendments 1S6, 159. 18 Specifications of patents, trade-marks . el c 384, (\31 . 12

Official Gazette, Patent Office j 132, 187. 14 Money-order office forms and l)ooks

j 106, 901 . 40 TotU 12,774,712.34

1920

$388, 143. 64 14,606.61 3,301,962.41 40,883.48

515, 045. 42 237,884.17

7,172.55

338, 775. 05

3, 815, 240. 68 504,993.48

7S9.974.31 328,132.57 501.887.86

893,218.52

198,317.43

399, 745. 89 134.513.99

179,073.73

12,589.571.

1921

$317,

16;

4, 289.

55, 776, 231,

4, 308,

3, 248,

417,

705, 400,

449, 500,

177, 451,

173, 352,

196. 70

490. 99 615.16

4.57.94 366.22

2.57.36 533.32

088. 55

062. 43 583.99

786. 14 637.02

985. 39 159.45

736. 94

709. 50

162. 72 533.04

12, 876, 362. S6

Congress was in session about six months in the fiscal year 1921, as compared with an eleven-month period in 1920, the charges for con- gressional work decreasing $1,029,154.56; 1,510 less bills and resolutions were printed for Congress, and there was a decrease of 9,127

pages in the Congressional Record and Index. Xumerous reports

and documents formerly printed by order of Congress were not ])ublished during 1921, OAving to the careful scrutiny b}^ the PrintingCommittees and Clerks of both Houses of Congress of all manuscripts

submitted to them. Especial credit in this regard should be given to Mr. Lehr Fess. clerk at the Speaker's table, through Avhose watchfulness and good judgment in cutting out unnecessary printing orders

by tlie House many thousands of dollars Avere saAxnl. The number of orders for printing received during the year Avas 56,521, a decrease of 7.919 from the preceding year. The quantities

ordered Avere also usually smaller.

The volume of job Avork Avas considerably smaller, the total number of orders being 37,178, as compared Avith 41,543 in 1920. The

force of compositors engaged on this AVork has been reduced accordingly and the Avork handled efficiently.

Book composition decreased, the number of ems set being 472,000,000

less tlian in 1920. There Avas an aA erage of 141 less employees on this
AXXUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PPJXTEE. 23

AYork. with decreases of 13 per cent in expense and 124^ per cent in

product. Some publications have been recUiced in size, and a number

discontinued.

The quantity of electrotYpin<r and stereotypino- was decreased 24: per cent and expenditures correspondin<>-ly reduced. Considerable

^York formerly plated is now ])rinted from type. The saving in the

future will be considerable, not only for this reason but also through

decided improvements in the method of producing and finishingphi tes. The number of forms sent to press was 107,635. as against 201.480

in 1920. The number of actual impressions was 539.006.372. a de- crease of about 168,000.000 (24 per cent), while the chargeable impressions decreased but 11 per cent. A special study is now beingmade toward economical combinations in pressvrork. whicli is ex- pected to result in a worth-while saving. Several web presses were

remodeled so as to make tliem available for a greater variety of work;

the changes were made economically and successfully, thus rendering

the e(|uipment more flexible. Tlie number of employees workingdaily in the pressroom decreased 119. The production of postal cards increased from 699,300,420 in 1920

to 1,272.345.782 in 1921. The charge per 1.000 cards was reduced

from $1 to SO. 64 in May. based upon lower cost of production. The

output of ihoney-order books increased from 773.930 in 1920 to

85<S.5H3 in 1921. Stock for postal cards and money-order work cost $1,038,214.31.

The output of the bindery division decreased considerably, especially in edition work. Orders were usually smaller and the bindings

furnished much more economical. The average number of bindery

employees working each day was 188 less than in the previous year. Current publications })rinted during practically the entire year were as follows: Dailies. 4: weeklies. 20: and monthlies. 29. in addition to the regular (luarterly. semiannual, and yearly reports. The

number of copies on these publications varied from 75 to 235,000,

PRINTIXG OF THE OFFICIAL POSTAL OUIDf].

For the first time the Government Printing Office printed the

Official Postal -Guide this year. Avith supplements issued by the Post

Office Department, and undoubtedly Avill continue to handle this big

and important job in the future. The Postal Guide had for many

years been published by a private printing company at Albany, X. Y.,

but on April 11. 1921, the Joint Committee on Printing authorized

the Public Printer to undertake the printing of the Guide, beginning

with the edition for the next fiscal year. Preparations were begun
24 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

at once, two presses were altered to meet the situation, and the work

was completed in record time.

Although the first installment of manuscript was not received by

this office until May 3, and corrections were made up to July 1, a

finished copy of the bound edition was placed in the hands of the

Postmaster General on July 9, fully two weeks ahead of the schedule

agreed upon Avith the Post Office Department. The entire edition of

91,711 copies of the complete Guide making 928 pages, 12,000 copies

of the Abridged Edition of 628 pages, and 49,000 copies of the State

List of 422 pages was run off and ready for distribution early in

July. In addition, this office now prints on schedule time 73,523

copies of the monthly supplement to the Postal Guide, averaging 48

pages per issue. The printing of the Guide was expedited materially

by reducing its size to the standard of otliei- Government publications.

The general public has been especially benefited by the printing of

the Guide at the Government Printing Office through a reduction in

the subscription price for the bound volume from $1.50 to $1 and

for the monthly supplements (11 pamphlets) from 75 cents to 50

cents. On receiving the first copy of the Postal Guide from the Government Printing Office on July 9, the Postmaster General wrote the

I^iblic Printer as follows : " I appreciate this thoroughly. It is a

fine job."

DAILT CONGRESSIONAL RECORD ISSl'ED ON TIME. Another notevrortliy event in the work of the Government Printing

Office under the present administration was the placing of the daily

Congressional Eecord on a regular newspaper schedule as to time of

publication and distribution. It had been the custom of the office frequently to delay the mailing of at least a part of the daily edition

from 24 to 48 hours, owing to the fact that no regular schedule had

been established or maintained for prompt publication at all times.

Notwithstanding the rule adopted b^^the Joint Committee on Printing 3^ears ago requiring Members of Congress to submit copy for

their speeches to the Government Printing Office not later than midnight for publication in the Record on the following morning

and authorizing the Public Printer to withhold the printing of

speeches for one day if not furnished at the time so specified, it had

grown to be the practice of the office to await the convenience of a few Members of Congress who were in the habit of sending in copy

for speeches at all hours of the morning. Thus the Record frequently

missed the morning mails, especially to the middle and far AVest, in

order that one or two Members might have speeches or " extension of

remarks," which they had withheld for revision late at night, printed

111 the Record along with the speeches of other Members who had been more prompt in sending their cojiy to this office. That was unfair
A^TNUAL EEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 25

to the great majority of the Members who observed the rule of the

Joint Committee on Printing.

Due to these delays, the Record was sometimes an almost obsolete

publication by the time it reached the far West and South. For

instance, if copy for a speech came in late on Saturday night, the

mailing of that publication to distant States was sometimes delayed

until the following Monday night or Tuesday morning.

Therefore a fixed schedule was established for the handling of the

Kecord, with a "dead line*' for the linotype, foundry, pressroom, and

mailing sections. The result has been that, except in a few ex- cusable instances, the entire edition of 32,500 copies of the daily

Record has been in the mails by 7.45 every morning that Congress

has been in session. The city edition of the Record is regularly dis- tributed before 5 o'clock each morning. A report is now submitted

to the Public Printer each morning showing in detail how the Record was handled the night before.

In this connection I am pleased to report that the night Record

force established a new mark in the printing and mailing of the

Record one Saturday night during the summer half holida^^s. A

64-page Record was set up, plated, printed, wrapped for mailing,

and delivered to the city post office in 4 hours. The edition of this

Record totaled 32,500 copies.

COMMENDATION OF EMERGENCY WORK.

The office has received commendation for numerous efforts it has

made to assist the departments in meeting emergencies confronting

them from time to time. I therefore deem it but fair to my co- workers, to whom the chief credit for this excellent record belongs,,

that reference should be made in this report to some of the letters and

messages of appreciation which the Public Printer has received in

acknowledgment of the good work of the Government Printing

Office. When the Secretary of Agriculture found a serious emergency in

administering the $2,000,000 appropriation by Congress for seed

loans to farmers in the drought-stricken areas in the Northwest, he

appealed to this office to print the necessary blanks and forms with

the utmost dispatch. This work was completed with such speed

that the Secretary of Agriculture wrote the chairman of the Senate

Committee on Agriculture under date of June 3 that " the Government Printing Office cooperated with us splendidly in getting out

the necessary blanks."

Again, under date of June 20, the Secretary of Agriculture in- formed the Public Printer that the office has made " a great record

in printing an emergency bulletin for his department.

76803—-21 4 ....
26 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

The Adjutant General of the Army on June 15 wrote as follows

concerning the work of this office in printing 500,000 copies of the

illustrated 20-page folder on Citizens' Military Training Camps,

Avhich it had to rush to the limit in order to secure proper and timely

publicity for the camps which were held in July and August

The officers in charge of the adniinistratit>)i of tlie Citizens' Military Training

Camps, conducted by the War Department, have invited my attention to the

excellent cooperation they are and have been receiving in the preparation of such printed matter as has been required in the furtherance of this work.

Specihcally, I may speak of a very large edition of a four-color illustrated booklet (requisition No. 56720), the publication of which, by reason of happenings beyond the control of anyone, encountered delays threatening to eliminate

the efhcacy of the literature, it being of advertising character, associated with

specific dates.

Tlie situation when placed before your superintendent of work, Mr. Greene,

received innnediate consideration. A short talk with his assistants, Messrs. Bair and Speelman, resulted in arrangements being made whereby the initial delivery was effected with unexpected promptness.

This folder, besides having a cover printed in four colors, carried

23 halftone illustrations and one line cut in the text, and also had a return postal card stitched in the center. It required 2,000,000 iml^ressions to complete the job.

The Superintendent of the General Supply Committee had this to say with regard to the printing of the General Schedule of Supplies for the Government for the fiscal year 1922 : In the matter of the printing and binding of the General Schedule of Supplies for the fiscal year 1922, this office desires to express its appreciation of the

excellent work of the Government Printing Office in connection therewith. The last five signatures of 16 pages each were not released for press until 5 p. m. June 23, for the reason that an insert comprising 11 pages of new copy was not turned in at the Printing Office until about midday of June 21. However, through the splendid cooperation of the superintendent and chiefs of your

plant, the first delivery of the completed job was made Saturday morning, June

25, 1921. This issue of the General Schedule of Supplies is the largest ever printed, contain ng 492 pages, and from an artistic point of view it is also one of the

best.The Director of the Pan American Union wrote as follows, under,

date of July 7, concerning a new record that this office had established in the printing of the Pan American Bulletin, which is one

of the most profusely illustrated publications issued from the presses of the Government Printing Office

I wish to congratulate you most heartily on the very notable achievement of your staff in actually doing what seemed practically the impossible at the date

of your last letter to me on the subject, namely, the publication of the Spanish

edition of the Bulletin on July 1, one full month in advance of the date on the

cover. This is indeed a notable feat, particularly in view of the heavy vacation

schedule handicap, the Fourth of July holiday, and the fact that, for unavoidable

hindrances, Miss Macdermott could not quite live up to her part of the schedule.
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 27

I may add that it is a matter of particular satisfaction to me to see this realization of one of my objective points, one which adds very considerably

to the usefulness of the Pan American Union, and one whicli I believe we will have no difficulty in maintaining so long as we can count on such effective cooperation as you have given.

PURCHASE OF PAPER AlsD EX^^:LOPES.

During the year the work of this office required paper and envelopes at a total cost of §5.396,700.53, including stock used for the

postal cards and money orders. Excluding the latter, the cost of

paper and envelopes used was $4,358,486.22. The inventory at the

close of the year shows paper and envelopes on hand amounting to $1,284,975.81 on the basis of cost price.

For every dollar expended in the ordinary run of printing and

binding 37 cents was for paper stock alone.

The public printing and binding requires approximately 50,000,000

pounds of paper a year, which, if laid flat sheet on sheet, would cover approximately about 35 square miles. If made into octavo books

and piled one on top of the other, would reach a height of 500 miles.

Another interesting item in the work of the Government Printing

Office is the manufacture of printing ink, practically all of wdiich is now made by the ink section of this plant. During the year 98,080

pounds of printing inl^ w^ere so made at a decided saving to the Government as compared with market prices for ink of the same quality.

The Government Printing Office also manufactures the rollers

used on its printing presses. During the year 3,681 rollers were

produced by the roller-making section at an average cost materially

below commercial prices.

In the metal room, which produces all the metal used in the monotype, linotype, and foundry sections, approximately 5 tons of linotype

and 9^ tons of monotype metal are melted and cast into ingots every

day. In other words. 14 tons of metal on an average are used daily

for the typesetting and casting machines of the Government Printing Office, which annually set 2,500,000,000 ems of type, or enough

reading matter to fill 750,000 columns of ordinary newspaper space. DISPOSAL OF GOVERNMENT W^\STE PAPER. Waste paper to the amount of 12,025,718 pounds was baled and

disposed of by this office during the year, 6,740,964 pounds being col- lected from departments and independent offices and 5,284,754 pounds

from obsolete publications, waste, and cuttings in the Government

Printing Office. The income from the sale of all w^aste is deposited

to miscellaneous receipts. The expense of this w^ork is a part of the

cost which has to be added to each printing and binding job and is a charge against allotments for that work. This procedure, as in the
28 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

case of private printing, is an unjust burden on the regular printing

appropriations.

As a matter of fact, with the approval of the Joint Congressional

Committee on Disposal of Useless Executive Papers, the Public

Printer has been endeavoring to have the departments and establishments themselves dispose of much of their waste paper. This can be

done at really less expense to the Government than has been entailed

heretofore in the hauling of immense quantities of waste and refuse

paper from the departments to the Government Printing Office to be

baled here and then sold to contractors. The Government can not

handle this waste at as low a labor or truck cost as can the general

class of waste-paper dealers. The more practical as well as economical way of disposing of this waste is for the contractors themselves

to collect it direct from the several departments and establishments

rather than to put this office to the additional and wholly unneces- sary expense of first collecting the waste and then having the contractors rehandle the entire mass. But there is another and more important objection to the practice

that has prevailed for several years of constituting the Public Printer

as the official junk dealer for the various departments. That objection is based on the delays and handicaps this rapidly growing

^' side-line " is already causing in the real work for which this office was established by Congress. Much valuable space that is needed

for the execution of the public printing and binding* has had to be

devoted to handling, baling, and storing this waste. The time of

laborers and motor trucks, which could better be used for more important work, likewise has been largely taken up with this waste. jMuch filth, discarded lunches, old clothing and shoes, and the

general refuse of the departments have been found in the waste

which comes largely from the waste baskets of the departments.

This undesirable accumulation has attracted an army of rats and

vermin to the buildings of the Government Printing Office. In fact,

man}^ of these pests have been brought to the building in the sacks

of waste from the department buildings.

Therefore, it is highly essential to the health and welfare of this

office as well as vital to its proper conduct as a printing plant and

not a junk yard that the handling of departmental waste be either

discontinued entirely or reduced to the lowest possible minimum,

based upon only such waste paper as it may be found advantageous

or profitable to the Government as a whole to dispose of in this manner.

LARGE COST OF AUTHORS' CORRECTIONS.

Special attention has been given to reducing the cost of authors'

corrections, which is one of the banes of Government printing. For

the last five years the cost of such corrections on proofs amounted
AITI^UAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRIls^TER. 29

to $987,539.68, a large part of which was a sheer waste of public

funds due to carelessness or inaccuracy in the original preparation

of copy. For the fiscal year 1921 the cost of authors' corrections

amounted to $228,597.30,' as compared with $240,058.30 for 1920. One department spent as high as $2-1,537.89 for corrections. Congress, however, topped the list of 1920 corrections at a cost of

$35,368.52, against an expenditure for the same purpose in 1921 of

$27,110.94. The permanent conference on printing has taken up this

subject with vigor, and the indications are that in the coming year

expenditures for authors' corrections will be materially reduced.

Another source of waste in the public funds has been due to the so- called rush " printing ordered by the departments. To cover the

cost of handling this rush " work tlie Government Printing Office

has had to make an extra charge of 20 per cent, but this has not

deterred some departments with ample funds on hand from ordering

much of their work to be done under rush conditions, regardless of

whether the job was actually an emergency one or not. Due to a determined effort to decrease the amount of " rush " work during the

last three months of the year, the extra charge necessitated by this

work was reduced to $8,054.36, as compared with $21,635.11 for the

corresponding three months in 1920. The permanent conference on

printing has also paid special attention to " rush " work, and the

coming 3^ear will undoubtedly show an even greater reduction in

the expenditures for this purpose. For the first four months since

July 1 the rush-work charges against the departments amounted to only $3,040.98, as compared with $19,961.23 for the same period last year. The cost of " rush " or 20 per cent extra charge Avork in 1921 was

$221,610.06, or Ij per cent of the total charges, as compared with

$387,675.17, or 3 per cent of the total charges for 1920. DECREASES IX THE SCALE OF CHARGES.

Owing primarily to decrease m the cost of paper and also to cer- tain economies in the operations of the Government Printing Office,

it has been possible to make several substantial reductions in the

scale of charges. As has been noted, the charge for printing postal

cards was reduced 36 per cent soon after I became Public Printer,

thus effecting a saving to the Post Office Department of $168,112 on

that item alone. The charge for composition was also reduced 10 cents per 1,000 ems, which benefited every department and establishment of the

Government having printing done by this office. While still fully compensating the Government for the cost of

2)rinting congressional speeches, a reduction of approximately 25

per cent was likewise made in the charge for printing speeches for
30 ANNUAL EEPOKT OF THE PUBLIC PKmTEE.

Members of Congress. This reduction, based on the amount of congressional orders received in the fiscal year 1920, will save approximately $25,000 in the amount that Members of Congress pay out of

their own pockets for printing extracts from the Congressional

Record for personal distribution.

Documents bound for Senators and Representatives under authority of the act of March 1, 1907, permitting each Member of Congress

to have one copy of any Government publication bound in material no more expensive than half morocco, numbered 16,320, of which

the cost of binding was $45,182.49.

In addition to the main plant of the Government Printing Office,

the Public Printer also has charge of the branch printing and binding offices in the Library of Congress. The cost of operating the

Library printing branch was $64,332.08 ; the binding .branch, $127,-

007.77. There are about 25 employees regularly assigned to the

Library printing branch and about 73 to the binding branch.

REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES.

The total number of employees was materially reduced during the- year. The average number on the roll (not including the publicdocuments division) was 4,255, as compared with 4,765 in 1920, a decrease of 510 for the year. The average number actually working

in the printing and binding divisions each day was 3.606, a decrease

of 468 as compared with the previous year. On June 30, 1921, there were 4,388 employees on both the productive and nonproductive rolls of the office, as compared with 4,720"

the corresponding day last year, a decrease of 332. The number of

employees, both productive and nonproductive, actually working on

.June 30, 1921, was 4,096, as compared with 4,314 on the corresponding

day last year, a decrease of 218.

The turnover in personnel was approximately 25 per cent, the

total separations of all classes of employees being 697. During the

year 40 linotype operators left the service and 15 were appointed;

16 monotype keyboard operators resigned and 4 Avere appointed. A

special effort is now being made to obtain linotype and intertype

operators to man all the machines in the office on account of the

vast quantity of cop}^ on hand. However, strike conditions and keen

competition for machine operators by commercial plants have some- what handicapped this office in obtaining an adequate number of

good operators, but the prospects are better for relieving this situation in the near future.

Plans for a further reduction in the force have had to be held

somewhat in abeyance pending a more definite determination of

the normal amount of work this office will be required to do with

the cessation of all war-time acti\ ities. It had been hoped that the-
AifI^"UAL REPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRmTEE. 31

force could be restored to its regular strength at the beginning of the

fiscal year, but up to the present there has been little or no let-up

in the amount of printing ordered by the departments, at least so far as composition is concerned. With the new appropriations available on July 1 the departments flooded this office with copy and

have continued to stack up before our printers more than double

the number of folios that were on hand at the same time last year. There has, however, been a decided let-up in work in prospect for

the press and bindery divisions, owing to the smaller editions now

being printed. As soon as the immense quantity of copy on hand

is worked out there undoubtedly will have to be a reduction in at least the press and bindery forces. Owing to the vast amount of work in hand and the present diffi- culty in obtaining additional and better qualified employees, it has

been necessary to retain on the rolls a number of employees who are below a fair standard of efficiency. These will be replaced, however,

as rapidly as conditions warrant. Whatever they produce is at least of some help under the circumstances. The emergency character of

the work the office has had to do for some time has required the

services of every employee, no matter how much or how little he

might accomplish. It is expected, however, that the entire force will

show a higher standard of efficiency the coming year. In fact, the

average has been raised very commendably already. Some of the

employees who failed to meet the requirements a short time ago have

now developed into efficient workmen.

WAR-TIME EXECUTIVE ORDER EMPLOYEES.

Under appointment by authority of a war-time Executive order

issued by the President on June 24, 1918, there are still approximately 700 employees, men and women, on the rolls of the office as

skilled laborers. All but two of these appointments were made by

my predecessor without regard to the civil service act and rules as authorized by the Executive order. The order was revoked by the

President on May 16, 1921, since which time no appointments have

been made to positions in this office except in accordance with the

civil service act and rules. These 700 Executive-order employees occupy a rather peculiar

status, which in some ways is unjust to them and a handicap to the

work of this office. In the President's order of May 16 revoking

the authority under which they were appointed it was provided that

such employees

shall not hereby be given a competitive classified status, but may, in the dis- cretion of the head of the department or independent establishment where now

employed, continue in their present position •or such allied positions as the

[Civil Service] Commission may approve.
32 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

The commission has therefore held that employees appointed under

the Executive order of June 24, 1918, "may not be regarded as having the same status for reinstatement, transfer, promotion, etc., as employees entering the service through regular competitive examinations,''' but in a further interpretation of this statement the commission advised the Public Printer that he may promote such employees to " any positions or any salaries as laborers, or promote them

to positions of other designations Avhich are ordinarily filled by promotion of persons appointed from the skilled-laborer register."

Another difficulty as to the Executive-order appointees lies in the

determination of their status for retirement. The Public Printer

has requested the Civil Service Commission to rule on this question,

but as yet no decision has been announced. Pending a determination,

skilled laborers of the Government Printing Office who were appointed under the Executive order above referred to have not participated in or received any of the benefits of the retirement act, which is an unfortunate discrimination against this large group of

employees.

When the civil service employees' retirement act became effective on August 20, 1920, there were 317 employees on the rolls of this

office subject to retirement in accordance with the provisions of that

act. Of this number, 160 were retired on August 20, 1920, only 4

of whom failed to qualify for pensions. Up to July 1, 1921, the

total number of retirements was 179, of whom 123 retired at the age

of 65 years and 56 at 70 years, as provided by law for the mechanical

and clerical forces, respectively. Included in these retirements were

28 employees who were separated from the service on account of

disability. Two-year extensions, as authorized by the act, were

granted to 164 employees up to July 1, these extensions having been

approved in view of the special qualifications and physical fitness of each of the employees so retained in the service.

The retirement act has not been in operation long enough to fully

determine all of its weak and strong points, but it is apparent already

that even the maximum retirement pension of $720 a year, which only

70 out of 179 received, is in many cases grossly inadequate compensation for employees who have devoted most of their lives to faithful

service of the Government.

APPRENTICE SYSTEM TO BE RESTORED.

The subject of training apprentices in the various trades of the

Government Printing Office was taken up near the close of the fiscal year, and the conclusion was reached that the apprenticeship system

which was discontinued by this office more than 35 years ago ought

to be reestablished. A plan* for examining and appointing apprentices has been submitted to the Civil Service *Commission. It is expected that a suitable examination will be held in the near future
AXXUAL EEPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRINTEE. 33

and that the training- of appointees thereunder can be started in a short time. Unfortunately, the printing act of 1895 limits the number of apprentices to 25. If the system proves as successful as it has generally in the printing trade, this limitation ought to be

removed at an early date. The Public Printer is heartily cooperating with the Federal Board

for Vocational Education and the Veterans' Bureau in affording an

opportunity for war veterans to receive vocational training in this

office. Several veterans of the World War are now employed in the

printing and foundry divisions and are making excellent records

at their chosen work.

In this connection it rnay also be appropriate to state that there are now employed in the various divisions of the Government Printing

Office approximately 20 veterans of tlie Civil War, 124 of the Spanish

War. and 289 of the World War—a total of 433. Every employee

who went from this office to the defense of his country and has since

applied for reinstatement has been restored to his old or a better

position. Xo ex-service man has been demoted or discharged ex- cept for good and sufficient cause and, I am glad to say, there have

been but few of these unfortunate but unavoidable incidents. A

number of the high ranking places in the office are now filled by

veterans of the three wars under my appointment.

For several years, especially during the war, overtime, Sunday,

and holiday work by the mechanics and laborers in the Government

Printing Office was quite general. On taking charge of the office I at once directed that this extra work, which added greatly to the

cost of printing, due to the higher rates of pay therefor, should be

reduced to a minimum. Accordingly, the expenditures for overtime,

Sunday, and holiday work during the last three months of the year were reduced to $9,532.07, as compared with $36,291.84 expended for

that purpose in the corresponding period of the previous year. F6r

the entire year the cost of overtime, Sunday, and holiday work

amounted to $90,287.24, as compared with $303,473.83 for 1920.

ENFOECEMENT OF THE 8 -HOUR LAW.

AVhile the general 8-hour law has been observed in the Government Printing Office, except in case of an emergency, little consideration appears to have been given to the act of February 24, 1914, re- stricting the employment of women in any manufacturing, mechanical, or mercantile establishment in the District of Columbia to 8 hours

a day or 48 hours a w^eek. No notices had been posted in the plant

concerning these hours for women as required by law. Therefore on May 3 an order was issued by the Public Printer directing strict compliance with the provisions of the 8-hour law, especially as to the
34 ANNUAL EEPORT OF THE PUBLIC PKTNTER.

employment of women. Inasmuch as there are more than a thousand

women on the rolls of the Government Printing Office, their jn-otection

by the 8-hour law is a matter of vital concern to them and to the office, EMERGENCY HOSIMTAE FOR EMPLOYEES.

The Government Printino- Office is especially proud of the fact that

it has the first emer^rency hospital e(}uipped by any GoA^ernment establishment in Washinoton for the humane care of employees who ma}^

be injured or suddenly become sick in the service. During the year

4,524 cases were treated by the physicians in charge. This is an

increase of 98 cases o\'er the previous year. Of these cases, 1,590 were surgical, requiring 1,948 redressings, and 2,928 were medical. In 2,788 cases the employees Avere able to remain at their work

after treatment, which, of itself, fully compensates the office for the

expense of equipping and maintaining the hospital. It Avas found

necessary to send 140 cases to outside hospitals for medical or surgical

attention. On account of the prompt service of the plant hospital and

its effectiA'eness in treating the employees, tlie GoA^ernment Avas re- quired to expend only $1,867.56 during the year as compensation for

injuries received in line of duty in the Government Printing Office. Included in the injuries Avere 139 incised Avounds, 253 lacerated

Avounds, 237 contused wounds. 185 abrasions, 171 infected wounds,

67 punctured Avounds, 109 sprains, 90 burns, and 9 fractures or dis- locations.

On account of the overcroAvded condition of the present small

emergency room, an additional hospital room is being constructed

especially for the treatment of Avomen employees. This room will

be equipped Avith every convenience of a hospital Avard, including

shoAver bath, and provided Avith three additional beds for patients.

AVORK OF PUBLIC DOCUAIENTS DIVISION. Next in importance to the printing of Government publications is their distribution. This extensive activity of the Government Printing Office is under the direction of tlie Superintendent of Documents,

Avho has a force of 236 employees constantly engaged in the sale,

distribution, and cataloguing of public documents. The total ex- penditures for the documents division, exclusive of the cost of publications rei^rinted for sale, for the year Avas $41(),434.90, as compared

with $380,694.44 for 1920. A large item in this expenditure is the cost of publications for depository library distribution, oA^er Avhich the

Superintendent of Documents has no control. Publications reprinted

for sale cost $206,473.76, AAhich is paid from the receipts of sales by

the documents office.
AXXUAL EEPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRIXTER. 35

The following statistical summarv will give some idea of the work

of the docimients division during the year : Publicatiou.s d >:trihiite(l

:

Depanuieiiml orders 41.905,364

Cash orders 1 6.631,142

Lbraries

Desi-iuired dept sltcries 1,420.927

(reoloiiicul dei)()sit<>ries 7,975

omcial (iazettf depositories 111,014

Mis! el;ai)e(»ns ' 21, 0S3 1.560,999

Officials and deitartments 41.'407 Lepuioiis 49,458

Catalosrues and price lists 253, 205

A['scellaueoiis 33, 026 Condemned

From departmental stock 407, 424 From Snper'ntendent of Docnments" stock 538, 149

945, 573

Total distrihntion 51,420,174

Letter mail received : Cash orders 235,507

Letters of inqniry 127, 152

362. 659

Official catalojriies issued : Monthly cataloirnes 12 Index to monthly catalojnies 1 Docnment index schedules 2 Document indexes 2 Price lists issued 43

^rai-linjr lists maintained (including over 1.000,000 names) 1,125

Names added— 206,427

Names dropped 222. 848 That general interest in (xovernment publications is rapidly in- creasing every year is indicated by the sales. This has become a large business in itself without the aid of advertising or other

modern business methods to create a popidar demand for the best

sellers" bearing the (xovernment imprint. The total sales by the

Superintendent of Documents for the year included 6,631.1^1:2 publications, an increase of 785.67:2 over the preceding year. The receipts

from sales amounted to i^293.371.63, an increase of SG1,839.42 for the

year. In connection with these sales, the documents office received

and handled 362,659 letters, an increase of 40.841 over 1920 and of

97.4S7 over 1919. The local sales of Government publications has grown rapidly

with the establishment of extensive information bureaus and headquarters of various national organizations in Washington. To handle this constantly increasing trade in Government publications tlie
36 A^yVAT. REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRTNTEE.

8iiperintendent of Documents was directed to equip and maintain

Avhat is, in fact, a retail bookstore on the first floor of the public

documents building. The (Toverimient book stock will there be more

accessible to the public, which formerly had to chance a ride in a freight elevator to the sixth floor of the documents building.

This- Government bookshop is about to begin business and ought

to prove a great convenience to the public. In connection with the

sale of public documents the clerks in charge will also maintain a reference and information service as to Government publications. It

is hoped that in time this service will prove of great value not only

to Government employees desiring expert advice on the publications of this office but also to the general public. All are Avelcome at any time to call upon the service for such lielp as may meet their

needs.

The biggest job that the Superintendent of Documents has to do,

however, is the distribution of publications which he is required by

law to keep in stock and mail for the various departments and other

establishments of the Government except Congress itself. At the

beginning of the fiscal year the documents division had 29,079,322

publications in stock to the credit of these departments. To this

number 44,903,098 were added during the year. From this total stock 41,905,364 publications w^ere mailed and 407,424 were withdrawn as obsolete or in excess. This left a stock on hand at the close

of the year of 31,669,032 publications, an increase of 2,590,310 over

the beginning of the year. Along with the publications thus distributed for departm^ents the Superintendent of Documents sent out

2.446,720 inclosures on one subject or another.

TREMENDOUS WASTE IX PUBLICATIONS.

This tremendous stock of publications, which is growing larger

every year, indicates that some of the agencies of the Government

have greatly overreached themselves in orders for printing. In

recent years millions of these publications have become obsolete or

useless before they are ever taken from the shelves and bins of the

public documents office. Consequently hundreds of thousands of

dollars have been utterly wasted in such printing.

It is believed that a more general adoption of the policy of sell- ing Government publications at cost will largely remedy the present

waste through almost unlimited printing by certain departments for

free public distribution. In the past the Superintendent of Documents has had little or no control over the stock of publications

which he is required to keep subject to orders from the departments.

The result has been the gradual accumulation of the present im- mense quantity of publications, millions of which are either obsolete.
AXis'UAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRIXTER. 37

valueless, or in excess of all reasonable requirements for proper dis- tribution.

Another phase of the work of the documents division is its distri- bution of Government publications to libraries, especially to the designated depository libraries. This, in my opinion, is the most important duty the Superintendent of Documents has to perform and

it is one in wliich he should be given every support and encouragement. The placing of even one Government publication in a public

library is of far greater benefit than the indiscriminate distribution

of 1,000 other copies.

The regular depository libraries now include ^73 libraries out of a total possible designation by Members of Congress of about 663,

To these libraries were sent during the year 1.420,927 Government

publications, the cost of printing and binding of which was $157,-

603.15. The documents office also sent out 21,083 publications on miscellaneous requests from other libraries. The distribution to Patent

Gazette depositories included 111,014 publications, and to the geological depositories 7,975 publications of the Geological Survey.

SELECTIOX PLAX FOR LIBRARY DISTRIBUTIOX^.

The avalanche of Government publications which now annually

descends upon the depository libraries of the country again emphasizes the importance of permitting these libraries to make selection of

such Government publications as will be of service to their particular

localities. Only a few of the libraries in the larger cities can now

provide shelf room for anj^Avhere near complete sets of the publications of the United States Government. In view of this situation, the

Public Printer has under considei'ation a selection plan for depository

library distribution which, with the approval of the Joint Committee

on Printing, it is hoped to put into effect at an early date. The Public Printer and the Superintendent of Documents also have

under consideration the establishment of a special information service for which there has been a universal demand on the part of the

librarians who desire prompter and more complete information con- cerning the printing and publishing activities of the Government.

This office is firmlj^ of the opinion that such a service is properly

a function of the public documents office and can be better o^Derated

there and with less duplication of work than by any other agency

of the Government. In fact, the public documents office is noAv largely

engaged in library informiation service in connection with its supervision over the designated depository libraries. The creation of a

special library information unit would simply be a logical outcome of

its present activities. The public documents office is also occupied in another service for

libraries and readers of Government publications in the preparation
38 ANNUAL REPOKT OF THE PUBLIC PEINTEE.

of special cata1o<>ues and indexes which are the sole guide to the

almost interminable labyrinths wherein are stored the millions of

publications that have been issued by the Government, dating back

to the First Congress.

INADEQUATE TAY OF CATALOGUERS.

It is extremely unfortunate that the pay authorized by Congress

for these indexers and cataloguers has been insufficient to obtain

enough hel}) for a number of years to keep this highly important

work up to date. I have therefore made a special recommendation,

through the Bureau of the Budget, that the number and salaries of

cataloguers be increased so as to secure adequate and competent help

to expedite the work of preparing catalogues for the use of the Government itself and the libraries of the country. This work is practically six years behind the requirements of the law, due to the in- ability of this office to obtain enough cataloguers at the prevailing

low salaries. Sufficient progress has, however, been made on the

Document Catalogue for the Sixty-fourth Congress to make sure

that it will be sent to press by January 1. In addition to the big biennial catalogue the documents office also

issues a monthly catalogue with annual index, a congressional document index by sessions, and numerous price lists, which have been

much used as subject bibliographies by libraries and the public.

These publications are kept up to date and are highly regarded by

all readers and students of Government publications.

The public documents office, in connection with its cataloguing and

indexing work, has accumulated the most complete set of Government publications in existence. This library now has 298,142 publications of the United States Government, the increase during the

year having been 19,087 publications and 933 maps. The libraiy will

be of special value also in connection with the proposed information

service. Under certain necessary restrictions, it is open to qualified

persons for research work, and, in fact, is much used for that purpose.

In outlining his work for the coming year the Superintendent of

Documents has proposed the follow^ing program, which meets with

the hearty approval of the Public Printer

1. Closer contact \vitli the libraries tlu'oiijili the issuMiice of monthly or semi- monthly notes of interest.

2. The selective jjrivile.w for the depository Khrnries.

.'>. Daily, instead of montlily, shi])inen1s of jjiihlications to depositories.

4. Arranjiements w \{h tlie deitartments for curtailinii' free (listri])ntion and the adoption of a general sales ])o]icy.

5. Extending the deposit system to prevent the delay oceasioned by writing

for price of publications and then remitting, on account of the ruling which

prevents shipment of publications in advance of i)ayment.
AIs^XUAL EEPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRIiS^TER. 89

MAINTEXANCE, REPAIR. AND UPKEEP OF BUILDINGS.

The successful operation of the Government Printing Office depends finally upon the efficiency of its buildings division, which has

charge of the maintenance, repair, and upkeep of the buildings,

machinery, and equiiDmeiit of this great establishment. This division

includes an engineering section with 65 employees, machine section

with 36 employees, electrical section with 75 employees, buildings

section with 25 employees, carpenter and paint section with 25 employees, sanitary section witli 70 employees, and watch section with

60 employees.

This force, in addition to the work connected with the Government

Printing Office plant, also furnislies heat, light, and power for the

city ])Ost office, which is connected witli tlie Government Printing

Office by a subway.

The entire expenditure of the buildings division for the year, including wages, supplies, materials, leave, and holidays, was $699,-

734.54, a decrease of $20,715.65. as compared with the preceding year. Based on a floor space of 599,752 square feet and a total upkeep

expenditure of $286,710.64, including repairs, sanitary service, and

jxnver for manufacturing purposes, the cost per square foot was

48.15 cents. As fully 50 per cent of tlie power plant cost was due to steam and electric current generated for manufacturing purposes,

the total cost comparable with that for an office building is properh^

reducible to $209,930.69, or 35.10 cents per square foot. ^ Aside from tlie actual raising of the roof for the attic alteration

and the reinforcement of the eighth floor, as already discussed in this

report, much of the work in connection with that improvement was

done by the buildings division, including all the steam heating,

plumbing, electric lighting, and installation of new equipment.

Advantage was taken, in connection with the eighth floor or attic alteration, of the opportunity to change the entire steam-heating

of the building to a vacuum system. In so doing all the main pipes were removed from the top floor. The new vacuum system will effect a considerable saving of coal, besides giving far better service in heating the entire building.

The electric power plant operated by the buildings division produced a total of 4,424,981 kilowatt-hours, as compared with 4,453,438

the i^revious year. Of this amount the Government Printing Office consumed 2,851,246 kilowatt-hours, a decrease of 48,550 from the

preceding year, Avhile the city post office used 1,573,735 kilowatthours, or an increase of 20,092 over the preceding year. This plant

also furnished the city post office with 31,484,656 pounds of steam

at a total cost of $23,229.16, an increase of $3,093.92 for the year.
40 ANNUAL REPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

The total cost of operating the entire power plant for the year was

$209,082.75, an increase of $37,687.85, as compared with the previous

year, $8,185.12 of this increase being clue to the city post office service. If this extra service to the city post office continues to increase,

the machinery of the Government Printing Office power plant w^ill soon be taxed to capacity.

PROBLEM OF CITY WATER CONSUMPTIOX.

The water consumption by the Government Printing Office, including its condensing plant, has been reduced from an average for the

year of 2,038,000 gallons per day to an aA'crage of 1,543.000 gallons

per day. Several years ago the plant used from 2,500,000 to 3,000,000

gallons of filtered water. All of this water is obtained from the

municipal system.

When the water supply of the District became serious last summer

every effort was put forth by this office to reduce its consumption to a minimum. Investigation was also started to ascertain the feasibility

and cost of providing another source of supply so as to relieve the city

water mains of the drain of a large part of the million and a half

gallons required daily for the operation of the printing plant. Plans

are now under consideration with the Architect of the Capitol wdiich

may result in the Government Printing Office obtaining either its water or power both through the Capitol plant.

One proposition contemplates a connection l)etween the Government Printing Office and the Capitol power plants so that the lat- ter would furnish the electric current, leaving the plant of this office for steam operations only. This would save approximately 800.000

gallons of water a d?ij, as the industrial departments of the Government Printing Office would still require about 500,000 gallons of

filtered water from the municipal mains.

Another plan includes both electric current and steam to be supplied by the Capitol power plant, thus practically shutting down the

plant of the Government Printing Office, with an estimated saving

of about 1,000,000 gallons of city water per day. About 200,000 gallons, however, would have to be taken from the District supply daily

even under this plan.

Still another plan proposes that steam for heating and industrial

purposes and electric current shall be obtained from the Capitol

plant, and an adequate water main be laid from the Capitol power

plant to the Government Printing Office. This plan Avould shut off practically all the city water from the Government Printing Office

with the exception of a small amount required for drinking purposes. The fourth plan requires the installation of a cooling tower with

condensers, eliminating the excess w^ater now^ used for condensing
ANN^UAL EEPORT Or THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 41

purposes, which would save about 800,000 gallons a day and still con- tinue the operation of the Government Printing Office plant as at present.

The last plan is to lay a separate water main from the Capitol

plant's pumping station on the river front direct to the Government

Printing Office and connect up with the Capitol power plant merely

for the purpose of furnishing such electric current and steam as may

be needed for the operation of the Government Printing Office. Under this plan the office would use a small quantity of city filtered water only for drinking purposes.

The adoption of either of these plans would not only relieve the

water supply of the city, but should also result in a decided economy

by consolidating the power plants of this office and the Capitol and

thus doing away with much of the present duplication of costly engines, generators, boilers, and other equipment and expenses incident

to the production of power by the present separate plants. There

could also be a large saving in the cost of fuel alone, inasmuch as coal for the Government Printing Office has to be hauled by trucks

to the plant, while delivery is made to the Capitol plant from trackage. Incidentally, the discontinuance of the Government Printing

Office power plant, in whole or in part, would result in a corresponding decrease in the unavoidable smoke nuisance in this neighborhood,

which is particularly desirable on account of proximity to large

schools and a thickly settled residential section.

Inasmuch as the Government Printing Office is really a part of the

legislative establishment of the Government and a large share of its work is connected with the Capitol through the activities of Congress,

I am of the opinion that a consolidation of the two power plants

under the direction of the congressional commission in charge of the

Capitol power plant and the Architect of the Capitol, would be a most commendable economy and a highly desirable service to the

District of Columbia in relieving its already overtaxed water system.

SAVINGS BY USE OF SPECIAL MACHINERY.

Special attention was given to the machine work of the office during the closing months of the year. It is the desire and purpose

of the Public Printer to make the printing plant practically -self- sustaining so far as most of the repairs to its machinery and equipment are concerned. It is also hoped that in the future considerable

of our special machinery requirements will be handled successfully

by the draftsmen and machinists of this office. On account of the high prices demanded for monotype keyboard

paper, which jumped from 6 to 14 cents per pound, I directed the

buildings division to devise and construct a machine for the cutting

and perforation of this special paper, of which the office uses more
42 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

than 60,000 pounds a year. This machine has reached a stage of perfection where I am justified in predicting its successful operation at a substantial saving to the Government within a very short time.

Another step toward the production of materials and equipment

for the use of this plant was taken in the purchase of a milling machine for the use of the linotype machine section. This machine was

purchased in May, at a cost of $2,100, and has already saved the office more than $1,500 in the manufacture of new parts and the repair of

old parts for the linotype section. The purchase of the milling machine was prompted especially by the fact that manufacturers of parts

required by certain typesetting machines in this office had increased

their prices in some instances 300 to 400 per cent; for example, one minor part which was quoted in 1919 at $4.46 was listed in 1920

at $18. Since January 1, 1921, the linotype machine section has re- paired and made new parts that would have cost $7,269.58 if purchased commercially.

In addition to 164 jackets calling for new work or alterations, the

general machine shop of the plant handled 12,520 Jobs during the

year, covering work of every description in the machine trade from

ordinary adjusting to practicall}^ rebuilding printing-press machinery.

The carpenter shop completed 12,986 jobs, including the use of

57,769 feet of new lumber. By utilizing old boxes 231,897 feet of

iumber were reclaimed for the making of 20,935 postal card boxes

and crates. The value of this reclaimed lumber is estimated at $19,931.82.

The electrical section handled a total of 19,242 jobs, including

all kinds of electrical repair work, from changing of lights and

repairing motors to large installations.

The engineer section completed 18,243 jobs, including steamhtting, plumbing, air lines, pneumatic tubes, and general engineering

work.

NEED FOR REVISIOX OF THE PRINTING LAWS.

Other than the suggestions already included in this report, I do

not desire to submit any further recommendations at this time, except

to give my unqualified indorsement for an early and complete

revision of the lavv^s relating to the public printing and binding

along the lines of the bill as proposed several years ago by Senator

Reed Smoot, the able former chairman of the Printing Investigation

Commission and the Joint Committee on Printing, whose great

knowledge of Government publications and persistent demands for

economies in the public printing have saved the taxpayers of this

country many millions of dollars. This legislation has either been

pending before or passed by one House or the other in several Congresses. It will save the Government a large amount of money every
AJSriSTUAL EEPORT 01 THE PUBLIC PRINTEE. 43

year as well as admit of a more businesslike and efficient administration of the public printing and binding if enacted into law. Whenever the committees of Congress may desire to take up the bill for

consideration again I will be glad to submit such recommendations

as this office may desire to make at that time.

In accordance with the provisions of the second deficiency aot^

fiscal year 1921, approved June 16, 1921, the Public Printer has

decided to discontinue the printing of such other and additional

reports for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1921, as have usually been

submitted concerning the business of the Government Printing Office. The original copy of such reports will, however, be kept on file in the

office of the Public Printer for public inspection, as provided for by

said act. Appended hereto are several statistical tables and financial state- ments which may be of service in the consideration of this report.

Respectfully submitted.

Publio Printer^,

STATISTICAL TABLES.

Table No. 1.

Financial statement for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1921.

Resources. Disburse- ments. Unexpended

balances.

Appropriation 1919. Public printing and binding: Balance July 1, 1920 $2, 234, 594. 68 Amounts transferred on books of Treasury through

auditor's settlements, being printing for departments

or bureaus payable from various appropriations 2. 10 Disahowances deposited ; 11. 49 Transferred to printing and binding, 1921 i Disbursed for material and supphes \ Disburse'd for paper | Total. Leaves of absence, Government Printing Office: Balance July 1, 1920

Salaries, office of Public Printer: Balance Julv 1, 1920 Payment for holidavs. Government Printing Office: Balance July 1, 1920

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

' Balance July 1, 1920 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Balance July 1, 1919 Increase of compensation: Balance July 1, 1919 Appropriation, 1920. Public printing and binding, 1920: • Balance July 1, 1920 Amounts transferred on books of Treasury through

auditor's settlements, being printing for depart- ments or biureaus payable from various appropriations Deposit to credit of appropriation by sundry disburs- ing officers and indi\-iduals for printing done and for proceeds of sales of certain documents

Transferred from general expense office of Superin- tendent of Documents

Disallowances deposited Disbursed for paper

Disbursed for lithographing and engraving Disbursed for material and supphes

Disbm-sed for labor during fiscal year

Total. Leaves of absence. Government Printing Office: Balance July 1, 1920 Disallowances deposited Disbursed during fiscal year . t , Total.

Salaries, office of the Public Printer: Balance July 1, 1920 Disbursed during fiscal year

$5, 220. 99

9, 410. 19

34, 107. 93

2. 234, 608. 27 48, 739. 11 $2, 185, 16

14, 182. 18

12, 776. 67

13, 762. 84

13, 085. 08

8, 067. 31

5, 042. 37

2,612, 726.79

279,929. 05

131,728. 49

33, 167. 59

35. 54

3,057,587. 46

14,155. 63

.20

2, 314, 528. 69

95, 349. 89

358, 244. 01

187,729. 15

2,955, 851.74

14, 155. 83

18,220. 42

Total. Payment for holidays. Government Printing Office: Balance July 1, 1920 Disbursed during fiscal year

Total.

18, 220. 42

11,566.10

11,566. 10

8, 515.15

, 515. 15

44, 078. 10

15,854. 64

44, 078. 10 15, 854. 64

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Docinnents: Balance July 1, 1920 Disbursed during fiscal year

14, 182. 18

12, 776. 67

13, 762. 84

13, 085. 08

8, 067. 31

5, 042. 37

101,735. 72

2, 589. 73-

9, 705. 27

28,223.46-

24, 766. 82

7, 929. 74 Total. 24, 766. 82 7, 929. 74 16,837.1 45
46 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Table No. 1.Financial statement for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1921—Continued.

Appropriation, 1920—Continued.

General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Balance July 1, 1920 Transferred to public printing and binding , Disbursed during fiscal year

Total. Increase of compensation: Balance July 1, 1920 Drawn from Treasury

Disbursed during fiscal year. Total Appropriation 1921. Public printing and binding: Appropriation act July 1, 1920 Deficiency act Mar. I,'l921 Deficiency act June 16, 1921 Transferred from public printing and binding 1919 Amounts transferred on books of Treasury through

auditor's settlemeuis. being printing for departments

or bureaus pavable from various appropriations Deposit to credit of appropriation by sundry disburs- ing officers and indi aduals for printing doiie and for proceeds of sales of certain documents

Transferred from general expense, office of Superin- tendent of Documents

Disallo->vances deposited Disbursed for labor diu-ing fiscal year Disbursed for paper

Disbursed for lithographing and engra\"ing Disbursed for material and supplies Disbursed for night messenger service Disbursed for payment to Joseph L. Pearson, for printitig done for the United States Supreme Court

Transferred to interior ci^il ledger

Resources.

Sol, 912. 36

51,912. 36

Disburse- ments.

$33, 167. 59 1,883.09

35, 050. 68

3,939. 69

31,200. 00

35, 063. 98

35, 139. 69 35,063. 98

Unexpended

balances.

S16, 861. 68

75. 71

Total. Leaves of absence, Government Printing Office: Appropriation act July 1. 1920 Deficiency act Mar. 1, 1921 Disallowance deposited Disbursed during fiscal year Disbursed to interior civil ledger

5, 783, 710.00

202, 800. 00

319, 000. 00

5, 220. 99

3,298,462.01 [.

1, 928, 091. 53

, 272. 29

2. 88

4, 820, 863. 78

3, 037, 732. 36

160, 881. 40

610, 318. 17

2, 800. 00

10, 454. 41

91,666. 66 11,723,559.70 \ 8,734,716.78 \ 2,988,842.92

Total.

Salaries, office of the Public Printer: Appropriation act July 1, 1920 Disallowance deposited Transferred to interior civil ledger. Disbursed during fiscal year

Total. Payment for holidays. Government Printing Office: Appropriation act July 1, 1920 Deficiency act Mar. I,'l921 Deficiency act June 16, 1921 Transferred to interior ci^il ledger Disbursed during fiscal year

Total.

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Appropriation act July 1, 1920 Transferred to interior civil ledger Disbursed during fiscal year

Total. General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Appropriation act Julv 1, 1920 , Deficienev act Mar. 1, 1921 , Defieienfiy- act June 16, 1921 , Transferred to public printing and binding 1921 , Disbursed during fiscal vear

560, 000. 00

75, 000. 00 2.12

611, 882. 72 12,833.33

635, 002. 12 624, 716. 05 ,07

212, 190. 00

10.84

4, 667. 89

188, 866. 59

212, 200. 84 193, 534. 48

300, 000. 00

19, 000. 00

16, 383. 63

6, 875. 00 311,355.44

335,383.63 j 318,230.44 i 17,153.19

215, 393. 20

190,368.28 !. 215, 393. 20 195, 304. 37 20,

105, 000. 00

.50,000.00 7,500. 00

Total.

186, 272. 29

6,047. 17

30, ISO. 54
AlSrXUAL EEPOET OF THE PUBLIC PRINTEK. 47

Table No. 1.

Fmancial statement for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1921—Continued.

rcesources. Disburse- ments. Unexpended

balances.

Appropriation, 1921—Continued.

Increase of compensation:

Dra\\Tifroin Treasury $1,005,816. 27 Disbursed during fiscal rear $1, 001, 267. 75 1,005,816.27 1,001,267. 75 S4, 548. 52 Apphopriatiox 1921-22. Public printing and binding: Deficiency act June 16, 1921 169, 502. 70

Total 169.502.70 169,502. 70 166,702. 70 RECAPITULATION.

Total paid for printing for United States Supreme Court 10, 454. 41 Total paid f Dr labor during fiscal year i 5, 100, 259. 59 Total p lid for material and supplies 977,972.37 Total p lid for Litiiographing and engraying 256, 231. 29 Total paid for paper 5,386,368.98 Total paid for night messenger service 2, 800. 00 Transferred 5,220.99 Total paid for printing and binding 11, 739, 307. 63 Total paid for salaries during fiscal year 2 2D2, 049. 63 Total paid for leaves of absence during fiscal year » 636, 282. 15 Total paid for holidays during fiscal year < 334, 085. 08 Total paid for salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents * 203, 234. 11 Total paid for general expenses, office Suparintendent of Documents 227, 370. 14 Total paid for increase of compensation 1,036,331. 73 Grand total 14, 378, e60. 47

1 Includes amount paid to retirement fund 91, 666. 66

2 Includes amount paid to ratirement fund 4, 667. 89

3 Includes amount paid to retirement fund 12, 833. 33

* Includes amoimt paid to retirement fund 6, 875. 00

» Includes amount paid to retirement fund 4, 936. 09 Total paid to retirement fund 120, 978. 97 RESOURCES.

Public printing and binding, 1921: Balance J uly 1 , 1921 2, 988, 842. 92 Amount due on account of repayment to appropriation July 1, 1921 475, 000, 00 Total 3,463,842.92

LIABILITIES. Wages earned and impaid July 1, 1921 S187, 50S. 15 Outstanding orders Julv 1, 1921, subject to 10 per cent over and under 993, 734. 27 1,181,237.42 Net balance July 1 , 1921 2, 282, 605. 50 Table No. 2.

Moneys received in fiscal year ended June 30, 1921, the source, and

Treasury deposit.

1917. Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding, auditor's disallowance. . . $36. 82

1918. Deposited to the credit of appropnation for public printing and binding, auditor's disallowance ... .12

1919. Deposited to the credit of appropriation for pubUc printing and binding, auditor's disallow- ance $4.35 Refund—American Railway Express 7. 14 11.49
48 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Table No. 2.—-Moneys received in fiscal year ended June SO, 1921, the source, and

Treasury deposit—Continued.

1920. Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding;: Reprints under act of Mar. 28, 1904 S37, 047. 33 Printing for United States Board of Mediation and Conciliation 8. 00 Printing for Post Office Department 85, 387. 76 Printing for Commission of Fine Arts 13. 59 Printing for War Department 8, 101. 20 Printing for United States Railroad Administratioii 2, 882. 27 Printing for United States Shipping Board 33, 361. 16 Printing for Efficiency Bureau 70. 43 Printing for Treasury Department 26. 42 Printing for United States Grain Corporation 4. 61 Printing for United States Railroad Labor Board 1, 660. 72 Printing for Navy Department 2, 195. 02 Printing for Pan American Union 1, 841. 96 Printing for Secretary of the Senate 39. 37 Auditor's disallowance 135. 54 Lanston Monotype Machine Co. (spools and cores) 204. 80 Barrett & Co. (drum) 25. 00

$173,00.5.18; Deposited to the credit of appropriation for leaves of absence, Government Printing Office, auditor's disallowance .20) 1921. Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: Reprints under act of Mar. 28, 1904 S181, 513. 23 Printing for Post Office Department 1, 298, 343. 17 Printing for War Department 42, 243. 94 Printing for United States Railroad Administration. 31, 041. 54 Printing for United States Shipping Board 307, 622. 59 Printing for Navy Department 2, 605. 28 Printing for State Department 4, 822. 03 Printing for Commissioners, District of Columbia 28. 59 Printing for Ho ase of Representatives 324.15 Printing for Superintendent of State, War, and Navy Buildings 1, 112. 74 Printing for Department of Agriculture 383. 58 Printing for Governor of Hawaii 137. 47 Printing for Commission of Fine Arts 703. 43 Printing for Department of Justice 324. 21 Printing for Pan American Union 4, 191. 73 Printing for United States Board of Mediation and Conciliation 82. 63 Printing for Smithsonian Institution 6. 08 Printing for Department of the Interior 161. 58 Printing for Secretary of Senate 107. 26 Printing for Bureau of Efficiency 287. 43 Printing for Public Buildings Commission 23. 53 Printing for Lincoln Memorial Commission 70. 62 Printing for Treas iry Department 1, 357. 52 Printing for Alien Property Custodian 1, 773. 19 Printing for United States Railroad Labor Board 1, 310. 67 Pennsylvania Railroad Co. (damaged machinery) 12. 75 Kutztown Publishing Co. (crating) 65. 00 E. M. Moers Sons (crating) 12. 20 P. S. Francis (?ratin^) 15. 00 Barrett & Co. (dram) 25. 00 Bergs:rom Paper Co. (discount) 254. 90 Lanston Monotype Machine Co. (spools) 274. 60

Meilcle & Wood (disco mt) 53. 36 Rep ablie Bag & Paper Co. (penalty) 173. 20 Auditor's disallowances 2. 88

1,881, 467. Oa

1921. Deposited to the credit of appropriation for leaves of absence, Government Printing Office, auditor's disallowance $2.12 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for salaries, office of the Public Printer, auditor's disallow- ance 10.84 Deposited to the credit of receipts from miscellaneous sources: Printing speeches $53,795.72

Sales of ex tra documents 32, 794. 92

Sales of documents 50,000.00

Sales of condemned machinery, materials, etc 1, 888. 96

Sales of leather scraps 34. 82 Sales of refute wood 3,739.53

Sales of waste paper 261,151.58

Sales of waste m etal 3, 945. 10 Proceeds of waste gold 1, 759. 39 Refund on damaged goods 1. 53

-. $409,111.55 Total 2,463,645.40
ANXUAL REPORT OF TTIE PUBLIC PRINTER. 49

Table No. 3

Production of -principal items entering into printing and binding in

fiscal years 1919, 1920, and 1921.

Item. 1919 1920 1921 Main ofRce and branch offices: Total charges for printing and binding

Jackets written Estimates written

Bills computed Main office: Total number of ems set Tabular matter in total ems per cent.

.

Of total emsLinotype machines set do Monotype machines set do Hand compositors set do Hours of time work in composing sections Electrotype and stereotype square inches.

.

Postal cards printed Money-order books shipped Forms sent to press Actual impressions in main pressroom

Chargeable impressions in main pressroom

Sheets folded by machine

Signatures gathered by machine

Tips made by machine

Copies wire-stitched Copies paper-covered Books and pamphlets trimmed

Sheets cut Books rounded and backed Books marbled and edged Stamping impressions Books cased in Indexes cut Sheets passed through ruling machines

Signatures sewed

Copies punched or drilled Sheets or lines perforated Tablets made

$12,774,712.34

56, 339 39,066

70,017 2,492,564,700

42

57

1 336, 743 ,313,444

, 929, 600

602, 800

255, 213

,529,617

, 884, 641 ,749,433

, 255, 909

, 385, 737 ,651,338

, 140, 470

, 325, 539

, 202, 684

, 424, 239

244, 700

, 160, 213

, 538, 849

280, 149

, 131, 676

, 225, 438

, 706, 081

, 924, 445

, 335, 826

778,

, 221

270' 168

12:

8:3; 9; 144; 541;

2:

4,

2;

52, 123: 241

:

13;

S12, 589,571.79

64,440

51, 985 73,342

2, 694, 226, 900

33

44

55

1 367, 600

692, 960

300, 420

773, 930

201, 480 037,654

602,730

216,912

777, 768 601,230

142, 305 782,731

549,380

649,977

481, 844

221, 649

026, 822 574,082

210, 383

401, 288

875, 192 541,046

890; 888

449; 865

707

2,603:

230:

i4i:

3: 57:

e; 84: 467:

1:

3,

1:

43, 94: 108:

15:

4:

$12,876,362. 86

56, 521

49, 687 69,215 2,221,615,200

3740

59

1 301, 228

906,034

345, 782

858, 583

167, 635 006,372

644,449 327,985

646, 295 471,786

880,416

591,499 286,309

201, 101

264, 088

233, 261 268,401 377,314

208, 540 877,279

537, 845

656, 073

159, 392

121, 1C2

11) 1,272.
50 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Table

No.

4.

Operating

expense

for

the

fiscal

year

ended

June

30,

1921.

NONPRODUCTIVE.

il

3,

132! 98

1,

001,

034. 99

1,836,

163.44

:

•

204.00

11,

910. 24

85,

496.

58

97,

965. 92

4,

797. 49

61,

974. 49

43,

963. 97

1,709.

32

308,499.97

1

i 1 imimmmmmmmi3^132'.

98 ;

1,309,564.96

Miscellaneous

and

general $2,

513.

81 1

3,086.07

47.31

: i^"!

• i i '}J,

10/.

U(J 40. 82

3,

879. 79

3.

00

72.23 2,

186. 51 i,

525. si

16,303.10

Machinery

$80.90

2,167.28 1

o

nn

183.25 1,943.

12

10. 33

1,178.

24

440.22 40. 50

49. 75

4.

50

12,

157. 81

6,

162. 23

1,

244.

13

3,

130. 87

1,

581.

00

514. 20 § : §

n ^

f: §:

by

other

sections. —

g : i\

. . . :::::?

:::::?

2 :::::: : :^ ^ : ;i i\

r-r :

Repairs

and 1

1

$1,

032. 8449. 50

194.30

1

219.

64

6.20

134.

52

64. 50

1,708.30 76. 45

183.

12

567.22 55. 95

120.

46

1,105.

87

1,

022.

36

20,

375.

24

2,

390.

33

1,

223.

19

1,

768.

16

103. 99 6

407. 68 .S S i 1 Si

: §:

-

Material

and

supplies

for

and

operation.

547.05 495.

80 .38

315.

88

103.

74

668.

76

5.95

182.98 632.

35

366.22 252.

31

1,231.76 11,

019.

23

147,

460.

33

10,

060. 80

13,

265. 73

12,

340.

69

358. 08

24. 00 : i S :

i i

1 il

Salaries,

wages,

leave

of

absence

and

holidays,

and

liability

pay. ii mmmmmmmmmm 890,

459. 54

i

i

;

J-..

T->.,ui;„

Ti..:.,j^„.,

Chief

clerk

(including

doorkeeper

and

switchAccounvant. Purchasing

(nonproductive)

Lceislative

detail,

not

chargeable

.-.

1 Salary

of

foreman

of

printing

Foreman

of

binding

Prndnntive

machinerv

and

p.nninmfint

Total

Leave

and

holiday

pay,

productive

divisions
AirNXJAL EEPOEr OF THE PUBLIC PEIKTEE.

iiii mm

3 E

fill m 5 §

lii + + ! 2 = £ErSSSF:

li

!1

mmmnmmm

ill Hi

lllllj iiwiiiill

If

II
52 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

4

allotment

appropria-tions.

2 ; : ?S 2 £2 S 12 s £2 f2 f;^ s

562.04 1.46

32.84

2,236.

79

57. 02

945.35

25,463.44 2,703.98

Total

charge. mmtmmimHmmmimmmmi

Chargeable

to

expense. M IS i M M M N M M

i

executed. to

credit

of

miscellaneous

receipts. $34,943.

85

41,650.

48

1st -

i

1

$406.

46

410,

549. 49

63,

718. 77

1,469,696.

53

516,

006. 69

608,

185. 02

66,493.

82

651.

25

52,

571. 66

1,

471,

409. 47

1

60,

838. 68

294,

376.

93

35.

187. 45 i i i i i : :

i i i i i i i il imiMi

: i i i : i i i i^-S-gS^

$1,831,673.90

43,348.34

653,049.47 397,420.24225,987.00

307,

645. 16

644,

993. 44

146,

841. 74

115,636.

25

43,610.69734,307.

77

697,

823.

27

364,

997. 17

229,

886.

01

250,

186.

11

2,

998. 54

29,311.81 1,467.

16

18,

763,21

29,942.

98

254.

65

124,

536. 56

82,

296. 02

2,000.

00

Total

aUotment

ap-

$2,000,351.09

4i6,385.

95

108,

718. 77

2,

167,

164. 18

1,

008,

694. 85

852,387.

39

401,

015. 17

645,000.

00

150,

000. 00

143,360.

18

102,

363. 37

2,263,660.

04

1910,411.61 659,

376. 93

283,9,13.08

md

deposits

30,

1921. 1

$351.09

410,

385. 95

63,

718.

77

1,

469,

696. 53

511,

738. 49

602,387.

39

65,

937. 56

230.

41

52,363.37

1,463,

577. 84

160,411.61

294,

376. 93

33,913.08

404.37 1,954.

26

3,086.

04

12,622.987,955.25

122,739.0656,872.

28

43,341.40 P

1

: : : i i is ; :§ :a : : i

i i i i i i^J^ if^ i i- i^ i i i iNHPi M \ Mi

^ is : i i i ::::::::: : 1 i i i i i i i I i M I I i iiiiiiiii:::::::

Allotment

$2,000,000.00 45,

000. 00

665,

000. 00

450,000.

00

250,000.

00

335,

000. 00

645,

000. 00

150,000.

00

143,

123. 69

50,

000. 00

800,

000.

00

850,

000. 00

365,

000. 00

250,

000. 00

250,

000.

00

3,

000. 00

25,

000. 00

1,500.

00

21,

000. 00

30,000.

00

1,

200. 00

loO,

000.

00

8.5,000.

00

2,000.

00

\

i

{

I

Government

Printing

Office

Office

of

Superintendent

of

Documents

State

TreasuryWarInterior

Geological

Survey

Smithsonian

Institution.

Post

Office

White

House

Supreme

Court,

District

of

Columbia

Supreme

Court,

United

States

United

States

Court

of

Customs

Appeals.

Interstate

Commerce

Commission

Civil

Service

Commission

Geographic

Board..

AUen

Property

Custodian

Bureau

of

Engraving

and

Printing

Commissioners,

District

of

Columbia

Employees'

Compensation

Commission

Federal

Board

Vocational

Education

Federal

Reserve

Board
a:^xual eeport of the public printer. 53

21

1

Includes

$3,760

Weather

Bureau

repay.

m

i

i

i

i

i m 16,516.30 258.18 350.99 703.43

6,551.84 13,259.21 4,301.

IS

.

.

'A,

sm.

95

2,132.91 1,575.73 1,971.14 1,919.23 1,528.54 82.

63

1,040.19 9,843.40 23.53 8,707.72 309.93 349.38 1,014.96

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54 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

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AI^"NUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER. 55

Table No. 7.

Inventory showing value of paper, envelopes, materials, and supplies,

and machinery on hand June SO, 1921.

Reams. Pounds.

Paper and envelopes: Newsprint (rolls) Machine finisli printing (flat) Machine finish printing (rolls) Antioue and deckle-edge printing Rag machine-finish printing Sized and supercalendered printing (flat)

.

Sized and supercalendered printing (rolls)

.

Halftone printing White and colored -writing (flat) White and colored writing (rolls) Money order (rolls) , Ledger Commercial ledger White and colored bond Map

Coated book , Wood manila (flat) , Wood manila ( rolls j Rope and sulphite manila ( flat ) Rope and sulphite manila (rolls) Kraft wrapping Parchment deed Onionskin

Paraffin Tissue Typewriter Note

Blotting Cover White and colored cardboard Manila cardboard

Pressboard

Bristol board (flat) Bristol board (rolls) Checkboard Index wedding bristol Postal card bristol Manila tag (rolls) Marble, comb and lining Carbon

Safety writing Gummed

Binder's board Straw and chip board Trunk board Newsboard

Stereo molding Monotype keyboard

Cloth lined Backlining and headbanding

Offset, tympan and wiping

Tablet stripping

Envelopes. War stock

.

Total.... Materials and supplies: Buckram

Book cloth Ink Ink ingredients Ink made in office Gold, aluminum, and stamping leaf Leather

Fabrikoid

Ribbon-s, typev,Titer (made in office) Gasoline, glycerine, ma-^hine oil, mucilage, kerosene, rags, tokens, and cotton waste

All other miscellaneous material and supplies

Total.

10, 170 238,823

"i"i54"696' 322

3, 594 4,158

192 57,867

3,068

4, 206

28, 898 2,278 880

458

1, 558

11, 202

44

1 42 487

13057

53

2, 828

10032

4 297

276

158

109

141

5059

484

275,387

329,650

102,614

54,901

52, 605

269, 450

296, 797

85, 126

349, 062

134, 901

13, 660 725

), 540

6, 877

10, 562 1,192

1, 236, 665. 21

46, 376. 58

1, 283, 041. 79 1,934 02

1, 284, 975. 81
56 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER.

Table No, 7.Inventory showing value of paper, envelopes, materials, and supplies

j

and machinery on hand June SO, 1921—Continued.

Reams. Pounds.

Machinery (by divisions and sections): Bindery

Buildings Emer-gency Foreman of printing Foundry

Garage Hand composition Job

Library of Congress, binding branch. Library of Congress, printing branch

Linotype

Money order Monotype

National Museum

Patent Office Pension Office Postal card

Press Proof room

Public Printer's Office Public Documents

Senate bindery

Storekeeper Work

Total.

Tablk N(>. 8.

Statement of annual reports and documents printed upon requisition

during fiscal year ended June 30, 1921.

Department

State Treasury War

Navy

Int3rior S nithsonian

Justice Post Office Agriculture Commerce

Labor

Library of Congress Executive Office Pan American Union

Supreme Court, United States Court of Claims

Court of Customs Appoals

Int:^r3tats Commerce Commission

Civil Service Commission

Geographic Board

Alien Property Custodian. Commissioners, District of Columbia.

Employees' Compensation Commission

Vocational Education

Copies.

199,200

14, 227,440

4,717, 910

2, 103, 420

4, 673, 980

83, 652

49, 710 4,557,631

29,440, 108

1, 806, 767

1.676, 920

158, 356

12,071 178,900 3,046

22, 058

100 1,699,574

553, 542 2,000

26, 000

25, 053

33, 252

837, 311

Department.

Federal Reserve Board

Federal Trade Commission

National Advisory Commission, Aeronautics Panama Canal

Railroad Administration Shipping Board

Tariff Commission

Council of National Defense

Fuel Administration

Inter-American High Commission

Interdepartmental Social Hygiene

Board War Trade Board Bureau of Efficiency United States Anthracite Coal Commission United States Bituminous Coal Commission

Federal Electric Railway Commission.

Federal Power Commission

National Forest Reservation Commission

Miscellaneous O