ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

PUBLIC PRINTER

FOR THE FISCAL YEAR

ENDED JUNE 30

1925

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON

D. C.
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

Public Printer.—GEORGE H. CARTER, Iowa

Deputy Public Printer.—J onti Greene, Massachusetts. Production Manager.—Ellwood S. Moorhead, Pennsylvania. Assistant to Public Printer.—Miss Mary A, Tate, Tennessee. Chief C/erAr.—Henry H. Wright, New York. Assistant Chief Clerk.—S. Thomas Ford, New York. Superintendent of Accounts and Budget Officer. —James K. Wallace, Ohio. Assistant Superintendent of Accounts.—Fra^k E, Buckland, Indiana. Purchasing Agent.—En^v^ST E. Emerson, Maryland.

Assistant Purchasing Agent. —William J. Cassiday, District of Columbia. Superintendent of Documents.—Altoi; P. Tisdel, Ohio. Assistant Superintendent of Documents.—Miss Josephine G. Adams, District of Columbia Superintendent of Planning.—William A. Mitchell, North Carolina. Assistant Superintendent of Planning.—Robert W. Summers, New York. Storekeeper and Traffic Manager.—William H. Kervin, New York. Assistant Storekeeper.—George Lamb, Pennsylvania. Medical and Sanitary Officer.—Dr. Daniel P. Bush, Nebraska. Assistant Medical and Sanitary Officer.—T)v. John F. Atkinson, Indiana. Chief of Tests.—Edward 0. Reed, District of Columbia. Disbursing Clerk.—Edward J. Wilver, Pennsylvania. Instructor of Apprentices.—BvRR G. Williams, Iowa. Congressional Record Clerk.—William A. Smith, District of Columbia. Superintendent of Printing. —Henry W. Weber, Indiana. Foreman Linotype Section.—Wiluam D. Skeen, Pennsylvania. Foreman Monotype Section.—James H. Heslet, Kansas. Foreman Proof Section.—MARJOii E. Bullock, Maryland. Foreman Hand Section.—Hugh Reid, Wisconsin. Foreman Job Section.—Allan C. Clough, New Hampshire. Foreman Patents Section. —Charles Garrels, Illinois. Foreman Library Printing Branch.—John L. Getman, New York. Chief Type Machinist.—DAmEL L. Liddle, Michigan.

Superintendent of Presswork.—Bert E. Bair, Michigan. Assistant Superintendent of Presswork.—Daniel Beckwith, New Hampshire, Foreman Main Pressroom.—Daniel I. Leane, New York. Foreman Job Pressroom.—James E. Veatch, New York. Foreman Postal Card Section.—Joseph A. Fenton, Michigan. Foreman Money Order Section.—John A. Massey, Jr., Georgia. Superintendent of Binding.—MARtiN R. Speelman, Missouri. Assistant Superintendent of Binding.—JouN A. Patterson, New York. Foreman Pamphlet Binding Section.—James F. Fitzpatrick, New York. Foreman Ruling and Sewing Section.—Walter H. Oliver, Maine. Foreman Library Binding Branch.—CHARLES F. Weston, Massachusetts. Superintendent of Platemaking.—Edward G. Whall, Massachusetts. Assistant Superintendent of Platemaking.—Edward A. Kerr, Massachusetts. Foreman Molding Section.—James H. Babcock, Jr., Rhode Island. Foreman Photo-engraving Section.—Wiluam H. Meyer, Maryland.

Night Assistant Production Manager.—Edward A. HusE, Massachusetts. Assistant Superintendent Presswork, night.—Jonn D. Meyers, Ohio. Foreman Monotype Section, night.—William A. Morris, Missouri. Foreman Linotype Section, night.—Harry L. Murray, Pennsylvania. Foreman Proof Section, night. —Hermann B. Barnhart, Indiana. Foreman Hand Section, night. —George O. Atkinson, Massachusetts. Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance.—^ALFRED E. Hanson, Massachusetts.. Chief Draftsman.—Kei^ry A. LuDwiG, Maryland. Chief Carpenter.—AbraAM B. Batton, Maryland. Chief Machinist.—MicuAEL J. McInerney, New York. Chief Electrician.—Edward H. Brian, District of Columbia. Chief Engineer.—Walter A. Browne, New Hampshire. Chief Pipefitter.—OwTLVB H. George, New York. Construction Foreman.—Daniel W. Bruce, District of Columbia. Foreman Sanitary Section.—

J

osetb. L. May, Virginia. Chief of Delivery.—Walter G. Copp, District of Columbia. Captain of Guards.—Charles H. Warner, District of Columbia.

II
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER

Go^-ERXMENT Printing Office,

Office of the Public Printer,

Washington^ D. C.^ Deceniber 31^ 1925.

To the Congress of the United States:

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

report concerning the work of the Government Printing Office for

the fiscal year ended June 30, 1925, and also for the last half of the

calendar year ended December 31, 1925 : The most accurate measure of the success of a manufacturing

establishment is its operating cost. Tested by that gauge, the Government Printing Office was more sliccessful during the fiscal year

1925 than ever before in the 65 years of its operation. This record

has been achieved notwithstanding the $880,000 increase of wages

authorized by Congress, the assumption of the $890,000 annual bonus

payment as an additional wage charge, and the necessarily large

expenditures for improved equipment and construction and repair

work, all of which added approximately 20 per cent to the cost for

the year. On account of this exceptionally heavy burden, which the Government Printing Office had to assume during the year without any

additional appropriations, the charges for work were necessarily

increased. Plowever, the departments were relieved of any serious

embarrassment to their printing activities by a curtailment of

$525,791 in the expenditures of this office for labor and material,

other than emergency jDOstal-card stock, from March 7 to June 30,

1925, and by the increased production of a smaller force. EXPENSES MET BY CHARGES FOR WORK ^ Operating expenses, including material and equipment, and

charges for work are necessarily synonymous terms in the finances

of the Government Printing Office, inasmuch as the Public Printer

is required by law to charge the entire cost of operation each year

to the annual output. Therefore, in considering the charges for

printing, it should be borne in mind that they cover every expenditure of the Government Printing Office for the year, including

the entire cost of all new equipment, all construction, repair, and

maintenance services, and, of course, all expenditures for wages and

materials.

How closely the charges for work conform to the cost is shown by

the fact that the charges of $11,532,000 for the finished product in

the fiscal year 1925 exceeded the cost by only one-fifth of 1 per cent. In other words, the office supported itself with the income

1
2 Annual Report of the Public Printer

from work completed for Congress and the various departments of

the Government.

A comparison of the scale of prices in effect on April 5, 1921,

when the present Public Printer was placed in charge of the Government Printing Office, with the charges made since that time

show that, except for the increase in wages, the establishment is now being operated at less expense than it was prior to 1921. Compared with the scale of April 5, 1921, the gross decrease in charges

from that date to and including the fiscal year 1924 amounted to $2,052,038, Avhile the charges on miscellaneous items were increased

$787,090, making a net clecrease in charges of $1,264,948 for the

four 3-ears 1921-1924.

The wage increase authorized by the Kiess Act, which also trans- ferred the $240 annual bonus payment to a wage charge, required an advance of approximately 15 per cent in the scale of prices over

the rates for the fiscal year 1924, but, owing to the reductions in

the preceding three years, the net increase for 1925 over the scale on

April 5, 1921, was only 8 per cent, or approximately half of the

increase in wage charges for the full year. REDUCTIONS MADE IX SCALE OF CHARGES

Although anticipating the report for the fiscal year 1926, it seems

fitting at this time to state that since July 1, 1925, two further reductions, totaling 5 per cent, have been made in the scale of charges. If

th:^ reduced charges remain effective throughout the fiscal ypar

1926, as is expected, the net increase over 1921 will be less than 4

per cent, or approximately $417,000, notwithstanding the additional

wage cost of $1,680,000 per annum. It appears fair, therefore, to assume that, if the wage cost had not been increased, the charges

for the same volume of work would be $1,263,000 less in 1926 than

prior to April 5, 1921. Included in the lower operating cost is a decrease of approximately $700,000 in the price of paper and other

materials, deducting which would make the net reduction in charges,

other than wages, for the fiscal year 1926, approximately $560,000

less than the 1921 charges for the same amount of work. The

greatest reduction was in the cost of postal cards and money orders,

due largely to lower prices for paper.

A decrease of approximately $100,000 was made in the cost of

printing speeches charged to Members of Congress from 1921 to 1926, as compared with the charges prior to April, 1921. This indi- cates an actual saving to Senators and Representatives of that

amount in their personal expenditures for pamphlet copies of

speeches.

Notwithstanding the increased labor costs and additional expenditures for necessary machinery and equipment, the Public Printer

has been able in the last five years to save $4,778,486,25 out of the

funds available for expenditure by the Government Printing Office,

and has returned that sum to the Treasury of the United States. The unexpended balances for the five-year period 1921-1925 were

nearly 8 per cent of the total available resources of $62,683,170.42.

For the preceding five-year period 1916-1920 the unexpended bal- ances, including the large sums left on hand when the armistice sud-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 3

denly ended the vast printing requirements df the war, amounted to

$2,962,491.20, or $1,815,995.05 less than for the five years of the

present administration.

SAVINGS CO:^rPLY WITH PLEDGE TO BUDGET

The available resources of the Government Printing Office have

now reached rock-bottom under the new and more economical financial system started three years ago, and large unexpended balances can not be assured for the future. However, the Public Printer

succeeded in fulfilling his reserve pledge to the Bureau of the Budget

and also qualified in the President's 2 per cent savings club " for the fiscal year 1925 with an unexpended balance of $128,267.80,

which was gratifying in view of the fact that no additional appropriations were made to meet the largely increased expenditures for

wages under the Kiess Act, which became effective during the year. Besides the balances of $4,778,486.25 unexpended in the five years

1921-1925, the Public- Printer also deposited in the Treasury during

^the same period the simi of $1,303,416.52 from the disposal of waste

paper, obsolete material and equipment, and surplus receipts from

the sale of Government publications. By these unused balances and

deposits, which came from an economical and businesslike operation

of the Government Printing Office, the Treasury of the United States has profited to the extent of $6,081,902.77 during the five years. The record of the Government Printing Office for increased

efficiency in the last five years is also substantiated by the production of printing and binding during that period. The charges for

work done in the five years 1921-1925 amounted to $54,382,863.93, an increase of $2,457,407.34 over the previous five-year period 1916-

1920. This increase is especially noteworthy considering the fact

that the preceding five years 1916-1920 covered the war period

when the high price of paper added greatly to the charges, and a peak force of 5,307, or 1,300 more than at present, was employed.

The charges to Congress and other establishments of the Government for printing and binding products completed in the fiscal year

1925 amounted to $11,532,954.66, to which should be added $800,000,

the estimated expenditure for labor and material on jobs not completed or charged during the year. The year's total production may

therefore be valued at $12,332,954.66. The charged product was

$2,253,033.29 more than for the preceding fiscal year 1924.

Although the increase in the cost of the product for 1925 was due

partly to the higher wage expense, there was actually a greater out- put, which is properly attributable to greater efficiency and more productive machinery.

During the last five years the Government Printing Office has

operated with an annual average of 410 fewer employees, including

apprentices, than were on the rolls in the preceding five years. The

average number employed during the period 1916-1920 was 4,591, as compared with 4,181 for the period of 1921-1925. In the past

year it was necessary to reduce the force to a minimum of 3,916,

but the printing requirements of Congress for the present session

have brought the force up to approximately 4,000 employees. It is believed that this number will meet the average needs of the office for some time.
4 Annual Report of the Public Printer

4 57 FEWER EMPLOYEES THAN IN 1921

The present force numbers 457 less than the former Public Printer

left on the rolls at the expiration of his term of office on April 4, 1921, and the reduced force is doing more and better work.

In the five years 1921-1925, the smaller force produced 1,548,-

033,545 more printed blanks, cards, letterheads, and minor jobs than

did the larger force during the five years 1916-1920. For the same

period, 1921-1925, the charges show 784,637 more pages of type and

222,447,800 more mone3^-order forms than during the five years 1916-

1920.

Linotype operators increased their average output 164 ems per

hour, and monotype keyboard operators added 358 ems per hour to their averages during the last five years, as compared with the

averages for 1916-1920.

Increased production in the fiscal year 1925 over 1924 included

128,787,673 more copies of blanks, notices, schedules, cards, and

minor jobs, totaling 2,828,523,402 copies for the year; 6,301,973 more

copies of miscellaneous publications, totaling 14,950,885 copies for,

the year; 919,362 more copies of patent specifications, totaling 5,298,-

862 copies for the year ; and 59,070 more copies of the weekly Patent

Office Gazette, totaling 306,496 copies for the year. Printing for the Patent Office has become the biggest single job

handled by the Government Printing Office, requiring the output

of 50 to 60 linotype machines working 8 hours a day throughout the

year. In the fiscal year 1925 there were printed 149,643 pages of

patent and trade-mark specifications, an increase of 29,041 pages

over the preceding year. The average weekly issue of patents now

exceeds 900, an increase of 150 since the force of the Patent Office was increased about a year ago. To expedite printing for the Patent Office a special patents section was organized in the Government Printing Office during the year and

fully equipped to handle every operation connected with the work,

from the setting of type to the delivery of the product. This sec- tion has 40 linotype machines, the overflow copy being handled

in the regular linotype section, and is also equipped with four cylinder presses, which are kept busy turning out millions of copies of the

printed specifications. All patent printing has to be completed

Aveekiy on a definite time schedule, which adds greatly to the problem of handling the tremendous amount of type, but the office has succeeded in meeting all the requirements of the Patent Office. ENORMOUS OUTl^UT OF POSTAL CARDS

Another tremendous job of a different sort, being almost entirely a presswork and shipping problem, is the printing of all the postal

cards used throughout the entire United States. A new record for

this work was set in the fiscal year 1925 by printing 1,595,376,890

cards, which exceeded the 1924 output by 342,303,710. The Post

Office Department estimates that it will use 1,791,299,000 postal cards

in the next fiscal year. The vast increase is due largely to the new postal revenue law,

which requires a 2-cent stamp on a private card, but continues the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 5

1-cent rate for the card furnished by the Government. Evidently,

the public has taken full advantage of the generosity of Congress

in supplying and carrying the Government cards for 1 cent each

and has largely discontinued the use of commercial cards, which

require 2 cents' postage, in addition to the cost of the cardboard and

the printing.

To meet the anticipated demand for the Government cards, the

Post Office Department placed an order for the printing of

300,000,000 additional cards as soon as the postal revenue law was

passed in the closing hours of the last Congress. On account of this

requirement, the production of postal cards was increased from

4,300,000 to 20,000,000 cards daily, the larger output including

10,000,000 individual cards, counted in packs of 50 each and placed

in cartons of 500 cards each, and 10,000,000 cards printed in sheets

of 48 cards each and packed in wooden boxes of 12,000 cards.

The sheet cards are used by commercial printers and large business

establishments, to whom the Government generously delivers the

sheets without extra charge for the paper and, when printed and

cut into individual cards, carries them in the mails at the old rate of

1 cent each. Consequently, the demand at once became overwhelming for the 1-cent stamped Government card to replace the private

card which requires a 2-cent stamp.

In complying with the abnormal orders for postal cards, the

presses maintained an average daily production of more than

22,000,000 cards for a number of days, and set a new record of

26,000,000 cards for one day's work. Between April 7 and July 1, 610,322,016 postal cards were produced. The printing of the additional cards required the operation of five flat-bed presses besides

the two regular postal-card presses. HOW THE RUSH ORDERS WERE HANDLED

But presswork was not the only extra burden placed on this office by the rush orders for additional millions of postal cards. Paper

mills had to make plans to produce as soon as possible at least 1,000,000 pounds of additional cardboard, 500 extra plates were

hurried through the electrotyping room, and an enlarged force

trained to inspect, count, pack, and box the forthcoming avalanche of

cards. In 39 days the carpenter shop made 19,500 boxes for the shipment of sheet cards, and the year's total was 39,649 boxes. Every

operation connected with the printing and distribution of postal

cards was handled by the Government Printing Office, the packages

being sent direct to the thousands of postmasters and postal agencies

throughout the United States and Panama. All this was done and

the big job handled in record time.

Kecently the Government Printing Office has installed three new

postal-card presses that are marvels for production and mechanical

perfection. Each press will produce 6,400 printed postal cards a minute, and the three presses have a combined output of over

7,000,000 cards for an eight-hour working day. A 33 -inch roll of

paper is used for printing the cards, 80 cards being printed with

each revolution of the plate cylinder. After being printed, the roll of paper is slit into 10 ribbons of postal-card width, which are then
6 Annual Report of the Public Printer

chopped into individual cards at lightning speed, automatically

counted into packs of 50 cards each, and delivered on tape con- veyors to a table at the end of the press, where a group of women

separate each pack with paper bands and place them in cartons of

10 packs each. A device is now being perfected to band and pack the

cards automatically.

The new presses can also be adjusted to print and cut the paper

into sheets of 40 cards each and to print on both sides of a per- forated double card as required for the well-known " reply " cards.

The new postal-card presses were designed to make use of a

lighter weight postal-card stock without affecting the quality of the

card. In fact, the lighter weight card is stiffer and feels more

substantial than the old card. This has been made possible by

printing the new cards with the grain of the paper running lengthwise instead of crosswise, as in the old cards. Millions of the lighter

weight cards are now in use, and, as far as this office knows, the

public has not observed the change. The new card is 10 per cent

lighter in weight, but it is more firm in handling than the old card,

owing to the resistance of the lengthwise grain.

SAVING IN OPERATION OF NEW PRESSES

The reduced weight will effect an annual saving of approximately

900,000 pounds of paper, costing $55,000, based on a normal year's

requirement of 9,000,000 pounds of paper. The saving will pay for

the new presses in less than three years and provide a way for future

reduction of the expense of furnishing 1-cent postal cards to the

public.

It may be of further interest to note that the Government Printing

Office has reduced its charges to the Post Office Department for

postal cards for the last five years by $2,201,515, as compared with

the charges in effect on April 5, 1921. Nearly all of the decrease,

however, was due to the lower prices of paper which the Government

Printing Office was able to obtain for the benefit of the Post Office- Department.

RECORD IN PRINTING OF MONEY ORDERS

A new record was also established in the printing of approximately 220,500,600 post-office money-order forms during the fiscal year 1925, which topped last year's record mark by 30,808,600, an

increase of 16 per cent. Money-order forms are produced from roll&

of sensitized and watermarked paper by special presses which, in a continuous operation, print on both sides of the sheet, two colors on one side, consecutively number each order in several places, print

the name and number of the respective post office on each order,

perforate the purchaser's stub, and collate according to the consecutive numbers. The sheets are then verified, put into packs of individual orders, and bound into books of 200 orders each for the con- venience of the postmaster.

The year's output was 1,102,503 of such books, an increase of

154,043 over the previous year's record.

The books of money orders are sent by registered mail direct from

the Government Printing Office to the respective postmasters, the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 7

Post Office Department having no work to do in connection with the

])rinting and distribution of the vast supply of money-order forms

except to transmit the requisitions to the Government Printing Office and handle the packages in the mails.

The annual fluctuation in the quantity of money orders required - in the trade of the country has long been considered an accurate barometer of business conditions. The tremendous increase in the

demand for money orders during the last two j^ears, breaking all former records of the office for 18 years, can be accepted, therefore,

as an assured indication that business conditions throughout the

United States are steadily improving and that the upward trend of

general prosperity has substantial support in the use of nearly

40,000,000 more money orders during 1925 than were required to transact the people's business two years ago. As each money order

may call for the transfer of funds up to $100, some idea may be

had of the vast volume of trade that is represented by the 220,500,600

money orders printed for use last year. The work of printing postal cards and money orders increased so greatly that' it was necessary to provide more and better space for

these important operations. An entire floor of one building was

especially equipped to handle this work and provided with everything necessary to expedite and safeguard the product. The new

section is a compact unit entirely separated from the other work of

the office. Special elevators and chutes facilitate handling and shipping the product which is stored on the floor below in a large fire- proof vault having a capacity of 150,000,000 postal cards. The

workroom is provided with every convenience, including a balcony

for lockers and wash rooms for the employees who handle in safety

and without loss the annual product of money orders and postal

cards which have a possible money value of more than $22,000,-

000,000, if converted into cash for the maximum amount.

BIG INCREASE IN VARIOUS PRODUCTS

Postal cards and money-order forms do not constitute the major

task of the Government Printing Office; in fact, they are only a minor incident of the tremendous annual output of printed products.

As before stated, the office printed a total of 2,828,523,402 copies of

all kinds of blanks, notices, schedules, cards, and minor jobs during

the fiscal year 1925, an increase of 128,787,673 copies over the production for 1924. The output of various sized publications, mostly quartos and

octavos, numbered 88,287,859 copies, which was slightly less than for

the preceding year, when a considerably larger force was employed

on this work. Of these publications, 1,840,026 were bound.

The letter-writing activities of the Government during the year

1925 required the printing of 114,346,674 letterheads, noteheads,

and envelopes, a decrease of 19,522,960 from 1924, but these figures

do not tell the full story of the toil of Government typewriters, for

millions more of letterheads are printed by multigraph and other

processes, and many more millions of envelopes are obtained under

contracts awarded by the Post Office Department.

The total number of copies of various kinds of jobs printed and

bound by the Government Printing Office during 1925 topped the

61869—26 2
8 Annual Report of the Public Printer

3,000,000,000 mark, the exact figures being 3,042,267,348, which was

an increase of 106,366,646 over the fiscal year 1924. Paper for these

publications cost $2,625,610.17; composing-room work cost $3,340,-

639.36; bindery work, $2,273,638.42; press work, $1,250,994.46; elec- trotyping and stereotyping, $254,413.89; illustrations, $223,689.82;

and, including various other items, the total charge for the year

amounted to $11,532,954.66. In addition, the office expended approximately $800,000 for labor and material on jobs that were not

completed during the year, and consequently are not included in the

year's total of computed charges.

EXCELLENT WORK OF ACCOUNTING DIVISION

To account for this enormous product, 52,731 separate job instructions were prepared, 45,830 cost estimates were rendered, and 66,000

bills computed for the payment of charges by the various departments of the Government. The watchfulness of the accounting division is evidenced by the fact that all of the bills for the year have

been collected with the exception of $82.24, which remains to be paid

out of the total of more than $11,000,000 charged. The accuracy

also of the accounting and purchasing divisions is attested by the

disallowance during the year of only $167.56 out of the $11,000,000

of expenditures reviewed by the General Accounting Office. These

minor disallowances for errors have all been refunded to the

Treasury.

Increased output for the fiscal year 1925 was accomplished with

240,641 less hours of overtime, Sunday, and holiday work than in

1924, which effected a reduction of $195,775.43 in the annual ex- penditures for extra work.

Printed matter issued by the Government during the year re- quired the setting of 2,128,394,700 ems of type. This would make

118,244,000 lines of type if made ordinary newspaper column width,

and such column set solid would make a string 1,113,410 feet, or 210

miles, in length. The type was made up into 1,796,688 pages, and the

total number of copies printed of these pages was 3,979,798,364. It took 275 proof readers a year to read all this printed matter. An

individual who aspires to read all the literature of the Government

would have to outlive Methuselah, and even then he would in a few

years be hopelessly behind the current publications of the vast army

of Government writers.

The production of type showed a gratifying increase of 83,729,800 ems over the preceding year. The increase is attributable partly to the good work of the apprentices, who set 21,858,000 ems during the

fiscal year 1925, as compared with an output of 6,136,000 ems in

1924, when less experienced. The machine-composition sections had

an average of 75 more operators on the rolls in 1925, but these sec- tions worked 70,873 less extra hours on overtime, Sundays, and holidays than in 1924.

TYPE-MACHINE OPERATORS INCREASE AVERAGES

The larger part of the increased composition in 1925 is due, however, to the higher averages maintained by the linotype and monotype operators. This was noticeable after adoption of the new wage
Annual Report of the Public Printer 9

scale, which classified the operators into groups based on production

for a three-month period.

The new wage scale provides a rate of $1 per hour for regular

linotype operators averaging from 3,700 to 4,000 ems of type per

hour, and $1.05 per hour for 4,000 ems and over; and a rate of $1

for regular monotype keyboard operators averaging from 5,000 to

5.600 ems per hour and $1.05 for 5,600 ems and over per hour.

' At the first quarterly readjustment of wages, all but 94 linotype

operators and 29 monotype keyboard operators had attained ^ the

higher rate based on increased production. The quarterly readjustment on October 1, 1925, placed all but 25 linotype operators and

17 monotype keyboard operators in the top class. The average number of ems set during the fiscal year 1925 by

all the operators in the linotj^pe section was 4,171 per hour per

operator, as compared with an average of 3,715 per hour for the

fiscal year 1924. For the five years 1921-1925 the linotype average was 3^869 ems, and for the five years 1916-1920 the average was

3,705 ems, with the low mark of 3,545 in 1920, the last year of the

preceding administration. Linotype composition is mostly in 8

and 10 point, 26 picas wide.

Operators in the monotype keyboard section set an average of

5,772 ems per hour in the fiscal year 1925, as against an average of

5,048 in 1924. The average of monotype keyboard operators for the

five years 1921-1925 was 5,204 ems per hour, and for the five years

1 916-1920 it was 4,846 ems per hour, with the low mark of 4,528 ems

in 1920. The greater part of monotype composition is tabular work.

MACHINERY EQUIPMENT LEADS THE INDUSTRY

The machine-composition sections are equipped with 144 linotypes

(including 48 of the latest model, No. 25), 120 monotype keyboards,

126 monotype casters, 2 monotype material casters, 2 Ludlows, and

1 intertype. This is the largest battery of type-setting machines in

any printing plant in the world. "VYith bindery and pressroom

equipment on a similar scale, it is possible to set up, print, bind,

and mail 35,000 copies of a 256-page Congressional Record in a

single night, or to complete a 935-page book, as was done for the

Conference on the Limitation of Armament in 1922, in 40 working

hours. In fact, the extreme capacity of the Government Printing

Office has never been fully tested as yet.

During the year the equipment of the linotype and monotype

assembling rooms was extensively rearranged for more expeditious

handling of the work. It is believed that the layout of these rooms

is now a model for the printing industry.

Pershing's linotype in place of honor

Occupying a place of honor in the world's greatest battery of

linotype machines is the so-called Pershing machine which was used

at General Pershing's headquarters in France to set type for the

most confidential communications of the General Staff of the American Army. The Pershing machine is a model No. 5 linotype of

American manufacture, but was originally equipped with a French

keyboard and designed to cast slugs lower than American height.
10 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The machines Avere provided with gasoline heaters to melt the

type metal, but this equipment was so dangerous on account of fre- quent explosioES, from which the operators had several narrow

escapes, that electric heaters were secured from the United States. When General Pershing decided to establish a printing plant at his headquarters in Chaumont he detailed Maj. W. W. Kirby to procure the necessary equipment in France. Major Kirby located two

linotype machines in a small French printing office, and, despite

the protest of the French Military Commission, transported them

by canal and truck to General Pershing's headquarters.

When General Pershing gave up his headquarters at Chaumont.

the linotype mac'hines were placed on motor trucks and became part

of a fully equipped printing train operated by the Twenty-ninth

Engineers. This train accompanied the Commanding General of

the American Army throughout the war in France. The printingtrain of trucks was frequently close to the battle front, and several

times subjected to heavy shell fire by the Germans. Nevertheless,

at all times and under all conditions the mobile printing plant con- tinued to issue daily the publications which were so essential to the

information service of General Pershing's staff. After the armistice the war printing plant was dismantled and

shipped to Camp Humphreys, Va., from which place the Pershing

machine was finally transferred to the Government Printing Office. Although the war machine has been completely reconditioned and

now looks much like the 143 other linotypes with which it keeps

pace in setting type for prosaic Government documents, it seems to have a more distinguished individuality than all the other machines.

Employees hold it in special veneration, and every visitor does

homage to the historic machine whose types had recorded war secrets of vital importance and had so faithfully done their bit to help win

the World War. Copies of the confidential publications of the

Pershing printing plant have been preserved in the Army War

College for further use by the General Staif School. Some day a bronze plate recording its war record will be placed on the Pershing machine, so that its distinguished military service may never be

forgotten.

The Government Printing Office also has an intertype machine

which rendered good service at the navy yard during the war; this

machine also has been rehabilitated to continue valuable service as a peaceful citizen in setting type for patent specifications.

PROOF READING SHOWS GAIN FOR THP] YEAR

The proof room kept up with the output of the typesetting machines by reading 1,146,884 galleys of printed matter during the

year, an increase of 115,165 galle3^s, or 11 per cent more than for

the preceding year. The increased work was done with a daily

average of 275 readers, or 42 more than the average for 1924. The

roof room worked 37,933 less hours on overtime, Sundavs, and

olidays in 1925 than in 1924.

From the proof room records it is evident that technical publications by the Government are increasing considerably. During the

year 172,696 galleys of technical matter were read, an increase of

52,182 galleys over 1924.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 11

Many changes were made during the year in the physical appear-

-ance of the proof room, so that now it is by far the biggest, best

equipped, and most ideal proof room in the world. By removing an

old vault and t^^pe-storage tables, approximately 2,000 more square

feet have been made available for the proof room, allowing a rear- rangement of the force to much better advantage. Space and equipment have been provided for 88 additional readers, so that the room

will accommodate 342 readers, revisers, and copy editors. Separate

locations have been assigned to these groups. Suitable bookcases have

been provided for the reference library, which is an important part

of any proof-room equipment. Trojan lights, similar to the new

lighting of the composing and press rooms, have been installed ac- cording to the plan of gradually replacing all the old fixtures

throughout the building. At the rear of the room a fireproof mezzanine floor has been erected providing space for 250 lockers which

formerh'- were scattered around the work floor. The job section of the printing division was also kept busy during the year in handling 32,845 jackets (separate printing jobs), an

increase of 223 over the preceding year. The extra work by the

job-room force was done with a daily average of 12 fewer employees

on the rolls and 3.877 less hours of extra time.

The branch printing office in the Library of Congress likewise

increased its output with a slightly smaller force. During the year

it printed 14,364,500 library catalogue cards, an increase of 2,000,000 over the 1924 production and 2,600,000 over 1923. Extra copies of

these cards are sold to libraries throughout the country, the re- ceipts of the Library of Congress from these sales in 1925 amounting to $140,701,89.

GOOD WORK OF THE PLATE-MAKING DIVISION

In addition to the setting of more than 2,000,000,000 ems of type,

10,447,231 square inches of electrotype and stereotype plates were made during the 3^ear to facilitate the work of the printing presses. Although the plate-making division operated with nine fewer emplo^-ees, its production decreased only 193,953 square inches, or 2

per cent under the 1924 output. The expenses of the division for

the year decreased 7 per cent, while the computed product increased

16 per cent. The expenditure for overtime, Sunday, and holiday

work was less than half the amount paid for extra work in the

preceding year. Included in the plate production were 371,426 square inches of

nickeled stereotypes made according to a process which the Public

Printer obtained in England through the courtesy of Mr. H. Langley

Jones, m'anaging director of the Cornwall Press of London. This

process is a satisfactory and economical substitute for the more

expensive electrotype plates which had been used too extensively in

Government printing for m?inj years. The increase in use of nickeled

stereotypes is shown by the production of only 7,184 square inches

during the preceding year, as compared with 371,426 square inches

in 1925. The stereotyping room has also been equipped with a new battery

of casting boxes and improved machines for producing plates for

the Cono^ressional Record and similar size publications. Other new
12 Annual Report of the Public Printer

equipment installed in the plate-making division during the yeai*

includes a plate precision machine, wax-ruling machine, proving

presses, and shaving, beveling, and curving machines of the latest type.

The photo-engraving section, which was established by the present

Public Printer in 1922, is rapidly becoming one of the most important

units in the office. It is equipped with four large cameras and the

necessary workmen and machines to handle their output. During

the j^ear 1,914 square feet of floor space had to be taken from the

main cafeteria room and added to the photo-engraving section to provide suitable accommodations for the increased work. The completed product of halftones and line cuts for the year was 664,438

square inches, the increase in halftones being 33 per cent and line cuts 17 per cent. Included in the line-cut production was an average

of more than 1,200 cuts weekly for the Patent Gazette. The production shows a substantial gain for the year, and assures a self- supporting photo-engraving section.

PRESSES KEEP PACE IN BIG PRODUCTION

The big pressrooms, operating 170 presses ranging from small

jobbers to 64-page rotaries, kept pace during the year with the tre- mendous production of t^^pe and plates. The presswork division,

with a slightly decreased force and 27,000 less hours of extra work,

produced 78,449,828 more chargeable impressions in 1925 than in

1924, the total output of chargeable impressions for 1925 being

2,129,585,506.

The total number of actual impressions run off was 471,384,300, a decrease of 8,909,392 from 1924. This decrease of actual impressions reflects additional credit for the economical operation of the

presses, inasmuch as the big increase of chargeable impressions, with

a substantial decrease of press operations, shows a most commendable effort toward the combination of forms for greater press output.

Two 64-page Hoe presses have been especially designed and built

for the printing of the Congressional Record and publications of

similar size. These presses have recently been erected in the new

Record pressroom, and it is expected that they will be in satisfactory

operation during the present session of Congress. The two new

presses will supplement three old presses that have been in almost

constant use for more than a quarter of a century. The new presses are constructed to print signatures of 4 to 64 pages, and to fold,

gather, and paste or wire-stitch the separate signatures at the rate of

approximately 12,000 copies per hour. The entire equipment is built according to the latest and best design for printing press

machinery.

With the five new and old presses available for the Congressional

Record, it will be possible to print over night a 256-page Record daily

whenever the proceedings of Congress fill such a volume. The

Record now averages 80 pages daily, and near the close of a session

frequently exceeds 100 pages daily. The largest daily Record ever printed consisted of 366 pages of railroad records which the late Senator La Follette inserted in the Senate proceedinofs of Mav 6, 1914.

^
Annual Report of the Public Printer 13

EQUIPMENT FOR CONGRESSIONAL RECORD

For more expeditious and economical printing of the Congressional

Record, an entirely new section has been provided on the second

floor of the main building. There will be performed every operation in connection with the publication and distribution of the

Record, except the typesetting, proofreading, and platemaking,

which will continue to be done in their respective divisions. Adjacent to the new presses are two new 11-box gathering machines for

collating and wire-stitching extra signatures whenever a day's

Record makes more than 64 pages. At the end of the gathering machine is a powerful new continuous trimmer, and from the trimmer

the finished copies go to the nearby mailing tables, where they will

be wrapped and carried by moving belts to mail sacks at the end of

tables. As rapidly as the sacks are filled they are dumped into a chute

and transported by a belt conveyer through a tunnel to the city

post office, where they are transferred to the Union Station and

placed on outgoing trains, all within five minutes after leaving

the Government Printing Office. Thus, 350 sacks of Records are dispatched nightly when Congress is in session. Heretofore the

Record has been printed on the first floor, and the 35,000. copies

hauled by elevator to the fifth floor, where they were gathered,

stitched, trimmed, wrapped, and sent by chute back to the basement

conveyer. All this work will be done by consecutive and closely

connected operations in one room on the secorfd floor. BUSY OPERATIONS OF THE BINDERY

The bindery, owing to the smaller editions printed of many publications, shows material decrease in a number of its major operations.

Nevertheless, 6,230 more jackets (separate jobs) were completed in

1925 than during the previous year, and this work was done with an

average force of 32 fewer employees which accomplished the task

with 36,632 hours (58 per cent) less extra time. Uncompleted bindery work on hand at the end of the year decreased 250 jackets (18

per cent )

, as compared with the work left unfinished at the close of

the preceding year. Edition sewing, however, increased 4,168,001 signatures (book

parts) over the product for 1924, the total for 1925 being 83,821,611

machine-sewed signatures. Loose-leaf copies punched or drilled

increased 22,681,942, with a total of 102,005,765 for the year, which was a notable output.

Record-breaking time was made by the machine-sewing section

in the sewing of 7,642,784 signatures for 105,620 Postal Guides in

12% days, an average of 600,000 signatures per day, with little interruption to other work.

Other bindery work for the year included the machine folding of

^35,489,426 printed sheets, the machine gathering of 139,940,616

printed signatures, the wire stitching of 46,426,889 copies, the

trimming of 56,726,117 copies, the paper covering of 4,583,788 copies,

and the making of 1,757,498 cases (covers) for cloth-bound books.

The bindery ruling machines handled 21,096,848 sheets, a decrease
14 Annual Report of the Public Printer

of 3,040,002 over the preceding year, due largely to the installation of

Ludlow and wax ruling machines, which produce some of this work

at much lower cost. In addition to the foregoing operations, the

bindery made 2,850,376 tablets for the use of Cong'ress and the

departments. Books rebound, mostly for the Congressional Library.,

totaled 93,295. The year's record, therefore, indicates no idle time

for the smaller bindery force. BINDERY REEQUIPPED WITH MACHINERY

A special drive has been made in the last tvvo 5^ears to reequip

the bindery with the latest and most productive machinery obtainable. This equipment has been purchased according to a definite

program based on the funds available each year and the special needs

of the service, with the result the Government bindery has now

attained an enviable standard for efficiency and is capable of doing- more and better work with a smaller force than ever before in its long career. Among the large bindery machines installed are three

big continuous trimmers, each with an output of 5,400 1-inch books

per hour ; a continuous-feed cloth case-making machine with an out- put of 11,000 cases daily, as compared with a daily product of 2,500

cases by each old hand-fed machine; 10 book-sewing machines of

the latest type; a self-feeder for board cutter; three automatic

spacing paper cutters; a cloth-case forming machine; two stampingpresses with ribbon gold attachments; a book and waste-paper stripping machine; a pg^per-gumming machine; a multiple-head wirestitching machine; a head-banding, crashing, and book-lining machine; two dual L ruling machines; several folding machines,

including a " quad " (64-page) and one with an inserting, covering,,

and stitching attachment; automatic feeding devices for several

folding machines; a two-up attachment to double the production?

of gathering machines; and three 10-box gathering machines with

stitchers. The total number of copies of reports and documents printed for

the half hundred Government establishments, not including Congress, was 58,288,167, a decrease, owing to the smaller editions, as. before noted, of 7,986,043 copies from the total for 1924. The Department of A^griculture headed the list with 26,371,901 copies, but

this total was 3,963,921 less than were issued the preceding year. The War Department came next with 11,384,690 copies, an

increase of 1,267,991 over the year before, notwithstanding the Conference on the Limitation of Armament, the League of Nations, the

World Court, and other agencies striving to restrict the activities of

the War Department. It may be the Armament Conference had

some effect on the Navy Department, for its publications decreased

262,248 copies, with a total for the year of 1,766,336.

The Treasury Department showed real economy with the largest

decrease of the year, publishing 4,961,246 fewer copies than in 1924,

POST OFFICE LEADS IN AMOUNT OF PRINTING

The Post Office Department again led all the establishments of

the Government, including Congress, in the amount paid the Government Printing Office for work done during the fiscal year. The
Annual Report of the Public Printer 15

total charges to the Post Office Department for 1925 amounted to $2,227,481.96, while for 1924 postal printing cost $1,739,957.21. In- cluded in the 1925 charges was $1,057,028.60 for postal cards and

$195,045.98 for money orders. Among other printing done for the

Post Office Department during the year were 223,550,000 copies of

money-order application blanks, 153,100,000 mail notices, 52,660,000

return receipts, 30,000.000 special-delivery slips, 26.000,000 change

of address orders, 20,000,000 registry dispatch cards, and 14,365,000

information pamphlets.

Cono-ress came second in printing expenditures with a total of

$1,853,729.16, of which $447,908.93 was for the publication of the

Congressional Record.

The Treasury Department ranked third with a total printing cost of $1,014,824.79.

The Patent Office alone spent $903,134.08 for printing patent

specifications and the Gazette, an increase of $276,389.76, or nearly

a third OA^er the preceding year, which indicates how rapidly the

work of the Patent Office is growing.

The Department of Agriculture, although ordering the largest

number of copies, was fifth in expenditures with a total of $900,070.

Farmers' bulletins continued to be the most popular publications

of the Government with an output of 12,177,693 copies for the year. Four-fifths of this number were distributed free by Members of

Congress as provided b}^ law.

The White House spent only $3,268.81 for its printing requirements, a saving of $771.08 compared with the preceding year. LETTEES COMMENDING AVORK OF OFFICE

Numerous letters were received by the Public Printer from public

officials commending the satisfactory and expeditious way in which

their printing was done by the Government Printing Office during

the year. Apparently the most appreciative member of the Cabinet was Secretary of Commerce Hoover, for whose department the year's

printing amounted to $623,835.96. Under date of January 14, 1925^

the Secretary of Commerce wrote as follows concerning a publication in which he was especially interested

Please accept my thanks for the prompt service rendered by you and your

staff in printing, at such short notice, the " Simplified Practice Recommendations on Cotton Duck and Builders Hardware." The size of these recommendations, particularly the latter, made our request a heavy one, so your

splendid cooperation is all the more appreciated.

Again on November 21, 1925, Secretary Hoover personally complimented the office as follows for the prompt printing of his annual

report : The response of your office to the request of a representative of this department for unusually quick action in printing the release edition of the annual

report of the Secretary of Commerce, 1925, is much appreciated.

The unavoidable delays incident to the completion of the manuscript of this report finally introduced a serious problem—the time element. This, happily, was relieved by the prompt action of your office. Acting Secretary of Commerce Davis expressed the department's

pleasure over the good service of the Government Printing Office in
16 Annual Report of the Public Printer

printing the Commerce Yearbook of 1924, writing under date of

July 7, 1925

:

In the absence of Mr. Hoover, who I am sure would be particularly glad

to write you personally to the same effect, I desire to express on behalf of the Department of Commerce its high appreciation of the service of the Govern- ment Printing Office in connection with the Commerce Yearbook of 1924. The

promptness with which the book has been printed and bound has been most

satisfactory, and the quality of the work is admirable.

The first copy for the Commerce Yearbook was sent to you during the first week of May. Complete copies unbound were delivered to us on July 1, and

bound copies on July 6. Galley proofs were returned on most of the copy

within one week after it was sent to you. In view of the technical character

of the publication and the large number of tables and diagrams, this promptness was evidence both of the efficiency of the Printing Office and of your own interest in helping to get this publication into the hands of the business men

in time to be of the most service to them.

PROMPT DELIVERY PLEASES MR. PIOOVER

The Chief of the Division of Publications, Department of Commerce, also conveyed the thanks of the Secretary of Commerce in

the following letter dated May 27, 1925, concerning another important bit of printing done for that department:

The Secretary of Commerce and the Director of the Bureau of Foreign and

Domestic Commerce are exceedingly pleased with the prompt service ren- dered last week, on a request from this office, in furnishing 200 copies of a

16-page summary report for the press on the middle east rubber situation. This request was placed with Captain Moorhead at 4 p. m. on Thursday and

before the middle of the following day completed work was delivered to the department.

The Secretary has authorized this division to convey the department's

thanks to you and to those of your officers responsible for this splendid

cooperation in meeting this important need. Assistant Director O. P. Hopkins, of the Bureau of Foreign and

Domestic Commerce, sent the following communication, dated January 7, 1925, concerning the services rendered his bureau by the

Government Printing Office:

I would like you to express to the Public Printer my appreciation and thanks

for the prompt and efficient service rendered by the Government Printing Office in printing a special bulletin of this bureau entitled " Transportation of Pacific Coast Perishables." While this is not a large piece of work, its execution, I believe, called into service the facilities of nearly all departments of the Printing Office. About

one-third of its 100 pages consists of tabular matter, and there are 26 illus- trations, including one folder. I note the excellence of the illustrations,

which have been uniformly of a high quality ever since the Government

Printing Office established its own engraving plant.

The manuscript for this bulletin was sent to the Government Printing Office on December 10, with a request that the printing be expedited to make copies available to members of the President's agricultural conference on January 5. It was necessary for the bureau to have both galley and page proofs and proofs

of the illustrations. Completed work was delivered to the bureau on January 3. This excellent service is highly gratifying to all employees of the bureau

interested in its publication work.

PRINTING THE COAL COMMISSION'S REPORT

An especially important and intricate job was completed recently

in the printing of the report of the United States Coal Commission.

The report made five large volumes consisting of 3,465 pages. Copy

for the report was not submitted to this office until March 9, 1925.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 17

Proof on the final volume was not O. K'd for press until September

;8, 1925, and delivery of the entire publication was completed on November 7. Several volumes were finished during the summer,

but under instructions from the Coal Commission they were held in

confidence until the lithographed sheets for the final volume v^^ere delivered on October 26, 1925, and the entire report completed.

In appreciation of the work of the Government Printing Office in

handling this big publication, Dr. George Otis Smith, on behalf of

the commission, sent the Public Printer the following letter under

date of November 11, 1925

Now that the report of the United States Coal Commission has come from

jour presses, I want to express my very great appreciation of the way in which the Printing Office has handled this big job.

The reading public has little knowledge of the labor and skill required to .produce such a piece of work. I know just enough of printing and the magnitude of this job to appreciate the work you have done. Typographically the volumes speak for themselves, but they do not record the kindness and helpful consideration of Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Weber, and others of your staff, who have

.given every possible assistance to us in our part of the task—the editing of the copy and the handling of the proofs.

I shall be grateful if you will transmit to them and their associates the

.thanks of the United States Coal Commission.

GRANT VOLUME IS HIGHLY PRAISED

The best printed volume ever produced by the Government Printing Office is " The Grant Memorial in Washington," which was published during the year for the Grant Memorial Commission under

the direction of Lieut. Col. C. O. Sherrill. The book is a handsome

quarto volume containing 49 full page half-tone illustrations, three

of which are printed in two colors. The 78 pages of text are printed

in 12-point light-face old style type, hand spaced, and with liberal

page margins. The paper is 74-pound double-coated book, and the cover dark-blue cloth stamped in gold with artistic lines. In every

detail the book conveys the impression of dignity befitting its illus- trious subject. Colonel Sherrill, executive officer of the Grant Memorial Commission, thus expressed his appreciation of the book

under date of April 10, 1925

I wish to express my appreciation of the exceedingly handsome volume

of the Grant Memorial which came to-day. I can now understand why you

were some time preparing this volume, for it is, in my opinion, one of the finest,

if not the finest volume, I have ever seen. Another job recently completed to the satisfaction of Colonel

Sherrill was the printing of the voluminous specification for the

preliminary construction of the Arlington Memorial Bridge- In

this regard. Colonel Sherrill, as executive officer of the Arlington

Memorial Bridge Commission, wrote under date of November 27,

1925:

I wish to express the appreciation of this ofiice to you and the personnel

of the Public Printer's Ofiice for the spirit with which the specifications for the construction of the piers and abutments of the Arlington Memorial

Bridge were printed.

The work done was excellent, and I wish to add my personal thanks to you for this job.

The record of the printing of these specifications could not be equaled by any outside concern that I know of. The proof went to the Public Printer on Saturday, the galley proof was back on Monday, and the finished product

~ was in my hands on Wednesday afternoon.
18 Annual Report of the Public Printer

HARDING BOOK TLEASES HIS FRIENDS

Among other letters commendino: the work of the Government

Printing Office during the year are the following

From United States Senator Frank B. Willis under date of

February 7, 1925

As chairman of the Senate committee having charge of the memorial service

in memory of the late President Harding, I want to express appreciation

of the splendid way in which the memorial volume has been issued. It is typograpliicallj^ a very fine i)roduction, and I feel certain all the friends of the late President are gratified with the work you and your associates have

done in making it the kind of a volume it is. From Dr. L. S. Rowe, director general of the Pan American,

Union, dated April 20, 1925

I want to take an early opportunity to express my deep appreciation for the- manner with which you have completed the printing of the draft of conventions in four languages. It Avas in every respect a most excellent piece of work and I want to express to you my very deep appreciation.

From Col. William H. Conklin, deputy director. United States

Veterans' Bureau, under date of June 24, 1925

The first issue of the United States Veterans' Bureau Medical Bulletin has

been received, and it is desired to express the appreciation of this office for

the attractive style in which this periodical has been published. It is evident that the wishes of this bureau in the adoption of a distinctive color for the cover and the beginning of each special article upon a new page have been

kept in mind and given thoughtful attention. There has been much favorable comment upon the first appearance of the

Bulletin, and it is desired to convey to you the satisfaction of this office upon

this subject.

From Dr. Joseph S. Ames, chairman executive committee,,

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, dated March 25,

1925

I have just received a copy of Report No. 213 of the National Advisory

Committee for Aeronautics (jacket No. 20171), which is a paper written by

myself. I am so much pleased by the appearance of the report and I was so much gratified by the skill shown by the compositor that I wish to extend my

thanks to you. and through you to him and to whoever else is responsible for the excellence of this work. The paper is an extremely mathematical one, con- taining long, elaborate, and most complicated formulae. In spite of this, the compositor the first time made a minimum number of mistakes, and they were

really not errors in the strict sense because many of the mistakes slipped in typographically. I am familiar with the publication of mathematical papers

in technical journals, but I have never seen proof as clean as that which your

office submitted on this report.

I am confident that I am expressing also the opinion of the other authors,

of reports which your office publishes for the committee. We are all most,

grateful for your cooperation and your skill. SPEED IN PRINTING SUPPLY SCHEDULES

From Robert Le Fevre, superintendent of supplies. General Supply

Committee, dated July 3, 1925

This office desires to express its appreciation of the expeditious manner in which the printing of the General Schedule of Supplies for the fiscal year

1926 was handled. Although the publication in size is within one page of the

largest ever issued, consisting of 594 pages in comparison with the 1924 issue

of 595 pages, nevertheless 1,000 copies were delivered in less than three days, after the last signature was turned in to the Government Printing Office.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 19

The Deputy Public Printer, :Mr. Greene, and Ms assistants, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Weber, and iMr. Huse. are to be especially commended for their excellent cooperation and courtesy.

From Col. E. Lester Jones, coinmissioner International Boundary

Commission, dated July 30, 1925

I take this opportunity to express to you the appreciation of both the United

States section and the Canadian section of this commission for the excellent work done by the Government Printing Office in the publication of our third

joint report. *• Reestablishment of the boundary between the United States and

Canada-, source of the Sr. Croix River to the St. Lawrence River." The numerous details necessary in preparing this report for the two Govern- ments complicated the work and made it far from a routine job. and the excellence of the completed publication is due in a great measure to the intelli- gent cooperation given and the interest shown by every member of the Printing

Otfice who had anything to do with the work. From Elmer E. Crowley, president Emergency Fleet Corporation, dated November 12. 1925 : The November issue of the Schedule of Sailings of Shipping Board vessels

is. in my opinion, the best issue of this publication, and I desire to take this opportunity of expressing to you my appreciation of the splendid work of the Government Printing Office. From Charles D. Hamel, chairman. United States Board of Tax

-Appeals, dated Januar}- 26, 1925 : On Saturday we received our revised copies of the board's Rules of Practice,

and I am writing to compliment you on the very artistic arrangement of the

outside cover page. The general effect is extremely striking, and the board is very much pleased

with the latest issue. COXGRESSIOXAL BILLS PRIXTED IX ADYAXCE

The employees of the office have done much other praiseworthy

Y\'ork during the year, but I want to commend especially the record

made recently in the speedy printing of bills introduced in the

first session of the Sixth-ninth Congress. With the cooperation of

the clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing and the Clerk of the

Flouse, 2,731 House bills were submitted for printing several days

before the opening of the session on December 7. These bills made

approximately 7,223 pages of type. In all, 1,267,858 copies were

printed and delivered to the Capitol on Saturday, December 5, so as to be available immediately on the convening of Congress the

following Monday.

By getting such a good start on the flood of proposed legislation

which OA'erwhelms the Printing Office at the beginning of a new

Congress, it was possible, for the first time, to keep up with the

daily stream of bills and print them almost as fast as they were

introduced. Heretofore it has required two or three weeks of steady

work to complete the printing of bills introduced at the beginning

of a Congi^ess. This session all the bills of the House and the

Senate were printed by the time Congress recessed for the Christmas

holidays, vrhen the number of bills totaled 8,757, making 25,596

printed pa^es and 4,907.591 copies in all. In handling the large number of bills the imposers set a new

record in the imposition of 2.678 forms in 11 days, from December 1 to 12.
20 Annual Report of the Public Printer

It is hoped that a similar procedure in the printing of bills can be

followed for both the House and the Senate at the beginning of all sessions hereafter, as the advance work not only relieves the office of

serious congestion but also greatly facilitates the consideration of

proposed legislation by Congress.

ATTENTION GIVEN TO BETTER PRINTING

More attention has been given to better printing in the last year

or two than ever before observed hj Government printers. It is the ambition of the office to establish a notable record, not only for

economical production, but also for good style in printing. Good

printing does not cost any more than poor printing; in fact, poor

worl<:manship is frequently more expensive than good craftsmanship.

The lack of progress for many years in the style of Government

publications, some of which have become so antiquated in appearance as to bring just reproach upon the Government Printing Office,

prompted the Public Printer to appoint a special board on better

printing. Already several recommendations to improve the appearance of Government publications have been put into effect. One

of the first changes was to print distinctive cover titles for manj^

publications which formerly duplicated on the cover the full text of the title-page.

The typography of Government publications has in many in- stances been improved to accord more closely to the style of the

foremost book publishers. More consideration has been given to the artistic requirements of certain monumental publications, such

as the Lincoln, Grant, Harding, and Wilson Memorial volumes,,

which are entitled to the best there is in the art of printing.

To show the fine class of work of which many of our skilled

tradesmen are capable, a public exhibit has been installed in Harding

Hall. This display is not only a revelation to visitors but is also an

inspiration to employees who study and appreciate the fine product&

of their fellow workmen.

The Public Printer has also cooperated with the American Institute of Graphic Arts in exhibiting the best samples of book and commercial printing selected annually by the institute. Two exhibitions

of artistic commercial printing and one displaying the best books of

the year have been held in Harding Hall. The exhibits were opened

with a formal program in which the Typothetse and Printing House

Craftsmen's Clubs of Washington and Baltimore kindly participated.

Aside from interesting many visitors, the exhibits by the Insti- tute of Graphic Arts are of great benefit to employees of the

Government Printing Office in bringing to their attention the

upward trend of good printing throughout the United States. Confessedly, there is much room for improvement in Government

publications, but now that the start has been made, the Government

Printing Office eventually ought to take its proper place among

the world's best printers.

ECONOMY IS AN OFFICE WATCHWORD

Economy has continued to be the watchword of the Government

Printing Office throughout the year; economy in little items as
Annual Report of the Public Printer 21

well as savings in big things. The production manager, as chairman of the committee on prevention of shop waste, reports savings

by the printing divisions of $312,333.46 during the year, due to the

active campaign against unnecessary expenditures, more economical

methods of production, and the utilization of materials and equipment formerly deemed of little value. A detailed account of these

savings is contained in the accompanying report of the production

manager. The savings were accomplished largely by better shop

practices and more careful supervision over the use of materials

and the operation of machinery.

Among the economies of the Government Printing Office for the

fiscal year 1925, as reported to the Director of the Bureau of the

Budget on June 12, 1925, were the following

The condition of tlie appropriations for printing and binding and the in- creased cost of work, due to higher wages authorized by Congress, made it necessary immediately after Congress adjourned on March 4 to reduce the expenditures of the Government Printing Office for the remainder of the fiscal year by $450,000.

This has been done by reducing the force of employees from 4,186 to 3,916

(a decrease of 270 in the number of employees from March 4 to June 30) ; by a rotation furlough of one week each for 2,331 employees ; and by a reduction of $2,000 a day in the expenditure for machinery, equipment, and supplies other than emergency postal card stock purchases. As a result, the ex- penditures of this office for the period from March 4 to June 30 will be

decreased by $450,000 and thus kept within the available income from the departmental appropriations for printing and binding.

The requisitions review board, which was organized in this office four years ago with the approval of the Director of the Bureau of the Budget, has effected substantial economies in numerous printing and binding items. The activities of this board brought about an actual saving of $248,910.20 in printing and

binding for the four years 1922 to 1925. The economies effected by the board

in the fiscal year 1925 will total approximately $53,000. They include the following items : Substitution of cheaper stock, utilization of waste stock, binding changes, changing in method of ruling, standardizing size of forms,

changes in style of type pages, requisitions canceled ( duplicates ) , changes in

style of job forms, elimination of plating, perforating on press instead of in bindery, eliminating folding on certain jobs, and changes in the report of the Paymaster General, United States Navy.

An additional saving in stock was effected by the use of several million envelopes that had been discarded as unserviceable by other departments of the Government. These otherwise useless envelopes were overprinted and used

in mailing Government publications, at a saving of $3,000. SAVING IN BLANK PAPER SUPPLY By centralizing in the Government Printing Office the supply of blank paper

used by the various departments and establishments in Washington a gratifying saving was made during the last year. Based upon prices formerly paid

under General Supply Committee contracts, the Government Printing Office furnished blank paper and envelopes to the departments during the year at approximately $36,000 less than they had expended heretofore for these articles. This saving was due largely to the lower prices which the Government Print- ing Office is able to obtain because of the great volume of paper ordered

annually. Moreover, the paper furnished the departments has been of more- uniform quality, due to the standardization and simplification of grades and

to the more regular methods of inspection. A cheaper paper for mimeograph

work has been procured at a cost of approximately 21 cents per ream of 8 by 10% inch sheets. It is believed that this paper is suitable for much of the mimeograph work which has been done on paper costing from 31 to 41

cents per ream. If this cheaper paper is generally adopted, a saving of at

least .$10,000 can be made.

In addition to its regular duties the testing section of the Government

PrijQting Office has made a special study of inks used by the various depart-
22 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ments of the Government. This section is well equipped to conduct such an

investigation on account of its experience in the manufacture of printing and

other inks used by this office. Check addressograph ink has been made for the Treasury and Post Office Departments and the Veterans' Bureau at a

•cost of $1 per pound as compared with $3 paid for commercial ink of a lower

grade. A saving of $1,000 was made on approximately 500 pounds of such

ink, and a more satisfactory quality was furnished for use on sensitized check

paper. Stencil ink has also been made for the use of this office at a cost of 40 cents per pound as compared with the commercial price of $2.50 formerly

paid, thus saving $315 on this item for the year. Blue-black, and red writing

inks are now being made by the testing section for the use of the Government

Printing Office at a cost of 9 cents per quart. The cost was formerly 32 cents lor a poorer commercial ink. It is estimated that if the Public Printer were

authorized to furnish writing inks to other departments in Washington a saving of $5,000 could be made each year upon the 25,000 quarts of ink

required annually for departmental use. Backing fluid for plate making is produced by the testing section from zinc scraps at a cost of 11/2 cents per pound as compared with 5.7 cents formerly

paid contractors for this fluid. This is a little item, with an annual saving

of about $60, but it indicates the effort that is being made to accomplish

economies wherever possible.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing sold the Government Printing Office 11,904 useless wooden boxes for $800. These produced 357,540 feet of sea- soned lumber, which, if new, would have cost $16,983.15. Deducting the

^expenses of hauling and carpenter-shop work, the lumber obtained from the

old boxes was worth $10,726.20 in the manufacture of the thousands of boxes

required for the shipment of postal cards. The machine shop of the Government Printing Office reclaimed 15,200 pounds

of old metal. This was used on all classes of work during the year, instead of purchasing new material, at a saving of $2,500. TRANSFER OF SURPLUS EQUIPMENT

Transfers of surplus machinery, equipment, and supplies valued at $30,407.37 were made to the Government Printing Office from other departments of the Government through the cooperation of the Joint Committee on Printing and

the chief coordinator. In the last four years this office has received and made

good use of surplus machinery, equipment, and supplies valued at $293,000.

Included in the surplus transfers of last year were considerable printing and

"bindery equipment, various kinds of paper, including one lot of 123,020 pounds

of kraft valued at $6,766.10, miscellaneous drugs and chemicals, including 3,200

pounds of ether, a large number of safety gasoline cans, and various small

supplies which otherwise we would have had to buy at the prevailing high

prices.

The consolidation of the Government Printing Office power plant with the Capitol power plant, from which the Government Printing Office now receives

all its electric current and steam, was completed during the year. This change,

based on a four months' comparison, indicates an annual saving of $35,400 in operating expenses and a reduction of 567,500,000 gallons in the use of city water valued at $37,900, or a total saving to the Government and the District of Columbia of $73,300. The reduction in water used is partly due to the saving of all condensations for wash-room use. By a careful control of the use of steam through the installation of a new meter, the amount of steam

used was reduced 10,000,000 pounds in seven months, effecting a saving of

$4,582.80.

This office has more than complied with the request of the President for a

saving of 2 per cent of all of its direct appropriations in addition to the original reserve set up at the beginning of the fiscal year with the Bureau of the Budget.

HIGH COST OF AUTHORS' ALTERATIONS

Authors' alterations of printed proofs cause much unnecessary

expense and endless trouble to the Printing Office. The cost of

authors' alterations for the year 1925 amounted to $220,327.15, an
Annual Report of the Public Printer 2a

increase of $54,510.48 over 1924. Many of tlie changes made after

the manuscripts have been put into type were undoubtedly necessary,, but most of the alterations could have been avoided by better and

more thoughtful preparation of copy before it was transmitted tO' the printer. The alterations required by the writers of two publications printed during the year cost several thousand dollars more than.

the entire expense of putting the original manuscripts into type.

A commendable saving has been made in the expenditures for

"rush" orders during the last five years. Orders for immediate delivery necessarily disrupt the routine production of the office and oc- casion extra expense for overtime work and the additional handling

of jobs which "rush" orders must displace for the time beingHurried work is ahvays more costly, and an extra charge must be- made.

The additional charge for rush work done in the five-year period,,

1916-1920, amounted to $585,975.73, while for the last five years,, 1921-1925, the extra charge was only $152,354.70, a reduction of.

$433,732.03. This saving of nearly half a million dollars benefited

the printing funds of the various departments, which had just that

much more mone}^ to spend on other publications. The extra chargefor " rush " orders in 1925 amounted to $20,755.11.

REDUCTIOX IX SIZE OF ANNUAL REPORTS

Another substantial economy in departmental printing has beeni

the voluntary reduction in the size of annual reports. The saving was made possible by authority of Congress, which for several years

has carried a provision in appropriation acts permitting heads of

Government departments and establishments to curtail their annual

reports.

The reports for 1920, prior to the time Congress authorized the- reduction, filled 58.940 printed pages. The reports for the fiscal year 1924. which were printed in 1925, contained 18,836 pages, a de- crease of 3,633 pages from the 1923 reports. The cost increased

slightlv, however, owing to an advance of printing prices, the total

being $194,394.73, as against $191,197.85 for the 1923 reports.

The annual reports of the Public Printer for the last five yearscost $3,529, while the reports of the former Public Printer for the

five years, 1916-1920, cost $26,906.

Congress ordered additional economies in printing and binding by

the enactment of a bill proposed by Senator Moses, chairman of the

Joint Committee on Printing. The new law (Public, No. 539, 68th

Cong.) directs the discontinuance of several useless publications,,

including the ancient Abridgment of Messages and Documents, the

Navy Yearbook, and the cumbersome Official Register of Government Employees.

The Abridgment had been compiled annually for more than 60- years at a cost of from $3,000 to $8,000 for each issue, although it was a wasteful duplication of the annual reports printed separately

by the various departments.

The Navy Yearbook, prepared under congressional direction, wasalso a duplication of other publications, and its printing cost approximately $8,000 annually.
24 Annual Report of the Public Printer

111 place of the big biennial Register (the Government " Blue

Book "), which was mostly obsolete by the time it had been compiled

and printed at a cost of $40,000 every two years, Congress has provided for the publication annually of a smaller Register containing

only the names of persons holding administrative and supervisory

positions in the Government service. The first issue of the Register

in its new form has just been printed at a cost of $3,791.35. Aside

from a small official distribution and the allotment of three copies

to each Member of Congress, all copies of the Register are to be

sold by the Superintendent of Documents.

By the printing of a Government gazette. Congress might also

reduce various other expenditures and render a real service to the

public. Much of the information that is now printed by the departments in various forms could be published in the gazette, which

would provide a single source of official information. It is now

almost impossible to ascertain the varied activities of the Government, even if access could be had to the multitudinous publications, which only in part touch the field that a gazette could cover

publication should, of course, be confined strictly to an official record of the business transactions of the Government and, as far as practicable, contain the appointments, notices, advertisements, orders,

regulations, and opinions of Government officials so far as they may

be of public concern. The money now expended in the promiscuous and largely ineffective printing of Government advertisements, proposals, and specifications would undoubtedly more than pay the cost of an official publication containing such information. In addition, considerable revenue might be obtained from subscriptions, as the thousands of concerns regularl^^ transacting business with various branches of

the Government would welcome a definite and authoritative source

of information concerning Government purchases.

The suggestion of a Government gazette is not at all new or original. Gazettes have long been published by nearly every other

country. The United States also participates in the publication of a weekly gazette issued by the government of the Philippine Islands.

President Roosevelt directed the Keep Committee on Department

Methods to consider the proposition of a Government gazette.

In his instructions to the commission under date of June 2, 1905,

President Roosevelt wrote

There should be published an official gazette to contain all executive orders, statements of changes in organization or personnel, reports of important work

begun, in progress, or completed by any department, advertisements of all Government contracts, all legal notices not required to be published locally, notices of coming civil service examinations, etc., etc. Since that time various other agencies of the Government have

given some attention to the subject. More recentty the publication

of a gazette has been discussed by the Permanent Conference on

Printing, the Interdepartmental Board of Contracts and Adjustments, and other agencies of the Bureau of the Budget, but no conGOVERXMEXT GAZETTE IS SUGGESTED
Annual Report of the Public Printer 25

Crete plan has been proposed as yet. Undoubtedly, the publication

of a gazette would be advantageous to the Government and of great

service to the public.

SALE AND DISTRIBITTION OF DOCUMENTS

Next in importance to the printing of a book is its proper distribution ; far more important ofttimes, for printing is useless if the in- formation which it contains is not made available by adequate

distribution. Herein comes the great service of the documents division of the Government Printing Office. This division, under the

direction of the Superintendent of Documents, has charge of the

distribution and sale of nearly all Government publications, except

those allotted to Members of Congress. However, the Superintendent of Documents can not supply publications of his own accord

except to cash purchasers and libraries. His mailing lists are re- stricted to names furnished by the respective departments for the

distribution of their own publications.

It is gratifying to report there is a growing appreciation of the

value of many Government publications as indicated by the substantial increase of purchasers. The receipts of this office from the

sale of publications in the fiscal year 1925 amounted to $487,922.63, an

increase of $47,017.70 over the preceding year, and $194,551 more

than for the fiscal year 1921.

In the fiscal year 1925 the documents division sold 7,770,782 copies

of various Government publications, an increase of 526,041 over the

sales for 1924. Most of these publications were ordered by letters^ of which 375,571 were received during the year. A large number

also were sold over the counter of the Government bookstore on the

ground floor of the documents building.

The increasing sale of Government publications is especially notable in view of the fact that the office has no funds for advertising

its products and has to compete with the free distribution by Members of Congress and other officers of the Government.

As set forth in former reports, the sale of Government publications could be greatly increased by ending the present wasteful

method of free distribution which can not supply all the demands

and is therefore of benefit only to comparatively few persons. The

charge for Government publications is nominal, based upon reprint

cost plus 10 per cent. With this low cost, there does not appear

to be any real reason why the distribution of practically all Government publications should not be put on a sales basis and everyone

thus given equal consideration in the supply of public documents.

INCREASED SALES WOULD HELP TREASURY

Increased sales would, of course, help compensate the Government for the cost of printing; but a material growth in sales, unless

accompanied by a reduction of the free copies, would necessitate an

additional force and a larger building for the documents division,

which is already seriously overcrowded. Therefore, any plan for

the increased sale and distribution of Government publications
26 Annual Report of the Public Printer

should, of necessity, take into consideration additional facilities and

larger quarters for the documents division.

During the fiscal year 1925 the documents division distributed

52,084,458 copies of publications. As before stated, about 7,000,000-

of these copies were purchased by the public. The distribution was made in 21,372,292 packages, filling 139,155 mail sacks. Periodical

distribution for the various department and subscription lists re- quires the handling of 1,235 mailing lists containing approximately

835,000 names. From these mailing lists 22,712,964 machine stencil

impressions were made during the year. In order to meet the demand for Government publications, the

documents division has to carry a regular stock of fully 30,000,000

copies, including almost every publication issued by the GoA^ernment

in the last half century. During the year, the Superintendent of

Documents received and stored 55,138,327 copies of the products of

the Government Printing Office. Not all of the copies printed annually ever reach the public. During the year 2,645,531 obsolete and useless copies, which had been

ordered b}^ the departments in former years, had to be disposed of

as waste paper. Millions more of Government publications will have

to be consigned to the scrap heap year after year, if the present excess printing for free distribution continues and no additional space is provided for their storage.

INFORMATION SERVICE PROVES POrULAR

The Superintendent of Documents also conducts an extensive

information service concerning Government publications. Last

year his office received and answered 161,852 letters of inquiry and

aided several thousand other inquiring persons who visited the

office. The fact that the documents division possesses a remarkable

library of Government publications, consisting of 375,000 books,

pamphlets, and maps, for which there is a complete reference cata- logue, makes it possible to furnish information which could not be

obtained as readily and accurately from any other source. Better service is being rendered the depository libraries than ever

before, as indicated by the increasing number of libraries that have

found it advantageous to secure congressional designation as depositories of Government publications. By the new law allowing

depositories to select the class of publications to be furnished by

the Government, the depository libraries have been relieved of the

unbearable burden heretofore imposed in having to receive and

store copies of every publication printed by the Government.

Under the selection plan only 59 out of the 462 depositorj^ libraries

elected to take copies of all Government publications; 230 libraries

receive more than 50 per cent of the list; and 173 of the smaller

libraries less than 50 per cent, or only the publications of special

interest to their patrons. This plan has effected a saving in the

printing of thousands of publications, which heretofore the libraries

had to discard after a time owing to lack of space or usefulness.

Another agreeable service to the depository libraries is the immediate delivery of all congressional documents and reports that are

of sufficient size to be bound separately. Formerly it was necessary
Annual Report of the Public Printer 27

to hold all these publications until after the close of a session of Congress so that they could be bound in sets. Many publications of Conofress were obsolete or useless before they were sent to the libraries. The more prompt delivery was made possible through the cooperation of the Joint Conunittee on Printing in adopting the new method

of distribution as proposed by this office. CONSTRUCTIOX AXD MAIXTEXAXCE WORK

Besides the manufacture and distribution of its printed products,

the Government Printing Office also has a big task in the maintenance of its buildings containing nearly IT acres of floor space, and

in the repair of the thousands of machines required for varied opera-

•tions. The work is done by the buildings division, more properly

-designated the construction and maintenance division, which includes

well-equipped machine, electrical, pipe-fitting, sheet-metal, blacksmith, carpenter, and paint shops, and the construction, power, and

sanitary sections. The division ended the fiscal year 1925 with 272

employees, a reduction of 33 from 1924, and 78 less than the force in

1923. Although wages were generally increased during the year, the

reduced force made possible a decrease of approximately $50,000 in

the pay roll of the division for the fiscal year 1925, for which the

wage expenditure totaled $525,941.92.

The fiscal year 1925 was the first full year of electric and steam

supply from the Capitol power plant since the dismantling of the

separate plant at the Government Printing Office. The cost to the

Government Printing Office of operation by the new substation

method was reduced $25,032.22 as compared with the cost of operating the separate power plant in 1923, the last fiscal year of its existence. In addition there was a saving of $8,701.93 in steam and

• electricity for the city post office, and $23,033.40 in the use of water

formerly obtained from the city mains. The additional warehouse

space made available in the power plant has a rental value of at

least $7,500 a year, which brings the total savings effected by the new

power plan up to $64,267.55 for the fiscal year 1925.

During the last four ^xars, 67,664 square feet of additional floor space has been made available for the work of the office by the construction of the eighth floor, a second floor in the one-story power

plant, and numerous mezzanines, and by bridging several courts and

. alleyways. The office has now about reached the limit of its expansion in the present overcrowd d buildings.

NEED OF XEW FIREPROOF BL'TLDIXG The serious need of a new fireproof building to replace the old

structures on H Street has been called to the attention of Congress

in the Public Printer's reports for the last several years. The old

builrljng, part of which was erected nearly 70 years ago, is not only

a very dangerous fire risk but is also grossly inadequate for storage

purposes and the rapidly increasing work of the Superintendent of

Documents in the sale and distribution of Government publications.

The situation has been reported to the Public Buildings Commis-

. sion. and it is hoped that the needs of the Government Printing
28 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Office will be given early consideration in whatever public building

program Congress may authorize.

The Avork of this office is so essential to the proper functioning

of all other establishments of the Government, including Congress

itself, that it would seem foolhardy to continue the risk of operating in notoriously unsafe structures such as constitute the older

part of the present plant. If a fire ever gained headway in the

old building, with its wooden floors and pillars, it is doubtful if anything could save the entire plant from destruction. Therefore

Congress is again urged not to allow another session to pass without

making definite provision for an adequate fireproof building to replace the old fire traps in which this office now has to store sev- eral million dollars' worth of supplies and products. The unex- pended funds which the Government Printing Office has returned

to the Treasury in the last five years would be far more than suffi- cient for a building if the Public Printer Avere granted authority to use the money for that purpose.

TESTING SECTION OF GREAT SERVICE

The good work of the testing section continues to justify its es- tablishment by the Public Printer in 1922. In addition to the technical testing of 5,354 samples of paper and materials delivered during the year, the laboratory conducted research work that was of

much service to the office and of value to the printing industry.

Cooperation was continued with the United Typothetse of

America in the preparation of specifications for definite grades of

bond and ledger papers, and it is expected that this important

standardization will be completed the coming year. A joint study of bindery glues is being made by the testing section

and representatives of the National Glue Manufacturers' Association

to improve and standardize glue used by bookbinderies.

In connection with its glue Avork, the testing section has developed

the use of Avorn-out printing-press rollers for the manufacture of

certain grades of bindery glue. The glue and glycerin in the old

roller composition are now reclaimed for bindery glue at a saving

of approximately $3,000 annually. The average annual consumption

of glue by the bindery, due to the use of flexible glue and other

changes by the testing section, has been reduced 4,000 pounds.

Another worth-while investigation by the testing section was the

study of detergents (cleaning compounds) used for the removal of

ink from type and press rollers. The formulae obtained by this re- search are used throughout the office with decided success, and the

expenditures of the office for cleaning fluids have been reduced materially. This information has been made available to the printing

industry by articles published in several trade papers.

METAL ROOM UNDER TECHNICAL CONTROL

Type and stereotype metals were placed under technical control

during the year ,along with printing inks and press rollers. A large

part of the 6,000,000 pounds of metal used for Government printing was found to have been improperly alloyed, containing either too
Annual Report of the Public Printer 29

much tin or too little antimony. By technical analysis and by properly alloj'ing every pot of metal, the product will be maintained at the desired standard and additional type metal produced from the

old stock at practically the lesser cost of lead. Investigation of inks, both printing and writing, has likewise

been very helpful to the office in not only improving the quality but

also decreasing the cost. Writing ink is produced for about 10 cents

a quart and of a quality superior to that formerly bought on contract

for 32 to 55 cents a quart.

If this office were authorized by law to furnish writing inks to

the departments in Washington, it is estimated that an annual sav- ing of approximately $5,000 could be made. Accordingly, a provision has been included in the appropriation bill authorizing the * Public Printer to furnish inks and other products to the various

departments.

A recent bulletin by the department of manufacture of the United

States Chamber of Commerce reports that American industries

are saving approximately a half billion dollars annually through

laboratory research work, for which some 80 national trade asso- ciations are expending about $35,000,000 annually. The bulletin

states that ''research or systematic investigation has so abolished

rule o' thumb and guesswork from industrj^ and business that definite

specifications are now the rule." It is evident, therefore, that the

Government Printing Office is fully abreast of the times in maintaining its own research laboratory, which annually saves many

times its cost in developing cheaper and better materials.

APPRENTICES SHOW SPLENDID PROGRESS

Another new section of the Government Printing Office is that devoted to the training of apprentices for the various trades. The first class of apprentices will complete their training next July, and will

then be eligible for employment as full-fledged journeymen. These

3'oung men have made a splendid record and will be a credit to the

industry. Few printers of to-day have received as thorough training

in the various branches of the trade. In fact, actual tests have shown

that even the second and third year apprentices are better printers

than many journeymen. Several of the apprentices training on

linotype machines already have averages equal to those of expert

operators.

There are in training 149 apprentices, of whom 129 are taking the

course for printers. Others are qualifying for bookbinders, press- men, machinists, electrotypers, stereotypers, and photo-engravers.

In addition to learning useful trades, the apprentices have helped

materially in production work. During the year, the printer apprentices set 26,202,800 ems of live matter besides working 118,000

hours on jobs which were formerly done by journeymen. Owing

to a congestion of work in the proof room, a number of apprentices were used as copyholders and assisted materially in carrying on the

work of the office when it was impossible to obtain sufficient competent proof readers.

Besides the instruction of regular apprentices, the office has also

given special training to a number of disabled soldiers who were
30 Annual Report of the Public Printer

placed here by the Veterans' Bureau. Several of the veteran

trainees have completed their apprenticeships and have received

appointments to good paying positions in this office. In appreciation of this service, the assistant regional manager of the Veterans'

Bureau, Mr. M. B. MacMillan, wrote as follows to the Public Printer,

under date of October 21, 1925

The Veterans' Bureau desires to take this opportunity to thank you for the

excellent cooperation that you have shown in the past with the training of our

claimants. The training facilities afforded by your establishment are of the very best. It is also desired to express appreciation for the sincere and material assistance you have rendered by giving employment to the several men

who have been successfully rehabilitated. WAR VETERANS EXPRESS APPRECIATION

More than 400 war veterans are employed in the Government

Printing Office, and an honored veteran of the Civil War is still on the roll. A number of veterans have, under the present administration, been appointed to highly responsible positions, including

that of production manager, who ranks next to the Deputy Public

Printer in the office organization. Every consideration to which

these veterans are entitled by law and by reason of their patriotic

service to the country, has been extended to them at all times.

It is gratifying to report that the veterans employed in the Government Printing Office have, on several occasions, expressed appreciation of the special attention given to their welfare. As an indication of these cordial relations, the following resolution was adopted

by the war veterans of the Government Printing Office : Whereas, on many occasions and particularly on the occasion of the funeral

services of Comrade Charles A. R. Jacobs, private Sixth Regiment, United

States Marine Corps, killed in action at Blanc Monc Ridge, France, October

3, 1918, the Public Printer of the United States, the Honorable George H.

Carter, has extended to the veterans of all of the wars of the United States every encouragement, facility, and assistance within his power. Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the sincere appreciation and thanks of the veterans of the

Civil War, the Spanish War, and the World War employed in the Government

Printing Office, and their comrades in the District of Columbia, be, and the same hereby are, extended to the Hon. George H. Carter for his sincere and

earnest interest in their behalf.

S. G. Mawson, G. a. R. William H. Shreve, U. S. W. V. Robert A. Williams, World War.

The following statement signed by veterans employed in the

pamphlet bindery of the Government Printing Office, was submitted

by them to the President of the United States under date of

June 19, 1925

We, the undersigned War Veterans employed in the pamphlet bindery

section, Government Printing Office, beg the privilege of addressing a few

remarks in regard to our stand on the administration of the present Public

Printer, Hon. George H. Carter. Of late there has been a great deal of unfair criticism of the present

administration of Mr. Carter by the veterans, and it is feared that the impression might be gaining that all the veterans employed in the Government

Printing Office are against him. Therefore, we, the undersigned veterans—and we are sure we are voicing the sentiments of the majority, if not of all the veterans here, when we say that we consider Mr. Carter the best Public

Printer ever holding said position.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 31

He is a good square man, always for the right, and always fair and just

in his decisions. He has improved working conditions generally and has even added a cafeteria for the pleasure and benefit of all employees, which is greatly appreciated by all. Therefore, Mr. President, we wish you to know that we, the undersigned

veterans, are loyal to him, and most decidedly for him now and always.

We sincerely hope his administration will long continue. Employees of the Government Printing Office have been most

generous in their contributions to the American Red Cross and to other worthy funds, especially those for the assistance of war

veterans. In the 1925 membership canvas for the Red Cross the

Government Printing Office gave $1,140.70, which was one of the

largest contributions made by any Government establishment in

Washington. The office also contributed $205.61 for the last Buddy

Poppy Campaign of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. In expressing

his appreciation. Department Commander William Homer Carroll,

wrote under date of March 10, 1925, to the Public Printer as follows

This act on your part convinces me all the more that you have the interests of the veteran at heart, and that you mean to do the right thing by them. With best wishes and kindest personal regards, etc. HOSPITAL SERVICE FOR EMPLOYEES

The physical welfare of employees is well looked after by a properly equipped emergency hospital, under the direction of a medical

and sanitary officer, assisted by another physician and a staff of

trained nurses. During the fiscal year 1925 the hospital gave 12,846

treatments to injured and sick employees, of which 3,099 were surgical cases requiring 4,996 dressings, and 4,751 were medical cases. In addition to treating employees of the Government Printing Office,

the hospital also renders night service to employees of the city post

office. Last year 297 treatments were given to post-office employees.

Owing to the careful safeguarding of all machinery, there were no

serious or preventable accidents during the year. In fact, there was

not a single case of injury due to machinery that was severe enough

to cause loss of time to the injured employee. On account of the

close attention to all injuries, even the slightest abrasions, the

Government Printing Office sends fewer claims to the United States

Employees' Compensation Commission than almost any other branch

of the Government service. Only eight such claims were submitted

last year and no claims were made for wound infections.

The hospital staff also makes physical examinations of all new

employees and reexaminations of those subject to probationary or permanent employment, extension of service, and transfers. During

the year 827 physical examinations were made. In addition, special

investigations are frequently required by the reported sickness or injury of employees.

An employee absent on account of sickness for more than three

consecutive days is required to report to the hospital for clearance

before permitted to return to duty. This medical supervision is deemed necessary to make sure that the employee is physically able

to work and to safeguard his fellow employees from exposure to contagious diseases. On account of exposures to smallpox the office 6186&—26 3
32 Annual Report of the Public Printer

hospital staff vaccinated 1,072 employees during the year, and not a

single case developed in the office. With the addition of a third room to provide bed accommodations

for male patients and suitable quarters for examination and laboratory work, the Government Printing Office now has one of the best

industrial hospitals in the country. The excellent equipment was

obtained almost entirely by transfer, without expense, of surplus

Army and Navy supplies.

HYGIENIC CONDITIONS RECEIVE PRAISE

In a recent survey of hygienic conditions in the printing trades by

the Department of Labor, its investigator, Mr. S. Kjaer, made a

special study of working conditions in the Government Printing

Office. His comprehensive report, as printed by the Bureau of Labor

Statistics, Bulletin No. 392, pays high tribute to the excellent

hygienic conditions of this office and exhibits several pictures of our workrooms as examples of approved conditions. The Government Printing Office is referred to throughout the report as "the

largest printing establishment in Washington," or words to that

effect. Concerning the hospital of the Government Printing Office the

Labor Bulletin says:

While hospital departments were seen that were excellently equipped, some

supplied with as many as six beds, none was found that excelled the emer- gency hospital in the large book and job printing establishment in Washington

[the Government Printing Office] operated with a staff of two physicians and

three nurses. Experts from the Bureau of Mines and the Bureau of Labor

Statistics made a test of air conditions in the metal, stereotype, and

monotype casting rooms during the year. Analyses of the samples

of air collected show that the carbon monoxide content of the air

in rooms where such gas would most likely be dangerous, was less than 0.005 per cent, which Chief Surgeon Sagers reports as "below

the amount that would have any physiological effect and could not

be detected by the method of analysis used." This is considered a remarkably fine showing, and guarantees that employees of the

Government Printing Office are working under excellent atmospheric as well as other conditions.

CAFETERIA AND RECREATIONAL SERVICE

The cafeteria and recreational activities of the Government Printing Office were carried on during the year with good success under

the careful management of the employees' association. The association has full charge of the operation of the cafeteria and the various

recreational activities of employees, all of which are supported from

the funds of the association. The work of the Cafeteria and Recreation Association is capably supervised by its president, Mr. J. Thomas Ford, from whose report for the year ended October 19,

1925, the following extracts are quoted

During the past year the patronage of the cafeteria has held up remarkably

well, a high-water mark of more than 2,900 persons being served on one day

during the winter. The association has tried at all times to maintain a set
Annual Report of the Public Printer 33

grille of prices, and while the market at some seasons has increased considerably, no corresponding increase has been charged to the employees, and I- beliyve the association for the year will show a satisfactory net surplus.

Our kitchen and dining room was visited by Senator Royal S. Copeland, who;-

before his election to the United States Senate, was commissioner of Health

of New York City. Senator Copeland spoke in the highest terms of sanitary

conditions as he found them in our cafeteria. Harding Hall has been a source of great pleasure to the employees of the Government Printing .Office, as indicated by the fact that 10 dances have been

held by various organizations, among which were the baseball teams, both white and colored. Willing Workers' Club, United Veterans of American Wars,

the employees of the monotype section, etc., and also by the fact that it was

used as el meeting place for the numerous organizations, as well as for our Christmas entertainment and as a place to celebrate on occasions of our

national holidays.

A most successful Christmas entertainment was staged for the employees'

children. This entertainment was a bright spot in the association's affairs and it is hoped that we can continue having such entertainments in succeed. ng

years. Last year we entertained approximately 2.000 children of both the^ white and colored employees. The association is indebted to Mr. William Du

Skeen and the entertainment committee for their untiring efforts in making

this annual affair such a success.

Tiie third annual excursion of the Government Printing Office Cafeteria and Recreation Association was held at Chesapeake Beach on July 30 and was

well attended by employees of the office and their families. Appropriate athletic events were arranged by the athletic subcommittee of the entertainment

committee, and prizes were given. The Cafeteria Association of the Govern- ment Printing Office reaped a net surplus of about $218 from this excursion,

which, by action of the board of directors, will be held as a reserve to purchase

trophies for similar events next year. This past year the Government Printing Office has had a marked success with its athletics, both the vrhite and the colored baseball teams having won

the championship in tJieir respective leagues, and the white baseball team having w^on the title in section Jl of the city series. It is regretted, however, that

they lost out in the fmal playoff for the championship of the city. As a

result of the fine showing this year, three more trophies will be placed in Harding Hail. The orchestra has worked very hard during the past year and deserves great

credit for the enjoyment it has afforded the employees on numerous occasions. When national holidays were observed in Harding Hall, appropriate musical

progi'ams were rendered. This orchestra, composed of employees of varied

musical ability, through diligent practice on their own time has developed into an organization of which we are proud. The charitable spirit of this unit is evidenced by the many evenings of pleasure they have afforded various hospitals, homes, and churches. HARDING HALL A POPULAR PLACE

Additional activities in Plarding Hall during the year, as reported

b}^ Mr. William D. Skeen, vice president of the employees' association in charge of Harding Hall affairs, were

July 16 : About 140 boys and girls from the Masonic Home at Richmond, Va^

were entertained at lunch and then escorted through the office, our orchestra furnishing a very fine program for their entertainment. September 12 : A banquet and entertainment to the delegates and their

ladies of the Fourth District, U. T. A. Convention ; 300 were in attendance and

our orchestra furnished the music ; we were assisted by 25 ladies of the office. September 27: Mr. Chris Steidinger, superintendent of the Zeese-WilkinsonCo., of New York, gave an interesting lecture on color printing. He had st fine exhibit of color work on display, which he made use of in his remarksi

The affair was held under the auspices of the Printing House Craftsmen.

October 23 : Luncheon in honor of the visiting members of the German

Master Printers' Union. On this occasion the menu was printed in Germanour guests were escorted through the office and were much pleased with theirvisit. November 21: Illustrated lecture, The Romance of the Linotype, by Mr^

John R. Rogers, of the Mergenthaler Linotype Co.
34 Annual Report of the Public Printer

November 26: Thanksgiving Day exercises. Address by Rev. Jason Noble

Pierce, of the First Congregational Church ; solos by Miss Thelma Smith, soloist of the Church of the Covenant. December 31 : Practically the entire office assembled in Harding Hall at the close of the day's work to pay their respects to the Public Printer and

family and extend the greetings of the New Year. December 31: A New Year's Eve vaudeville performance with music by

the Night Government Printing Office Orchestra, for the entertainment of the night emploj'ees, was terminated at the stroke of 12 by a short address by the Public Printer. February 28 : Meeting of the Washington Printing House Craftsmen at which Mr. Oscar H. Hale, chief proof reader of the Curtis Publishing Co., delivered an address and Mr. Alton B, Carty, chairman of the research committee, gave an interesting talk on plate making.

March 5 : Inaugural concert by courtesy of the Hamilton Club Chorus of Chicago.

March 9: An exhibit of specimens of contemporary commercial printing by

<;ourtesy of the American Institute of Graphic Arts of New York City. The

^exhibit remained in Harding HaU until March 21. March 19: A voluntary meeting of fully 2,500 employees, at which a reso- lution was unanimously adopted declaring statements published in the news- papers as to the working conditions and morale of the office to be untrue. April 1 : A permanent exhibit of products of the Government Printing

Office was installed in Harding Hall under direction of the Superintendent

of Binding.

May 30 : Memorial Day exercises under the auspices of the United Veterans

of American Wars. The address for the first period was by Right Rev. James E. Freeman, Bishop of the Diocese of Washington, and the second by

Rev. John C. Palmer, pastor of the Washington Heights Presbyterian Church.

Solos for both periods were rendered by Miss Hazel C. Arth, soloist of the Church of the Sacred Heart. Music by the Government Printing Office Orchestra. LABOR CONDITIONS BECOME NORMAL

With the completion, in December, 1924, of wage negotiations

under the Kiess Act, labor conditions in the Government Printing

Office became quite normal, except for the regrettable but necessary

reduction and furlough of the force on account of the long recess of Congress and the depletion of departmental printing funds.

During the last five years wage and salary increases have been

granted to practically every employee of the Government Printing

Office. The present wage roll is approximately $2,000,000 more per

year than in 1921, based on the same number of employees. The

wage increases granted by the Kiess Act and b}^ the Public Printer

during the last four years amount to $1,150,000. The additional

pay-roll increase represents the former $240 bonus which was included

as permanent wages under the provisions of the Kiess Act. This

advance of wages is far more than had ever been granted to employees for many years. Salaries and wages for the fiscal vear 1925

amounted to $7,64.6,875.11.

The employees were justly entitled to the increases. Their wages

had been inadequate for a number of years, owing to the arbitrary

action of a selfish clique which, because it could not dominate the

office for its own purpose, prevented a readjustment of wages until

Congress, on recommendation of the Public Printer, passed the

Kiess Act. The new law abolished the statutory wages for printers, pressmen,

and bookbinders and adopted the collective bargaining plan for

adjusting the wages of all employees, except about 375 who are subject to the classification act. Accordingly, the Public Printer en- tered into wage negotiations with all the trades emplo^^ed in the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 35

office, and the agreements were promptly approved by the Joint

Committee on Printing.

The new rates of pay have been in effect for more than a year

with apparently quite general satisfaction. A few requests were

filed recently for minor readjustments. As these requests were not

received until after the estimates for the next fiscal year had been

submitted to the Bureau of the Budget, it was not possible to consider them in preparing the Budget estimates for the next fiscal year. In fact, under the Kiess Act which provides that wages

shall not be subject to change oftener than once a year after the first settlement, the Public Printer had no authority to estimate for further wage changes in advance of negotiation with employees and

ai^proval by the Joint Committee on Printing.

WAGES IXCREASED COST OF PRIXTIXG

In the Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1926, the Public

Printer estimated that the cost of printing for that year would in- crease approximately^ 20 per cent on account of the higher wages

allowed by the Kiess Act. However, the Budget and Congress did

not increase the departmental printing appropriations sufficient to- order as much printing at the higher rate as heretofore. Consequently, the departments had to reduce their orders to keep within

available funds. This also caused the slacking up of work in the last four months of the fiscal year 1925 and necessitated a corresponding

reduction in expenditures for materials and wages. A similar situation will result from any substantial increase of wages in the future,

unless the departments shall obtain additional appropriations from

Congress to cover the increased charges which this office would have

to make to meet higher wage costs. Under the present law the Public Printer submits estimates only

for printing for Congress itself, and for salaries of employees in the

offices of the Public Printer and Superintendent of Documents,

The salary estimates are restricted by the average rates of the classi- fication act. The Comptroller General has held that, in applying the

average provision of the appropriation act, the offices of the Public

Printer and the Superintendent of Documents shall be considered as one unit. This interpretation of the law has seriously interfered

with the proper readjustment of salaries of employees in the two

offices which are, in fact, separate and distinct units having little in common either as to work or supervision. The office of the Superintendent of Documents is in a reality a bureau complete in itself and occupies the same position in the Printing Office organization

as do the various bureaus in the executive departments. Department

bureaus, however, are treated as separate appropriation units under

the classification act, if their activities are dissimilar, and it is believed that the same consideration should be given to the office of

the Superintendent of Documents. Accordingly, an amendment has

been proposed in the Budget estimates to remedy this discrimination.

employees' leave pay at day B.ATB Attention is invited to a new provision in the Budget estimates

fixing the leave of absence pay for employees at the day rate for

their regular positions when leave is granted. Employees who work
36 Annual Report of the Public Printer

at night during any portion of the year receive 15 per cent extra

for such service, and are allowed leave pay at the rate (including

the extra night compensation) received during the period the leave

is earned. This seems to be an unfair discrimination against the

day worker who has had no chance to increase his leave compensation with extra pay at the night rate. Congress, in authorizing the

30 days^ annual leave of absence with pay, may not have intended

that an employee's compensation, while on leave, should be based on his extra earnings for night work during the year. It would

seem more equitable to grant all employees of similar grade leave at the same rate of pay, whether they had been employed on day

or night work during the previous year. The provision relative to leave pay is not new. It originated some years ago with the Printing Committees of Congress, and was

included in the general printing bills which were passed by either

the Senate or the House in several Congresses. Reports of the

Senate and House Committees on the printing bill as considered

by the Sixty-fourth Congress contain the following explanation of

this provision

This paragraph also attempts to harmonize the various provisions of law,

amendments, interpretations, and decisions relating to leaves of absence granted to the employees of the Government Printing Office. It provides that employees of the Government Printing Office shall be given leave at the day

rate of pay received by them at the time the leave is granted. The present

practice is to accord them leave at the rate of pay received at the time the

leave is earned. Thus, if an employee rated at $4 a day happens to have been

engaged on night work, for which he receives 20 per cent extra, he would be paid at the rate of $4.80 per day while on leave. This is believed to be an

unfair discrimination against the $4-a-day employee who has not had the opportunity to earn 20 per cent extra for night work, and who must take his leave at the $4 rate. The committee does not believe the employee is entitled

to receive the 20 per cent extra allowed for night work while enjoying a 30

days' leave of absence at the expense of the Government. The extra allowance

for night work is in full compensation for labor at such unusual hours, but

is not intended to apply to other than work performed at night.

Pa^dng for leave at the day rate at the time leave is granted would

not materially alfect the .compensation of employees as a whole.

Those whose wages may be increased during the year would be

benefited, while those who work at night would receive the current day rate during their leave period. As a comparatively small night

force is employed, except when Congress is in session, a large

majority of employees receive the day rate anyway while on leave. The present requirement that leave pay shall be computed at the

rate earned during the previous year seriously complicates the time

and pay rolls, and makes much additional accounting work, both

in this office and the General Accounting Office. This could be

simplified by adopting the plan heretofore proposed by the Printing

Committees of Congress.

EXTOA KATES FOR DOCUMENTS FORCE

Another complication as to extra rates of pay was settled by Congress in the appropriation act for 1926 which authorizes the Public

Printer to pay the same additional compensation to employees under

the Superintendent of Documents as is allowed to other employees
Annual Report of the Public Printer 37

of the Government Printing Office. The Comptroller General had

held that the Kiess Act did not apply to employees of the documents

division whose rates of pay are subject to the classification act, and

that their night rate of pay continued at 20 per cent extra regardless

of the number of hours worked in any one day. Under the new

wage agreement all other employees receive 15 per cent extra for

night work and 50 per cent extra for overtime. The amendment

permitted the Public Printer to extend the extra rates for night,

Sunday, holiday, and overtime work to approximately 110 out of

the 260 emplo^^ees in the documents division and placed them on the same basis in this regard as other employees of the Government

Printing Office. The labor turn-over during the fiscal year 1925 was rather large,

due partly to the necessary reduction of the force last March ancl

parti}'- to the unsettled wage conditions earlier in the year. There

were 734 separations and 116 retirements in the fiscal year 1925.

The largest number of separations and retirements was among the

printers, of whom 360 left the service, 60 by retirement. Of 116

employees who retired during the year, 108 were entitled to life annuity payments from the Government.

Appointments for the year numbered 556, of whom 242 were

printers. Twelve pressmen were added to the rolls and 10 dropped

by separation or retirement. Only two bookbinders were appointed,

while 23 were dropped, 15 by retirement. In the plate-making

division, 11 skilled workers were appointed and 18 separated or

retired. Among other mechanics, there were 4 appointments, 29

separations, and 1 retirement.

NEED FOR COMPETENT PRINTERS

As indicated by the large number of appointments, separations, and

retirements of printers, the Civil Service Commission has been

unable to keep this office supplied with a sufficient number of competent printers, especially those qualified as proof readers and linotype and monotype keyboard operators.

During the year 112 linotype operators were appointed and nearly

all of them were secured before the Civil Service Commission was

able to supply any from its list. The appointments, however, were

almost entirely offset by the separation of 107 operators, most of

whom failed to meet the production requirements of the office. Sixtyeight proof readers left the service by separation or retirement. Of

monotype keyboard operators, 28 were appointed and 29 were sep- arated or retired.

For more than seven years prior to October, 1924, the civil service

lists of printers were almost constantly exhausted, and the commission was unable to supply this office with much-needed compositors,

proof readers, and typesetting-machine operators. During that

period and up to March 9, 1925, the Civil Service Commission had to authorize the Public Printer to make emergency appointments without preliminary examination. Only in this way was the Public

Printer able to obtain any number of printers at all, and these were

secured almost entirely through the direct efforts of the Government

Printing Office.
38 Annual Report of the Public Printer

REQUEST FOR TWO-YEAR OPERATORS

On account of the lack of linotype and monotype operators of

four years' trade experience, the Civil Service Commission was re- quested more than a year ago to call for a limited number of operators

with at least two j^ears' training. The reasons for this request were

set forth by the Public Printer in the following letter to the commission under date of November 19, 1924

Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of November 11, stating that the announcements of examinations for linotype and monotype keyboard operators

have been held up because of doubt in the minds of the commission as to whether two years' experience in the printing trade is suflScient to qualify for

service as an operator in the Government Printing Office. I note that attention has been called to my letter to the commission of Feb- ruary 7, 1922, in which I recommended that announcements of examinations

for linotype operators should require at least four years' experience in the

trade. When I made the statement quoted from my letter of February 7, 1922,

I had been Public Printer less than a year. The opinion then expressed was my best judgment at that time. I have since made a more thorough investi- gation and study of the question as to whether all linotype and monotype

keyboard operators should be required to first serve an apprenticeship of four years to qualify them as journeymen compositors before they are allowed to train as keyboard operators. It has been ascertained that such an

extensive training as hand compositors is not required by a number of the

best linotype and monotype schools in the country, including those operated

by the Mergenthaler Linotype Co. and the Lanston Monotype Machine Co. Furthermore, many commercial printing plants have successfully manned their typesetting machines with nonprinter operators. At least several large

machine composition plants employ either all or a considerable number of nonprinter operators whose output, both as to quality and quantity, appears

to equal that of the best printer-operators.

Confirming information I previously gathered I inclosed herewith for your

consideration communications which have recently been addressed to me, at my request, from the Mergenthaler Linotype Co., of Brooklyn; the Lanston Monotype Machine Co., of Philadelphia; and the Deputy Public Printer, Mr. John Greene. Mr. Greene recently made an investigation of this subject

while in Boston and agrees w^ith me as to the desirability of employing a

reasonable number of nonprinter operators in the Government Printing Office. When my letter from which you quote was written the wage of operators

employed in the Government Printing Office was fixed by act of Congress

which specifically designated this class of employees as " printer linotype

operators" and ''printer monotype keyboard operators" (41 Stats. 272).

This wage law was repealed by the act approved June 7, 1924 (Public No.

276). Therefore I am of the opinion that this office is not now required by

law to employ printer linotype operators and printer monotype keyboard

operators.

I have been informed that representatives of the Columbia Typographical

Union, of Washington, have protested to the commission against the proposed

employment of nonprinter operators in the Government Printing Office. As a matter of fact, the International Typographical Union has issued cards to a number of persons under which they have obtained employment as linotype

and monotype keyboard operators with the sanction of the union without

having first completed four years' apprenticeship in the printing trade. Several such instances have come to my personal attention in this office. Some of

these operators are considered to be fully as efficient as those who first trained

as hand compositors.

While I do not contend that nonprinter operators are fully as desirable at

all times as printer-operators, owing to the fact that the former can be used

only for machine-composition work, I am decidedly of the opinion that a reasonable number of efficient nonprinter operators can be used in a large

plant like the Government Printing Office where a considerable number have

to be employed at all times on machine composition.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 39

I. therefore, most urgently recommend that the commission approve an

examination for a special class of linotype and monotype keyboard operators

with the requirement that they shall have had at least two years' experience

in the printing trade, of which at least one year shall have been in the operation of a linotype (or similar typesetting machine) or monotype keyboard. If the operators with such experience show the required quantity and quality of work, their employment by the Government Printing Office will be most

advantageous and would likewise provide Government positions for war

veterans who have been trained as operators under the direction of the Veterans' Bureau. Few. if any. of the veteran trainees have served four years' apprenticeship as hand compositors and are therefore ineligible at present for appointment as linotype or monotype keyboard operators in the Government

Printing Office. After having indicated that it would approve the request for twoyear operators the commission finally notified the Public Printer, on October 30, 1925, that " so long as it is possible for the commission to secure sufficient eligibles for these positions with a fouryear apprenticeship, as required heretofore, the commission does

not consider it necessary to reduce the requirement to two years."

As a matter of fact, only for several months following the adjournment of Congress last March and the consequent slacking of

work in this office was the commission able for the first time in seven years to furnish a waiting list of eligible operators. That

list has already been exhausted and the Government Printing

Office is again unable to obtain enough operators to expedite properly the printing necessary for Congress and the departments.

A further statement in regard to the proposal to employ operators

of less than four years' experience will be found on page 82 of this

report.

COPYHOLDERS AND PEOOF READERS

The office has been greatly handicapped by the failure of the Civil

Service Commission to approve its recommendation for the appointment of proof-room coypholders, from whom it was planned to train an adequate force of competent proof readers. Contrary

to the universal practice of the printing trade from time immemorial, the commission has insisted that these positions shall

be placed in a clerical status and shall not be considered for any

purpose as part of the mechanical trade of printing. The commission has further required that they shall be appointed through

examination for departmental editorial clerks instead of by special

examination for proof-room copyholders as recommended by the

Public Printer.

This office can not agree to any such flagrant violation of the

traditions of the printing trade. Copyholding and proof reading

are essential operations in the production of printing, and the per- sons who do such work, whether experienced in other branches of

the printing trade or not, are in no sense clerks; nor have they

anything in common with department clerks either as to kind of

work, rates of wages, or hours of service. Proof reading is a branch

of the printing trade, and persons employed at that work have

long had the same industrial status as other printing mechanics

who likewise specialize, either as hand compositors, makers-up,

imposers, machine operators, etc. Although ability to read proof has been an essential qualification

of the competent printer, specialization in the trade by the introduc61869—26 4
40 Annual Report of the Public Printer

tion of typesetting machines has greatly restricted the training

of printers as proof readers. It has become impossible to obtain

enough printers who are properly qualified to read proof. In all large printing plants, such as the Government Printing Office, many

proof readers are employed exclusively at that work and it is not

so important that they shall be thoroughly versed in other branches

of the printing trade.

PROOF READER A PRINTING MECHANIC

Inasmuch as the work of all proof readers, whether trained as printers or not, requires the same experience in that particular branch

of the trade, this office could not accept the suggestion of the commission that proof readers be divided into two classes, one having

a clerical status and the other a mechanical status, according to whether they had been previously trained as printers. A proof

reader is a printing mechanic, regardless of whether he may have

had other trade experience as a hand compositor or a machine

operator.

The views of the Public Printer in this regard are further set forth in the following communication to the Civil Service Commission under date of October 6, 1925

Replying to your letter of September 4 about the appointment of copyholders

and proof readers for the Government Printing Office, I regret to state that this

oflSce does not agree with the commission's proposal to classify these positions as clerical. To do so would be contrary to the facts and not in accord with the

history and practice of the printing trade. Ever since Gutenberg's time, copy- holding and proof reading hare been recognized as essential operations in the printing trade. While mechanically possible to print without proof reading, it is practically impossible to complete the work of a printing office w^ithout copyholders and proof readers. These occupations are necessarily allied with the other printing crafts and constitute an essential part of the trade. They are entitled, therefore, to be accorded the same status as compositors, pressmen, bookbinders, and all other occupations that are required in the work

of a printing plant such as the Government Printing Office. The Government, like every other employing printer, has heretofore treated

copj^holders and proof readers as members of the printing craft along with

compositors and typesetting machine operators, thus placing them in a mechanical trade status. That has been the universal practice of the Government

Printing Office for many years. The Reclassification Commission recognized this fact in its report to Congress (H. Doc. 686, G6 Cong., p. 388), in which the positions of copyholder and

proof reader were classified with the printing trades' service. The classifica- tion act of 1923 excluded from its schedules all positions in a recognized trade

or craft. In accordance with this act, all positions in the printing trades, in- cluding copyholders and proof readers, have been retained in the mechanical

trades and nonclerical groups, which are not subject to the class specifications for clerical positions.

^ Likewise, these occupations have been held to be meclianical in the application of the retirement law by both the Civil Service Commission and the re- tirement division of the Department of the Interior. Your attention is respectfully invited to the schedule of mechanical occupations listed on pages

3 and 4 of the Retirement Act Handbook (Department of the Interior), which

specifically enumerates copyholders and proof readers as mechanical occupations for retirement at 65 years. In this connection, the Civil Service Commission is quoted as having held on April 12, 1922, that employees " whose desig- nations place them clearly within the list of mechanical trades and allied occupations " may properly be regarded as mechanics retirable at 65. Circular No. 4 issued by the Civil Service Commission, under date of June 12, 1920, also

lists copyholders and proof readers as mechanics and states that the list is taken from positions classified as mechanical in Census Bulletin 12 of 1904.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 41

It seems beyond controversy that copyholding and proof reading are at least occupations "allied" with the mechanical trade of printing and, according

to the uniform decisions heretofore, are entitled to retirement at 65 years as

" mechanics." EETIEEMEXT AGE OF PEOOF EEADEES Although the commissiou's letter of September 4 questions the mechanical

status of only the nonprinter copyholders and proof readers desired by this

office in addition to printer proof readers. I understand, from subsequent con- ferences with a representative of the commission, that you also h'ave under

consideration a proposal to transfer all proof readers from mechanical to

clerical status retirable at 70 instead of 65 years. This is indicated by your

letter of September 30 requesting that the opinion expressed in letters of the commission concerning the mechanical status of certain employees of the Government Printing Office be not considered as final at this time. I have

imdertaken, therefore, to discuss the subject as if it were definitely proposed

to place all copyholders and proof readers, whether trained as printers or

not, in a clerical status for retirement and other purposes. To this change, I am most decidedly opposed.

While true that the Government Printing Office has had to obtain its proof readers from persons who have qualified as compositors and typesetting

machine operators, it does not follow that such training is necessarily a pre- requisite for qualified proof readers and copyholders or that these occupations

are any the less a part of the printing trade for lack of experience as mere

typesetters. Many newspapers and book and job printing offices employ nonprinter copyholders and proof readers. Among these are such careful publishers of textbooks and works of literature as (^inn & Co., Houghton Mifflin

Co.. and R. R. Donnelley & Sons Co,^ The International Typographical Union at its recent convention defeated a proposed amendment to its laws requiring that only " practical union printers " shall be employed as proof readers in all offices under its jurisdiction. This action

is recorded on page 71 of the Typographical Journal supplenienu of September,

1925. In discussing the amendment. Delegate Nolan, of Albany, N. Y., stated that " there are a number of competent nonprinter proof readers, and this law would do them an injustice." Delegate Cotter, of Dayton. Ohio, informed

the convention that girls are reading proof in Dayton, and that none of them

are practical printers. Delegate Keaveny, of New York City, also told the

I. T. U. convention that " In many offices proof readers are not recognized,"

which was to say that many proof readers in New York City are not journey- men printers.

Columbia Typographical Union of this city, whose officers, I understand,

have protested to the commission against the appointment of nonprinter copyholders in the Government Printing Office, has sanctioned the employment of apprentices as copyholders in union printing offices in Washington. Authority

for such employment of apprentices is contained in article 2, section 2, of the

constitution of Columbia Union. It appears inconsistent, therefore, on the

part of the local union officers to object to the employment of nonprinter copy- holders in the Government Printing Office, while permitting the use of mere

apprentices as copyholders in other printing offices in Washington.

Typographical Union cards have been granted proof readers who have not served the required apprenticeship as compositors. I recall especially the

case of a proof reader on a Bristol, Tenn.. newspaper who applied for appoint- ment as a reader in the Government Printing Office. He was advised that under civil-service requirements he would have to qualify first as a compositor.

Shortly afterwards the Tennessee proof reader advised this office that, although

not a journeyman printer, he had been granted a card by his local typographical u^ion. In addition to not having served an apprenticeship as a compositor,

this man was physically disqualified for such work by reason of having only one arm. Notwithstanding these disqualifications, the Tennessee union had

granted him a card entitling him to work as a printer or proof reader in any

union shop. BETTER QUALIFIED EEADEES NEEDED The commission, in stating that it believes the work to be performed by nonprinter copyholders and proof readers will be of a somewhat different nature from that required of ordinary proof readers in the Government Printing

Office, has not a correct understanding of the proposition. The desire and the
42 Annual Report of the Public Printer

necessity is to obtain better qualified proof readers than have been procurable

from the list of compositors and typesetting machine operators to which this

^office is now restricted. Therefore, it is proposed to require a higher educational standard of persons who might be appointed as copyholders and trained

:for the trade of proof reading. It is hoped that from both the printer and the

•copyholder lists this office may be able to build up a competent force of proof

readers of which it is greatly in need. The present system has failed, and it is imperative that some other plan be devised to carry on this work which is so vital to correct printing and the proper preparation of Government publications. It is believed that the employment of copyholders possessing special

<lualifications and the proper training of copyholders for proof reading will

jhelp materially to raise the standard of that work in this office. However,

the duties of such persons as proof readers, except in certain individual cases,

•will not be essentially different from our present readers, and I see no reason

-for a different designation such as you have proposed. Of course, it is not intended or desired to have nonprinter readers perform work that requires

;'special training as compositors or typesetting machine operators ; but as long

.as they may be emploj^ed at reading proof or on related work, such as revising

;and copy editing, there does not appear to be any substantial reason in dis- 4;riminating between printer and nonprinter readers.

I am not particular about the designation of nonprinter readers, but I see no necessity for calling them by any other name such as " proof reviewers " as suggested by your letter. In countries where the art of printing originated

and has been practiced for many centuries, proof readers are generally desigaiated as " correctors " or " correcteurs." The British Master Printers' Annual

records the organization of an "Association of Correctors of the Press " sepa- rate from the " Society of Compositors " ; and the wage scale of the British correctors of the press provides the same rate of pay for " readers " and

reader-compositors," which indicates thft both printer and nonprinter proof

readers are employed in English printing plants on an equal footing. EDUCATIONAL TRAINING OF READERS

It is very necessary that this office shall be permitted to obtain proof read- ers better qualified to handle the high class of publications printed for the many technical branches of the Government service. Readers having higher

educational training and experience than that of the average printer are employed by many of the best book publishers, but this office has not been able

to secure the services of similarly qualified readers on account of the restric- tion that only compositors and machine operators can be assigned to the work

of proof reading. Although all compositors are supposed to have had some

training at proof reading to qualify them as journeymen printers, the fact is the proof-reading experience of many compositors has been very limited and

their education inadequate for intelligent and proper reading of the large

number of technical books and the numerous publications in foreign languages

which this office is required to print for various branches of the Government

service. That the ability of the ordinary printer to read proof has greatly

cleteriorated is clearly shown by the report of the New York committee on proof-room survey, which was submitted to the International Typographical

Union at its recent convention. In this report the committee states

" It was apparent from the answers to interrogations that the occupation

of proof reading is no longer a desirable one, and that the young men in the printing business have little inclination to follow it as a means of liveli- hood. Before the advent of the typesetting machines a high standard of competence was demanded of the proof reader, and in recognition of his ability

he was usually paid a salary higher than the union scale.

^ "Coincident with the general adoption of the machine for straight composition there was a gradual lessening in the endeavor to maintain a uniform

* style,' particularly on the newspapers. The correction of even a single error

necessitated the resetting of an entire line, and the proof reader who made

-what could be regarded as unnecessary marks soon found himself in disfavor,

from the viewpoint of both the composing room executive and the machine

operator. Especially obnoxious was ho who had the temerity to mark an

incorrect division, with the consequent resetting of two lines. " Thus subjected to ill-w^ill and hostile criticism and realizing the hopeless- ness of trying to maintain the standard he had been accustomed to, the proof
Annual Report of the Public Printer 43^

reader was forced to reconcile himself to the new order of things. Inac-

curacies in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization were literally

winked at. and the field of his activity was limited to the correction of misspelled words and the deleting of an occasional ' pi ' line. This is especially true of the daily newspapers, where speed is vital and where it frequently

happens that everything must be sacrificed to getting the paper out on time.

" Various remedies were offered that, it was hoped, would restore the proof room to at least a measurable degree of its former status, and chief among:

these was the establishment by the union of a school for proof readers. Others were advanced which, while possessing elements of merit, the committee also- felt constrained to reject. It is with much reluctance that the committeereports adversely on the institution of a school for proof readers, as the project

had many supporters, but the idea is deemed impracticable, as the committeeis convinced that those already working as proof readers would not care to- become members of the school." Further evidence that proof reading is becoming a lost art is given by^ the Columbus, Ohio, correspondent of the Typographical Journal, who complains in the September issue that " from being one of the most important"

jobs on a newspaper, the position of proof reader has developed into sn mere ' pi-line hunter.' " DECAY OF PEOOF-EOOM STAXDAEDS

It is from this arid and unpromising field that the Government Printing:

Oflice has had to recruit its force of proof readers from time to time, witb

the result that much of our work has of necessity been of the same mediocre- and haphazard style as is readily apparent even to the untrained eye in the newspapers and magazines of to-day. The Typographical Union is not alone- in recognizing the growing dislike of its members to qualify as competent

proof readers. The reader who takes pride in his work naturally dislikes the restrictions that have been placed on his corrections by the indifference of

newspaper publishers who insist on quantity rather than quality of output.

Directly in point is an article on the " Decay of proof-room standards,""

written by Edward N. Teall, a noted authority on proof reading, which;

is printed in the October issue of the Inland Printer. Replying to the question " Why is proof reading in decay? " Mr, Teall answers : '• Partly because proof readers do not fight for the old ideals of their callingPartly because the union does not fight effectively for better selection of proof

readers. Partly because publishers are not proud enough of clean pages. But

finally and fundamentally because this is a careless, slipshod age, willing ta

get by with the least effort, ignorant of old sciences and indifferent to their

values." Mr. Teall was prompted to write of the proof-room problem by a letter from' a New York compositor who makes this significant statement concerning the- present-day standard of proof reading by Xew York printers

" In Xew York City an operator undergoes a test before receiving his unioncard. If there is any test for applicants for proof reading, it appears to be- not very exigent, since those who are unversed even in the accepted technicalities of marking a proof are ' getting by ' in increasing numbers."

To the statement of the Xew York critic Mr. Teall accords in saying:

" I agree with this critic's arraignment of the publishers. I must agree

with him in what he had to say about union standards; that is to say, while

indulging in no sweeping criticism, I do feel that there is some ground for

criticism, and that it would be good for the unions to plan a campaign in behalf of higher standards." Although I have far exceeded the extent to which I intended to carry

this discussion, I can not refrain from calling your attention also to an editorial on " Proof reading " which was published in the July 25 issue of' Printing, a well-known trade paper. In commenting on the subject, the editor of Printing says : "At the risk of showing our rank ig"norance, we are going to say that we^

don't believe it is necessary for a proof reader to have had typesetting ex-- perience and that as a matter of fact efficient proof reading requires an entirely different kind of training.

" Let us be perfectly frank and say that one of the weak spots in most:

printing shops is the proof-reading department. The average of proof read-
44 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ing is decidedly less ttian good, and the reason, we are convinced, is that union regulation which classes proof readers as compositors.

" The compositor must know the rules of typography, must know the type

case, and have a thorough familiarity with type faces and type sizes. He must

know how to set type, how to space, justify, make up a page or impose a

form, lock up a form for press or foundry, and a score of other similar duties. The proof reader, on the other hand, must know entirely different things. He

must know English, spelling, grammatical construction, punctuation, and he must have a quick eye to catch transpositions, wrong fonts, and the like. " Proof readers should be recruited from an entirely different field from

that of practical printing. There is a decidedly low standard of proof reading

existent to-day which the employing printers of the country should take steps

to improve. And the way to start is to separate proof reading from composition and to make of proof reading as much a separate vocation as is typesetting, presswork, or any of the other departments of the modern print shop." PRINTER READERS ARE PREFERRED

I am of the opinion that qualified printer readers are much to be preferred

to nonprinter readers in this ofiice, owing to the varying requirements of our

•work which necessitates the shifting of employees to and from the composing

and proof rooms as the occasion may require larger or decreased forces in

either. But there is always need for a considerable number of permanent

readers and copyholders, and these positions could as well, or even better, be

filled by qualified persons who are not journeymen printers.

To obtain better printer readers, this ofiice has already suggested to a

representative of the commission that a separate register be established of compositors and operators who are especially qualified as proof readers. This

may be done by rerating the compositors and operators on the present list, but the difficulty is that their papers generally give little or no information

of value in determining ability as proof readers. I recommend, therefore, in announcing future examinations, statement be made that a separate register

will be maintained for compositors and operators who submit detailed and

acceptable evidence of their ability to read proof according to the standards

of approved book and job printing. Special credit should be given for higher

educational qualifications and ability to read and edit foreign languages. It seems desirable also to establish separate registers for job compositors, esti- mators, computers, and possibly some other special classes required by this

ofiice. In that way the ofiice may be able to obtain properly trained employees

without being required to select men of ordinary experience, when others of

ability along special lines are included in the civil-service lists, but ovv^ing to their general rating are not within reach for appointment. The present single

list is a severe handicap to the ofiice in obtaining printers having special

qualifications as proof readers, job compositors, estimators, and computers.

Therefore it is earnestly requested that relief be granted by the establishment

of separate registers of persons having special qualifications for certain designated positions, with the understanding that appointment of printers from

these registers will not interfere with the flexibility of the force by their subsequent transfer to other occupations within the trade. Furthermore, I am of the opinion that nonprinter copyholders should be appointed from appropriate registers of special examinations, with eligibility,

if qualified, for promotion to the position of proof reader, copy editor, and

related occupations after probationary period without further examination,

and that persons appointed as copyholders and promoted to related occupations should be assigned to a mechanical trade status.

I appreciate the consideration that the commission has already given to

this subject and the proposals submitted in its letter of September 4, but as the matter is one of great concern in the successful operation of the Govern- ment Printing Ofiice I respectfully ask that the matter be reviewed and that your decision may be favorable to the suggestions herein submitted. Under date of October 30, 1925, the Civil Service Commission

advised the Public Printer of its final refusal to grant a mechanical

status to copyholders and proof readers appointed under an examination requiring no previous experience in the printing trade. Con-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 45

sequentlv this office is unable to function the same as other large

printing plants that employ many nonprinter proof readers.

PRESS feeders' TRAIXIXG TOO LI3IITED

Another recent instance of lack of understanding by the Civil

Service Commission of the requirements of the work of a printing

office was its refusal to call for press feeders with the necessary

experience for competent service in the Government Printing

Office. On the expert advice of presswork officials the Public

Printer requested the conmiission to increase the training requirement of press-feeder applicants from three to six months, so that

thoroughly skilled feeders might be available for employment. Even

six months is less than the minimum experience generally required in

the trade for the proper training of press feeders.

As the Government Printing Office does not undertake to train

press feeders but employs only experienced feeders at a good rate of pay, the Public Printer believes that the Government is entitled

to the service of efficient feeders, and therefore proposed that at least six months' experience should be required. The commission, however, seems to attach more importance to the educational and psychological examination of press feeders than to their training and

experience in the work for which they are to be employed. Consequently, in this branch of the printing trade also, the Government

Printing Office may have to operate as a clerical office instead of as

a manufacturing plant.

DUTY TO DETERMINE WORKMEX'S SKELL

The printing act of Jamiary 12, 1S95 (sec. 45). which was enacted

by Congress some years subsequent to the civil service law, provides that

It shall be the duty of the Public Printer to employ workmen who are thoroughly skilled in their respective branches of industry, as shown by trial of their skill under his direction. (28 Stat. L. 607.) The law thus definitely fixes the duty of employing thorotighly

skilled workmen upon the Ptiblic Printer and not upon the Civil

Service Commission. The right to decide whether workmen are

" thoroughly skilled " is also vested in the Public Printer by the

provision requiring that trial of their skill shall be made " tmder

his direction.'' With this dttty and right, the Public Printer must,

of necessity, determine the training and experience that workmen

shall have had to be deemed " thoroughly skilled in their respective

branches of industiw."

If the jurisdiction of the Civil Service Commission applies at

all to the Government Printing Office, it is limited to the certifica- tion of such workmen as the Public Printer shall deem to be thoroughly skilled " and to the protection of their rights under the civil service law.

The civil-service status of the Government Printing Office has

long been a debatable question, and, witli the increasing complication of its administration under the bewildering rulings of the Civil

Service Commission, the Bureau of Efficiency, the Personnel Classi-
46 Annual Report of the Public Printer

fication Board, the Eetirement Board, the General Accounting

Office, and the General Supply Committee, the present seems to be

a fitting time to invite the attention of Congress to this complicated

situation.

OFFICE IN LEGISLATIVE ESTABLISHMENT

As is well known, the Government Printing Office was established

by Congress primarily for its own convenience, and, through the

Joint Committee on Printing, Congress has continued to exercise

in many ways direct control over the conduct of the office. The

Government 'Printing Office has generally been designated as an

independent establishment of the Government, not being included

by law in any of the executive departments, and Congress has persistently clung to the office, along with the Library of Congress

and the Botanic Garden, as a part of the legislative establishment of

the Government. Appropriations for the Government Printing

Office are regularly estimated by the Bureau of the Budget as a part

of the expenses of the legislative establishment and are included by

Congress in the annual legislative appropriation bill. The Congressional Directory has for years listed the Government Printing Office as a congressional establishment.

Senator Root, one of the foremost authorities on governmental

matters, in discussing printing legislation in the Senate on March 12,

1912, declared:

The oflQce of the Public Printer is an anomaly in our system of administration. * * * rpiie Government Printing Office is not in any executive department and has no supervision, and has never had any supervision, except the

supervision of Congress. * * * Now, either Congress ought to make its own supervision adequate, if it is going to perform that duty, and create for

it adequate machinery and fix upon somebody the responsibility, or else it ought to put this bureau in an executive department. AVhichever Congress

chooses to do is all right ; but the office is to-day a lost child, and has been

ever since I have known anything about the administration of the Government

of the United States. The Government Printing Office was not placed under the civil service until June 13, 1895, when President Cleveland issued an

Executive order blanketing all its employees into the classified service. Serious question was raised at that time as to whether the

President had this authority under the civil service act of January

16, 1883.

The International Typographical Union adopted resolutions at

its conventions in 1892 and 1896 condemning the application of the

civil-service system to the Government Printing Office. Gen. Charles H. Grosvenor, of Ohio, in a speech in the House of

Eepresentatives on July 19, 1897, submitted a brief by, as he asserted,

^' one of the best-known lawyers in the United States," arguing that

the civil service law did not apply to the Government Printing Office as it is not an executive department.

_ The Senate, by resolution of February 9, 1898, directed its Judiciary Committee to inquire and report whether the Executive order

extending the civil service law to the Government Printing Office was valid and of binding force, but it does not appear that the committee ever submitted a report.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 47

INQUIRY MADE INTO CIVIL-SERVICE STATUS

In 1898 President McKinle}^ directed the heads of executive departments to inquire into the validity of various Executive orders

issued by President Cleveland extending the application of the civil service law, with a view, as publicly announced at the time, to rescinding some of them.

Attorney General Griggs rendered an opinion on April 28, 1898,

that the civil service law did not apply to the officers and employees

of the District of Columbia.

I have been informed that about the same time one of the high

ranking law officers of the Government prepared a somewhat similar opinion, in which he held that '* the Government Printing Office

is not an executive branch of the Government within the meaning

of that term in the civil service act, nor is it a branch or division

of any of the executive departments," and that " the provisions of

the civil service act can not lawfully be applied to the officers or employees therein." This opinion was withdrawn, for some un- known reason, before it became a matter of official record, and therefore had no effect on the status of the Government Printing Office at that time.

For the information of Congress in considering, if it deems fit, the civil-service status of the Government Printing Office, so that

all doubt may be authoritatively settled for the protection of employees as to their civil-service and retirement rights, I submit herewith the unrecorded opinion referred to, bearing the date of April

30, 1898. In doing so, I do not desire to be understood as favoring

in any way a return to the " spoils system " of selecting employees

of the Government Printing Office or as seeking to restrict the proper

application of the civil service law to this office. OPIXION ox PRESIDENT CLE^TELANd's ORDER

The opinion in full is as follows:

Apeil 30, 1898. Sir: In response to your request for my opinion as to whether the civil service act approved January 16, 1888, entitled " An act to regulate and im- prove the civil service of the United States," can lawfully be applied to the employees of the Government in the Government Printing Office, I have the honor to advise you as follows

The scope of the application of the civil service act, so far as classification

is concerned, is defined and limited by the third division of section 6 and

by the latter part of section 7, which I hereby quote, as follows

" Sec. 6. Third. That from time to time said Secretary, the Postmaster

General, and each of the heads of departments mentioned in the one hundred

and fifty-eighth section of the Revised Statutes, and each head of an office, shall, on the direction of the President, and for facilitating the execution of

this act, respectively revise any then existing classification or arrangement of those in their respective departments and offices, and shall, for the purposes

of the examination herein provided for, include in one or more of such classes, so far as practicable, subordinate places, clerks, and officers in the public

service pertaining to their respective departments not before classified for examination,"

The latter part of section 7 reads

" Nor shall any officer not in the executive branch of the Government

* * * be required to be classified hereunder."
48 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The question therefore to be decided is \Ylietlier the Government Printing

Office belongs to the executive branch of the Government. If it does not belong to the executive branch of the Government, then the civil service act does not apply to it, and the employees in the Government Printing Office can

not lawfully be classified under the civil service act. What is to be understood by the executive branch of the Government as that phrase is used in section 7 can be determined from the language of the third paragraph of section 6, above quoted. It v.-ill be observed that classification of

officers and employees lies at the basis of the whole civil service act. By

section 2 the civil service commissioners are directed to aid the President in preparing suitable rules for carrying the act into effect, which rules, among

other iliings, shall provide for " open, competitive examinations for testing the fitness of applicants for the public service now classified or to be classified hereunder." It is obvious from this language that only those of the public

service are to be classified who are expressly provided for in the act. The

third paragraph of section 6 is the efficient part of the act providing for such classification. It directs that the heads of departments mentioned in the one hundred fifty-eighth section of the Revised Statutes and each head

of an office shall, on direction of the President, revise any classification already

existing, and for the purposes of the examination provided for in the act shall include in one or more of such classes, so far as practicable, subordinate

places, clerks, and officers in the public service pertaining to their respective

departments not before classified for examination. This adopts, subject to

revision, classifications already existing and provides for classification where

it had not already been instituted. The question is. then, whether it refers

to any branches of the Government except such as are under the control of the different executive departments defined in section 158 of the Revised

Statutes. The departments mentioned in section 158 are the Department of

State, the Department of War, the Department of the Treasury, the Depart- ment of Justice, the Post Office Department, the Department of the Navy,

and the Department of the Interior. The Department of Agriculture has since been created as an executive department.

By subsequent sections of the Revised Statutes the different heads of depart- ments are specified, and are, respectively, the Secretary of State, the Secretary

of War, the Attorney General, the Postmaster General, the Secretary of the Navy, and the Secretary of the Interior. These departments, including now

the Department of Agriculture, are universally understood to be the executive

departments of the Government.

PRINTING OFFICE NOT IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH

A review of the legislation creating and governing the Government Printing

Office proves very conclusively that this office is not a branch of any of the

executive departments.

By act of August 26, 1852 (10 Stat. 30), entitled "An act to provide for executing the public printing, and establishing the prices thereof, and for other purposes," provision was made for the appointment of a superintendent

of public printing, who was made what his name implies, a superintendent of the public printing by the printers. These public printers were at that time

appointed by the two Houses of Congress, each House appointing its owm. By joint resolution passed June 23, 1860 (12 Stat. 117), the public printers

appointed by the two Houses of Congress were dispensed with and the whole

subject of public printing was placed in charge of the superintendent, who

was to superintend all the printing and binding, the purchase of paper, the purchase of other necessary materials and machinery, and the employment of proof readers, compositors, pressmen, laborers, and other hands necessary to execute the orders of Congress and of the executive and judicial departments

at the city of Washington. To enable him to more effectually perform his duties he was to appoint a foreman of printing and a foreman of binding.

These foremen were required to report to him and to furnish him their esti- mates of the amount and kind of materials required. He furnished them their

supplies, for which they accounted to him. He was also to report to Congress

at the beginning of each session the number of hands employed and the length

of time each had been employed; and it was made his duty to report to Congress the exact condition of the public printing, binding, and engraving, the amount and cost of all such printing, binding, and engraving, the amount and
Annual Report of the Public Printer 49

cost of all paper purchased for the same, a statement of the several bids for

materials, and such further information as might be within his knowledge

in regard to all matters connected therewith. / By act passed February 22, 1867, the appointment of the congressional

printer was lodged with the Senate, which was directed to elect some competent person to take charge of and manage the Government Printing Office. He was given the same powers that were formerly exercised by the super- intendent of public printing, and the office of superintendent of public printing was abolished. (14 Stat. 398.) u?nIted states supreme court decision

The provisions of the statutes governing this office being as above stated, the Supreme Court of the United States in United States v. Allison (91 U. S. 303), after reviewing the statutes and resolutions governing the creation and modification of this office, expressly decided that the Government Print- ing Office was neither a bureau nor a division of either of the executive depart- ments. It was contended in that case that because the bond of the superin- tendent of public printing, under the act of 1852, was to be approved by the Secretary of the Interior, therefore the control of the office was placed under

the Interior Department, and the office Vvas a branch or division of that department. This condition was distinctly negatived by the decision of the

court, which in deciding the main point of the case used this language

The Secretary of the Interior has no control whatever over the employment

of men by the superintendent of public printing. He can not fix their wages

or supervise the action of the superintendent in that particular. He does

not pay them, and has no control whatever of the funds out of which they

are paid. He may pay the superintendent for printing done upon the order

of his department ; but the superintendent disburses without any accountability

to him. In short, the superintendent seems to have a department of his own,

in which he is in a sense supreme. Certainly he is not under the control

of any one of the executive departments. Apparently he is more responsible

to Congress than to any other authority."

This decision of the Supreme Court is conclusive unless by legislation enacted subsequently to the act of 1867 the office of the Public Printer has

been subjected to the control of one of the executive departments ; but I do not find any such legislation.

The legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation act of June 20, 1874

(18 Stat. 88), provides:

" For compensation of the Congressional Printer, and the clerks and messengers in his office, $13,917 : Provided, That so much of the act entitled ' An

act providing for the election of a Congressional Printer, approved February

22, 1867, as provides for the election of such officer by the Senate, and pro- vides that such officer shall be deemed an officer of the Senate, shall cease and determine and become of no effect from and after the date of the first vacancy occurring in said office; that the title of said office shall hereafter

be Public Printer, and he shall be deemed an officer of the United States, and

said office shall be filled by appointment by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate." The method by which the Public Printer is appointed does not affect the question as to whether or not his office is a branch or division of any of the executive departments. It is competent for Congress to provide for the appoint- ment of different officers in various ways, but such officers when appointed

do not necessarily become branches of the same department of the Government

to which the appointing power belongs. (Barnes v. District of Columbia,

91 U. S. 540.) LEGISLATION ON THE SUBJECT QUOTED

The legislation concerning this subject in the appropriation act of June 20, 1874, above quoted, seems to have been repealed by the act of July 31, 1876

(19 Stat. 105), which provides as follows:

" That so much of all laws or parts of laws as provide for the election or appointment of Public Printer be, and the same are hereby, repealed * * * and the President of the United States shall appoint, by and with the advice

and consent of the Senate, a suitable person, who must be a practical printer

and versed in the art of bookbinding, to take charge of and manage the Gov- ernment Printing Office from and after the date aforesaid; he shall be called
50 Annual Report of the Public Printer

the ' Public Printer,' and shall be vested with all the powers and subject to

all the restriction pertaining to the officer now known as the Public Printer;

he shall give bond in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars for the faithful performance of the duties of his office, said bond to be approved by the Sec- retary of the Interior. And the Joint Committee on Printing are hereby authorized and directed to inquire into the question of public printing and report

at the next session of this Congress, with authority to sit during the recess, and report such reforms as are necessary to secure faithful and economical

work of Congress and the departments."

By act of January 12, 1895 (28 Stat. 601), it is provided as follows:

" That there shall be a joint committee on printing consisting of three Members of the Senate and three Members of the House of Representatives, who

shall have the powers hereinafter stated.

" Sec. 2. The Joint Committee on Printing shall have power to adopt such measures as may be deemed necessary to remedy any neglect or delay in the execution of the public printing, * * *. " Sec. 3. The Joint Committee on Printing shall fix upon standards of paper

for the different descriptions of public printing and binding, and the Public- Printer shall, under their direction, advertise in two newspapers published in each of the cities of * * *, etc. " Sec. 4. The advertisements shall specify the minimum portion of each^ quality of paper required for either three months, six months, or one year,, as the Joint Committee on Printing may determine ; * * *. " Sec. 5. The sealed proposals to furnish paper shall be opened in the pres- ence of the Joint Committee on Printing, and the contracts shall be awarded

by them, etc.

" Sec. 6. No contract for furnishing paper shall be valid until it has been

approved by the Joint Committee on Printing, if made under their direction, or by the Secretary of the Interior, if made under his direction, according to- the provisions of section 9 of this act." (Sec. 9 provides for the action of the

Secretary of the Interior, in certain cases, when Congress is not in session.)

By this act direct control of the Public Printer on various important subjects^ was placed in the hands of a joint committee of che Senate and House of Representatives. This last legislation indicates conclusively that Congress considered the Public Printer and his office to be subject to its administrative

control and direction, which is entirely inconsistent with any supposed status- the office might have as a branch or bureau of any executive department.

PUBLIC printer an INDEPENDENT OFFICER Various other acts of Congress indicate that the Public Printer was considered as separate and apart from the executive departments. For instance,, by act approved July 7, 1884 (23 Stat. 277), the Joint Committee on Public

Printing was authorized to summon and examine experts and witnesses, and

to call upon the heads of executive departments and the Public Printer for information, drawing thereby a definite distinction between the executive de- partments and the Public Printer. By a joint resolution of May 16, 1884 (23 Stat. 273), providing for the dis- tribution of the Congressional Globe, "And the Public Printer is hereby di- rected, upon the requisition of the Secretary of the Interior, to deliver to him

such volumes of the Globe now in his charge in unbound form as may be desired."

If the Public Printer were an officer of the Interior Department it would

have been unnecessary for Congress to authorize the Secretary of the Interior

to make requisition upon him, thus indicating that it did not regard the Secre- tary as having authority to control his action in this respect. In the legislative, executive, and judicial appropriation acts passed by the

several Congresses, provision for the salaries and contingent fund for theoffice of the Public Printer is made under the head of " legislative," indicating- that this office was not considered as pertaining to the executive departments.

In Twenty-seventh Statutes, page 715, it is provided that the heads of executive departments may grant leave to employees. Leave of absence for employees

of the Government Printing Office is provided for separately in Twenty-eightlL

Statutes, page 604. A still more conclusive instance of congressional action pertinent to the- question under consideration will be found in certain provisions of the abovementioned act of January 12, 1895 (28 Stat. 601), entitled "An act providing;
Annual Report of the Public Printer 51

lor the public printing and binding and the distribution of public documents."

Section 45 of this act is as follows

"It shall be the duty of the Public Printer to employ workmen w^ho are thoroughly skilled in their respeciive branches of industry, as shown by trial of their skill under his direction." By section 100 of this act all laws in conflict wdth its provisions are repealed.

Congress, therefore, by this last act, passed subsequent to the passage of the civil service act, has expressly directed by whom and in what manner

employees in the office of the Public Printer shall be appointed and examined.

This provision is entirely inconsistent with the methods of examination and

certification provided for by the civil service act and the civil service rules.

I therefore am of the opinion that the employees in the office of the Public

Printer are not subject to classification and examination under the civil service act; that the Government Printing Office is not an executive branch

of the Government within the meaning of that term in the civil service act, and that it is not under the control of nor a branch or division or office of any of the executive departments, and the provisions of the civil service act can not lawfully be applied to the officers or employees therein. Very respectfully,

The PresideXT. CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT RULINGS

The Civil Service Commission has recently made several rulings

in regard to the retirement status of mechanics employed in the

Government Printing Office which, if sustained, ^vlil have far more

serious effect on the morale of employees and the efficiency of their

service than may result from its arbitrary decisions as to the training and experience to be required of applicants for mechanical positions. The commission has held that employees, to be eligible for

retirement as mechanics at 65 years of age, must have been regularly

and daily engaged in the operation of machines.

The new ruling upsets the procedure of this office as has been

approved by the commission ever since the retirement act became

effective in 1920. It affects a large number of skilled workers, who,

though not machine operators, have always been classed as mechanics

in accordance with the uniform practices of their respective trades.

These employees, if the ruling of the commission prevails, will have

to work until they are TO years of age before they can claim retire- ment annuity. Many of their fellow workers who were engaged in

similar occupations have already been retired at 65 years of age. The additional service required of the remaining and future employees will undoubtedly bring great discontent and will force

many employees to remain in the service long after their strength

and usefulness as mechanics has begun to wane. The commission's first decision changing the retirement status of

the skilled trades employed in the Government Printing Office came

in the case of photo-engravers, whose retirement age was increased

from 65 to 70 years without consulting this office. The commission

explained that, on the basis of information obtained from the departments as to the mechanical status of engravers, draftsmen, and other

artistic workers, it decided that photo-engravers were not mechanics.

After receiving the views of this office, the commission restored the

photo-engravers to the mechanical class, retirable at 65 years of age. As a matter of fact, photo-engraving is an important branch of the

printing industry and is universally recognized as a mechanical

trade.
52 Annual Report of the Public Printer

PROOF READERS PUT IN CLERICAL STATUS

Under date of December 10, 1925, the Civil Service Commission

advised the Public Printer that it " will regard all persons serving

as copy editors and proof readers as retirable at 70, regardless of

whether they become such by original appointment or by designation from among the employees of the printing trade."

The commission thus ousts proof readers bodily from the printing trade in which they have been employed ever since the invention of movable type, and by a new sort of legerdemain transforms

them into clerks. With a wave of the commission's magic pen, the

printer thus becomes a mechanic when he sets type and is changed

into a clerk when he proof reads the type he has set. The mystic

formula for this transfiguration also prescribes the process by which

a proof reader may be restored to the status of a printer for retire- ment as a mechaiiic at the age of 65. So there you are. Presto

!

Change ! —from printer to clerk and back again to printer

!

But it is not so easy as that. The Comptroller General has decided

that extensions of time for employees of retirable age must be approved in advance; otherwise, the employee is automatically separated from the service on reaching the age of retirement. Therefore, if a proof reader over the age of 65 is transferred to other

printing work, he must be retired immediately, and can not, under

the law, be reinstated.

It usually happens that the condition of work, especially during

sessions of Congress, requires the hurried shifting of printers to and from the proof room daily, and sometimes hourly. Under the

ruling of the commission, a printer proof reader may become a mechanic again as he walks from the proof room into the composing

room; but, if he is over 65, he is automatically retired as he steps

from the proof room into the composing room. He loses his job on

the threshold.

On the other hand, a compositor or machine operator who desires to retire on reaching the age of 65 can be denied that right under the

ruling of the Civil Service Commission, by assigning him to the

proof room where he must continue to work until TO years of age. This procedure is not only unfair to the emploj^ees but is entirely

impracticable for the proper handling of the large force of printers

required for the various branches of the trade, including proof reading, in the Government Printing Office. APPEAL TO SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR

The question came to an issue in the case of James E. Maynard, a printer proof reader and referee, whom the commission certified was

not retirable as a mechanic at 65. In appealing from this decision

to the Secretary of the Interior, the Public Printer submitted the

following statements under dates of December 16 and 22 : Mr. Maynard was ar/poiiitevl a comyositor in the Government Printing Office on February 2. 1900, and was regularly promoted in the printing division to proof reader, referee, chief reviser, and chief referee, which latter position

he held at the time of his retirement for disability on August 19, 1925. These

positions require special training and skill in the several branches of printing and are essentially a part of that mechanical trade.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 53

The position of chief proof referee, which Mr. Maynard had held for nearly two years prior to his retirement, requires technical knowledge of printing

and proof reading. The duties of a chief referee are to receive revised proofs,

supervise their correction by proof revisers, and decide tj^iographical questions

and other inquiries submitted by proof readers and revisers relating to their work. A referee is necessary for correct and uniform proof reading, which is, of course, an essential operation in the mechanical trade of printing.

The position of proof referee was recognized as a part of the printing trade by the Reclassification Commission in its report to Congress (H. Doc. 686, 66th Cong., p. 388).

The position of chief proof referee comes within the opinion rendered by the

Solicitor of the Interior Department on July 2. 1920 (Retirement Handbook,

p. 2), that "A foreman, supervisor, leading man, or other employee who is assigned to such duties because he is a mechanic, and experience as a mechanic

is a prerequisite, should be regarded as a mechanic within the meaning of the retirement law." The Civil Service Commission, in defining three general classes of employees

who may properly be regarded as mechanics retirable at 65. specifies as the

third group "persons occupying positions (principally supervisory) by virtue

of the fact that they have knowledge pertaining to the mechanical trades

or allied occupations, or that they are required in the performance of their duties to have knowledge of mechanical trades' occupations, are to be regarded

as mechanics retirable at 65."

It is evident, therefore, that actual trade experience. Government classifi- cation, and prior rulings of the Civil Service Commission and the Interior Department fully justified this ofiice in designating the chief referee as an

occupation within a mechanical trade retirable at 65 years. Proof reading, revising, and refereeing are part of the trade of a printer,

and have heretofore been so treated by the Civil Service Commission in

its printer examinations. Applicants have been rated by the commission upon

their ability to read and revise proofs and edit copy as well as upon their experience as compositors. Recently, however, the Civil Service Commission

seems to have undergone a change of opinion as to the mechanical status

of proof readers and other related occupations. The commission is now

inclined to place every person employed at proof reading in a clerical status, whether a practical printer or not. Under date of October 30, the commission

advised that it would reach a decision shortly as to the mechanical status

of proof readers who have been transferred from the composing room in the Government Printing Ofiice. UPSETS CENTIJEIES-OLD TRADE ETTLE The action of the commission in the Maynard case indicates that the commission has decided that all positions in the proof room of the Government

Printing Oflfice, including copyholders, readers, revisers, and referees, are

clerical and therefore retirable at 70 years. Such a decision is absolutely

preposterous and contrary to all the history and practices of the printing

trades. For the first time in 470 j^ears since Gutenberg invented movable

types which necessitated the reading of proofs to ascertain the proper setting

of the types, the proposal comes from the Civil Service Commission to classify

proof readers as clerks and remove them from the status of printing trade mechanics.

It is inconceivable that such a position will receive support from anyone

who is at all familiar with the printing industry. The reading of proofs is as necessary a part of the trade as is the setting of types ; especially so with

modern typesetting machines which are more productive of errors in proofs

than hand compositors who of their own accord can correct typographical

mistakes. Proof readers are universally classed as mechanics by both employers and

employees in the printing trade. The International Typographical Union in- cludes proof readers in its membership of printing mechanics along with hand

compositors and typesetting-machine operators, and does not eliminate from

the trade compositors who are subsequently employed as proof readers. The Reclassification Commission in its report to Congress also grouped copyholders, revisers, referees, and copy editors as occuDations under the printing

trade.
54 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Congress in the clerical classification act of 1923 excluded apprentice, helper,

and journeyman work in a recognized trade or craft, which clearly shows

that Congress intended that such work should be considered as mechanical and

not as clerical. The retirement act also specifically provided that mechanics shall be eligible for retirement at 65 years. In proposing to classify proof readers as clerks, the Civil Service Commission is endeavoring to put into effect its ruling of October 24, that employees

of the Government Printing Ofiice must regularly operate machines to be regarded as mechanics retirable at 65. Such a ruling is entirely contrary to the well-known practices of all the trades in the printing industry and would

seriously injure the efficiency and morale of the Government Printing OflBce. I discussed this innovation at length in my letter of December 9 to the Secretary of the Interior (copy inclosed) appealing from the decision of the

Civil Service Commission in the case of certain bindery operatives, and I desire to have those statements considered in connection with the present

appeal, as both appeals present similar questions. For your further information as to the views of the Civil Service Commission and this office concerning the status of proof readers, I inclose copies of the commission's letter of September 4. my reply of October 6, and extract from the commission's final answer of October 30. NEW DISCRIMINATION IS UN.JUST Up to the present, this office has employed only printers at proof reading

and related work, such as copyholding, revising, refereeing. and copy editing.

Owing to the usual requirements of a printing office, it is necessary at times

to increase or decrease the number of these employees by details to and from

the regular forces of compositors and typesetting-machine operators. Under

the ruling of the Civil Service Commission, if a printer happens to be working

in the proof room when he reaches the age of 65 years, he would not be eli- gible for retirement ; but if he were then at work as a compositor or machine

operator he could be retired at 65. This is an unjust discrimination, as both

proof readers and compositors are essentially mechanical occupations. In the case of printers, they could be kept w^ithin the ruling of the Civil Service Commission by transferring them from the proof room to the composing room

shortly before reaching the age of 65 years and thus retired. This might

be regarded as an evasion and certainly would be a procedure entangled with

useless red tape. The sensible and businesslike method, in harmony with the

universal trade practice, is to treat alike all copyholders, proof readers,

revisers, referees, copy editors, and related positions included in the mechanical trade of printing:.

It is the universal practice of the trade to regard proof readers, whether

trained as compositors or not, as an essential part of the mechanical trade

of printing. The International Typographical Union for many years has

granted old-age pensions to all its members, including proof readers, who

have reached the age of 60 years after a continuous membership of 20 years;

and the Typographical Union is now proposing to raise the age limit from

60 to 65 years by adding a year each year until 1930. There is no doubt in my mind but that proof readers are and should be treated the same as other members of the printing craft and granted the privilege of retirement at the age of 65 years. This matter is so vital to the Government Printing Office that I respectfully

request, if you have any doubt as to the retirement status of proof readers, that I may have an opportunity to present the appeal personally to your office.

^ For the above reasons, and because the ruling of the Civil Service Commission in this case may do injustice to an honorable veteran of the SpanishAmerican War, I respectfully ask that James E. Maynard be considered as

eligible for retirement at 65 years on account of his duties as chief proof

referee, and that all copyholders, proof readers, revisers, referees, and copy

editors in the Government Printing Office be classed as mechanics eligible for retirement at 65 years. RETIREMENT OF BINDERY OPERATIVES

Another retirement decision by the commission was that affecting

bindery operatives and skilled workers employed in bookbindery
Annual Report of the Public Printer 55

operations. The commission held that because some of these workers

are not engaged regularly and daily in the operation of machines

they are not entitled to retirement as mechanics at 65. Many of the

bindery workers are women who are employed at the usual hand

operations necessary to complete the product of a bookbindery. In

many cases they occasionally operate minor machines. Their work

is equally as arduous and skillful ofttimes as that of journeymen

bookbinders. Everywhere in the commercial trade they are classed

as mechanics.

The Public Printer felt that the ruling was so unfair and out of

harmony with the general practices of the trade, that he submitted

the following appeal, under date of December 9, 1925, to the Secretary of the Interior, before whom the matter is still pending

In accordance with the retirement act of Msij 22, 1920, and its administration by the Secretary of the Interior (Retirement Act Handbook, p. 2),

I hereby appeal from an opinion of the Civil Service Commission, dated Octo- ber 24 and November 3, 1925, holding that certain bindery operatives and

skilled laborers employed in the bindery of the Government Printing Office are not mechanics and therefore can not be retired until they reach the age of 70 years. This oflace is of the opinion that such employees should be classed as mechanics under the retirement act and be eligible to retire at the age

of 65 years. The letters of the Civil Service Commission are submitted

herewith as appendices No. 1 and No. 2. Appeal is also made from the decision of the Civil Service Commission, as

expressed in its letter of October 24, that the following principle will govern

its action as to the retirement age in any given case of a skilled laborer employed as a bindery operative in the Government Printing Office

" Retirement age of skilled laborers employed as bindery operatives in the Government Printing Office will be determined in each case by the duties of

the employee. Those who regularly operate machines will be regarded as mechanics retirable at 65, and those who do not regularly operate machines

will be regarded as retirable at TO years of age." In adopting the above rule the Civil Service Commission has reversed its action in numerous other cases heretofore approved by the Commissioner of Pensions. I submit herewith a list (appendix No. 3) of employees who were

rated as mechanics retirable at age of 65 years with the approval of the Civil Service Commission prior to its decision of October 24 that employees having

similar duties are not retirable at 65. Further evidence that the Civil Service

Commission has been of the opinion that these employees are retirable as mechanics is shown in its action as recent as September 22, 1925, when the commission held that the employees listed in its letter of October 24 for retirement at 70 were retirable at 65 years of age. Aside from the present appeal, an important question may be raised as to the

status of the employees who have been retired at 65, an age at which the commission now holds they were not subject to retirement. In this connection you are respectfully asked to note the comment of the Civil Service Commission

on the case of Mrs. Helen Clark in the commission's letter of November 3, 1925 (appendix No. 2).RULING CONTRARY TO TRADE PRACTICES The new rule laid down by the Civil Service Commission, requiring that employees for classification as mechanics must " regularly and daily operate

machines " is contrary to the common and generally accepted definition of that

term. Webster defines " mechanic " as " one who practices any mechanic art," and this authority uses the adjective " mechanic " as " pertaining to manual

labor ; involving manual skill." The noun " mechanic " is further defined by

Webster as " one skilled or employed in shaping or uniting materials, as wood,

metal, etc., into any kind of structure, machine, or other object requiring the use of tools or instruments." The rule of the Civil Service Commission re- quiring that employees of the Government Printing Office must " regularly and

daily operate machines " so as to be classed as mechanics is not at all in harmony with Webster's definitions, nor does the rule accord with the opinion

of the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior (July 2, 1920) that "by
56 Annual Report of the Public Printer

avoiding technicality and applying good common sense no great difficulty should be encountered in passing upon the comparatively small number of doubtful cases." To restrict the term " mechanics," as used in the retirement

law, to employees who " regularly and daily operate machines " is the utmost

technicality and certainly not an application of " good common sence." The Civil Service Commission itself has heretofore held that " the duties of an employee are to determine in each case whether he is a mechanic retirable at 65" (C. S. C. Min., July 19, -1920, and October 4, 1920—Retirement Act Handbook, p. 2). The commission also held on April 12, 1922 (Retirement Act Handbook, pp. 2 and 3), that there are " three general classes of employees

who may properly be regarded as mechanics retirable at 65." The cases in- cluded in this appeal may properly be included in two of the three classes defined by the commission; first, as employees whose designation (bindery operatives) places them clearly within the list of mechanic trades and allied oc- cupations, their employment at regular bindery work being a necessary occu- pation allied to the bookbinder trade; second, as employees who are called

skilled laborers and regularly perform duties ordinarily recognized as pertaining to mechanic trades and allied occupations.

The Secretary of the Interior, in the case of Annie Huston Mateer (R-637),

held that " a skilled laborer or watchman, or other employee performing the

duties of a mechanic, should be regarded as a mechanic and retirable at the age of 65." Likewise, in the opinion of the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior (July 2, 1920), it was stated that " an employee designated as a skilled laborer or watchman who is performing principally the duties usually and ordinarily

performed by a mechanic should be regarded as a mechanic." EXEMPT FROM THE CLASSIFICATION ACT That Congress also has considered employees engaged in mechanical or

skilled occupations as having a diiferent status than clerical employees is indi- cated by the specific exemption of the former groups from the classification act of 1923, section 5 of which provides that the compensation schedules of the act " shall not apply to employees in positions the duties of which are

to perform or assist in apprentice, helper, or journeyman work in a recognized

trade or craft, and skilled and semiskilled laborers." As to the particular cases in question, that of bindery operatives and skilled laborers employed in the bindery of the Government Printing Office, I am of the opinion that these employees perform work which is essentially part and

parcel of the mechanic trade of bookbinding. The work of a bookbindery

includes all the operations from the delivery of printed sheets from the printing presses to the completion of the book for the reader. The binding of many

books of the same kind is simply a repetition of the operations necessary for the binding of one book. This work may involve many operations by hand and

a few by machine, or vice versa ; but every employee performing any of the operations common to a bindery is a mechanic who has to be especially skilled in his work, and the combined efforts of all these mechanics are necessary to complete the products of a bindery. The various operations must be done by

persons, such as bookbinders, who are especially trained to perform all the

operations of a bindery, or, in the case of large establishments, the work must be handled jointly by groups of persons who are skilled in only one or more

operations, such as folding, gathering, sewing, pasting, casing, forwarding,

finishing, lettering, etc., but every person doing either many or few of the operations must attain skill by experience to produce the required standard of output, whether it be in machine or hand work. In this sense, every person engaged in bindery work is a mechanic performing a mechanical operation, and

every bindery employee designated by this office as retirable at 65 has been

properly classed as a mechanic.

_ The universal custom of both the employers and the employees in the book- binding industry accords with our practice in regard this particular class of employees as mechanics engaged in some necessary part of the bookbinding

trade. Employing bookbinders in dealing with their employees as to classifica- tions and wage adjustments treat with bindery operators, helpers, skilled laborers, and all other persons engaged in any bindery work uniformly as mechanics, whether they are journeymen bookbinders or of some allied occupation. This practice is not peculiar to the bookbinding trade. For instance,

wage adjustments are made with plumbers and plumber's helpers, steam fitters,
Annual Report of the Public Printer 57

and steam-fitter "s lielT^ers, botli tlie tradesman and liis helper being regarded

as mechanics. This manner of classification is recognized in the United States Department of Labor Bulletin No. 3SS. Union Scale of Wages and Hours of Labor. May 15. 1924, and similar publications. Attention is invited to pages

169 and 170 of the labor bulletin, \vhich lists bindery women employed in Chicago, Cleveland, and Nev^ York under classifications indicating their employment at work which is identical or similar to tasks performed in this

office by bindery operators and skilled laborers. RECOGXIZED AS TRADE BY TJXIOXS Trade recognition of all classes of male and female help employed in binderies is accorded by the by-laws of the various bindery employees' unions,

and this recognition is the basis of agreements between the unions and

employers of union labor in a large number of bookbinderies throughout the

country. In the list of operators covered by agreements with the Bindery

Women's Union, Xo. 43, of New York City, are such occupations as gathering-machine feeders, hand gatherers, collators, inserters, pasters, pastingmachine operators, hand stitchers, wire stitch operators, hand sewers, machine sewers, numbering-machine operators, and a score of other classifica- tions of work similar to that performed by bindery operatives and skilled laborers in the Government Printing Ofiice. The monthly wage scale issued by the United Typothetse of America covers wages paid under various heads, such as compositors, pressmen, bookbinders,

and bindery girls, thus classifying women employed at various bindery

operations as recognized mechanics within the printing industry. In a recent decision by Charles J. Stelzle, arbitrator for the employing

bookbinders and the Bindery Women's Union of New York City, wage

adjustments are based on the same gi'ound as for journeymen mechanics, and women bindery employees are recognized as part of the bookbinding trade. In his decision the New York arbitrator classified women bindery workers as

follows

•'(1) There are the full-fledged union members who receive the union scale. (2) There are the apprentices, who pass through a somewhat miscellaneous

experience for a given length of time and who then become members of the

iinion. (3) There are the women who are placed in a certain department

and who become mere automatons because they are engaged in the same task day after day and year after year, never graduating from the highly specialized

work in which they are engaged, becoming neither regular apprentices nor members of the union. (4) There is the large number of girls, who float from

bindery to bindery, picking up such odd jobs as they can get for whatever

money such jobs will pay them."

ELIGIBLE TO RETIRE AS MECHANICS

I am of the firm opinion, therefore, that the Civil Service Commission was

fully justified in its first decision that ])indery operators and skilled laborers employed in the bindery of the Government Printing Ofiice are eligible to

retire as mechanics at 65 and that there is no substantial ground for the proposed change of the commission's ruling. In fact, there are strong reasons, both practical and physical, why these employees should be retirable at 65

along with all other mechanics employed in the Government Printing Office. Whether the employee is engaged in handwork or machine operation makes

no difference in his status as a mechanic. Both hand and machine work

are essential to the operation of a manufacturing plant like the Government

Printing Office. Hand workers and machine operators are under at least an equal physical strain ; indeed, many hand tasks are more trying than

machine operations and require the employment of younger and stronger

persons, which would not be possible if the retirement age for this class of mechanics was fixed at 70 years. Furthermore, two retirement ages. 65 and 70 years, for employees who work together in the productive divisions of the Government Printing Office would be a most unfair discrimination and

would seriously affect the morale of the working forces. The new rule proposed by the Civil Service Commission restricting the term

" mechanics " to employees " who regularly and daily operate machines " is entirely contrary to the time-honored practice of this office and to the general custom of the printing trades as adhered to by both the employers and the
58 Annual Report of the Public Printer

labor organizations. The adoption of such a rule would be far-reaching iu

its effect, and would apply not only to the bindery operators in question but would also involve hand workers in other well-established trades. In fact, niany printers, bookbinders, electrotypers, photo-engravers, carpenters, electri- cians, etc., do not regularly and daily operate machines but are employed at other operations which are just as much a part of their respective trades. Yet, according to the new ruling of the Civil Service Commission, a large number

of persons so employed in the Government Printing Office could not be classified as mechanics retirable at 65, because they do not " regularly and daily operate

machines."

I respectfully appeal from the ruling of the Civil Service Commission and

ask, in the interest of good administration, that employees of the Government

Printing Office may be properly classed as mechanics "by avoiding technicalities and applying good common sense," according to the opinion expressed by

the Solicitor of the Department of the Interior on July 2, 1920. AMENDMENT OF THE RETIREMENT LAW

If the Secretary of the Interior finally sustains the decision of the

Civil Service Commission, holding that only employees who regularly

and daily operate machines are retirable as mechanics at 65, I re- spectfully^ recommend that the retirement law be amended so that

employees of the Government Printing Office, including binder}^

operatives, copyholders, and proof readers, who are engaged in work

requiring trade skill, shall be retirable at the same age as other

mechanics.

The status of former employees, who were retired at 65, before the

Civil Service Commission held their proper retirement age to be 70 years, will also require consideration, if the action of the

commission is sustained. Many of the retired employees have not

yet reached the age of TO, and the question will undoubtedly be raised

as to the reinstatement of some of them.

The law prohibits reemployment of retired employees. But what

is to be done with those who were retired before the age that the

commission now holds they can be retired ? Can they be reinstated ? Are they entitled to further retirement annuities before reaching the

age of 70?

During the last fiscal year 96 emploj^ees, including 16 proof

readers and 16 bindery operatives, were retired at the age of 65,

before the commission decided that they were not retirable at that

age.As a matter of justice to retired employees, I earnestly recom- mend that their annuities, as based on earnings, be increased to $1,200 per annum. Present annuities are grossly inadequate and

insufficient to pay even the bare living expenses of employees who

have devoted the best part of their lives in faithfully serving the

Government. If the annuities are increased to a fair ainount, retire- ment age should be made compulsory, except, perhaps, in rare

instances of unusual ability. In that way, the Government would

be relieved of pay-roll pensioners and the aged employees assured

comfortable retirement they so justly deserve.

CRITICISM or REDUCTION OF THE FORCE

The Public Printer has been criticized for the necessary reduction

of the force following the adjournment of Congress on March 4, 1925, when the completion of congressional work and the decreasing
Annual Report of the Public Printer 59

orders for departmental printing required an immediate curtailment

of the activities of the Government Printing Office. This criticism was inspired by Eugene F. Smith, president, and George G. Seibold,

secretary, of the local typographical union, and by William Homer

Carroll, former department commander of the Veterans of Foreign

Wars. None of these men are employees of the Government Printing

Office, but they seized upon the opportunity to acquire newspaper

notoriety for themselves by publicly attacking the administration

of this office. They were aided and abetted by Carter Keene, a Washington attorney, to whom the local typographical union paid

a retaining fee of $1,000 for " legal advice," and by Keene's office associate, Harlan Wood, whose war services were confined to the

Quartermaster's Corps in and around Washington.

Without endeavoring to ascertain the facts in regard to the dis- charges, this gallant quintet gave battle through the local newspapers, and requested the President to investigate their bombastic

charges against the administration of this office. In response to an

inquir}^ from the President, I submitted a full statement of the situation, and the matter was referred to the Department of Justice.

Under date of x\.pril 17, 1925, Attorney General Sargent advised

the President that my action in dispensing with the services of employees in the interest of econom}?- and to bring the force within the

appropriation " should be sustained." The public press subsequently

announced that the White House felt the opinion of the Attorney

General " should put at rest the charges that had been made against

the Public Printer " and that the matter was a " closed incident " so far as the President was concerned.

OPINION OF ATTORNEY GENERAL SARGENT

The opinion of the Attorney General is as follows

Department of Justice,

Washington, D. C, April 11, 1925. My Deak Mr. President : I have the lionor to acknowledge receipt, by reference of Mr. Sanders, of the papers relating to the dismissal of certain emploj'ees of the Government Print- ing Office by Mr. Carter, the Public Printer. Under date of March 23 last I had the honor to write you upon this subject,

wherein it was suggested that an investigation of the facts pertaining to the

efficiency ratings should be made (1) by the Chief of the Bureau of Efficiency, or (2) by the Public Printer, and a detailed report made thereon. Accordingly, Mr. Carter was called upon for a report of the facts relating to the dismissal

of employees.

On the 2d instant Mr. Carter reported in detail, first, the general facts lead- ing up to the dismissal of employees, and, second, the efficiency rating of each

ex-service man discharged. The report of Mr. Carter and all papers pertaining to this subject are returned herewith. In this connection permit me to advise you that Mr. Carter's report has been

carefully examined and the entire subject reviewed in this department. The

result of this examination is that, in my judgment, Mr. Carter has not acted

arbitrarily or illegally in any respect; that it became necessary because of a

shortage of funds to reduce the force at the Government Printing Office ; that Mr. Carter used his discretion in discharging those who could best be spared

from the service ; and that in no instance was the statute giving preference to ex-service men violated, as it appears from Mr. Carter's statement of facts that the ex-service men discharged were either temporary or probationary

employees or that their efficiency rating was not good.
60 Annual Report of the Public Printer

It is my opinion, from all the facts submitted, that Mr. Carter's action in dispensing with the services of certain employees at the Government Printil},^4; Office in the interest of economy and to bring the force within the appropi'ia- tion for the Government Printing Office should be sustained.

Respectfully,

(Signed) John G. Sargent,

Attorney General. The President,

The White House. STATEMENT IN REPLY TO COMPLAINTS

For the information of Congress, the following statement is submitted in regard to the unwarranted complaints which the officers of the local typographical union have circulated throughout the

country.

It became necessar}^ immediately after the adjournment of Congress on March 4 to reduce the expenditures of the Government

Printing Office by approximately $450,000 to keep within the appropriations that Congress had made for departmental printing and

binding for the remainder of the present fiscal year. The wage

increase authorized by Congress in the act of June 7, 1924, and the

absorption of the $240 bonus pay^nent as a wage charge have added

approximately $1,772,000, or 17 per cent, to the annual cost of

printing and binding, based on the same volume of work as done

heretofore.

Congress either had to appropriate additional funds to cover this

iricreased cost or else the departments had to reduce their orders

for printing, not only for the remainder of the fiscal year ending

June 30, 1925, but also for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1925.

However, Congress did not grant funds sufficient to cover the in- creased cost, and the departments were compelled to curtail their

usual printing requirements.

With the decrease of orders the Government Printing Office of

necessity had to make a corresponding reduction of its force, inasmuch as the Printing Offi-ce must depend upon its customers, the

departments, for funds to meet operating expenses. If the wage

increase had not been demanded by the employees and granted to the amount of $87G,000, exclusive of the amount previously paid as bonus, there would have been no shortage of funds at the time,

and the departments could have ordered more work to keep the

full force busy without discharges or furloughs.

Definite plans for a reduction of the force could not be made

before March 4, as the amount of money that Congress would appropriate for printing and binding was uncertain until the session

ended. The deficiency bill which was passed in the closing hours

of Congress carried $686,000 for departmental printing and binding.

If the deficiency bill had failed, the lack of those funds would have

required a still further decrease in the force of the Government

Printing Office. There was also serious doubt up to the last moment as to whether

Congress would pass the retirement bill granting increased annuities. If that bill had been enacted into law by March 4, at least 100

of the aged employees would have applied for immediate retirement

and have offset to a large extent the reduction that was finall}^ neces-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 61

sary. In view of these uncertainties, only five printers were appointed after Febriiar}^ 1. They had previously been offered employment and good faith entitled them to a fair trial. ^NECESSARY TO CURTAIL EXPEXDITURES

As soon as the funds available for the remainder of the present

fiscal year and for the year beginning July 1 could be ascertained,

it was found necessary at once to decrease the force from 4,186 to approximately 4,000 employees, to transfer 336 from night to clay

work, and to begin a rotation furlough of 425 w^eekly, in addition to a reduction of $2,000 daily in the expenditures for materials, supplies, and equipment.

The condition of the funds required that action be taken not later

than Monday, March 9. Accordingly, after as careful an investigation as could be made within the very limited time, 166 employees were listed to be dropped from the rolls on Saturday, March 7. TwentA^-three have since been restored, making an actual dismissal

of 143 employees.

In carrying out this program for reduced expenditures from

March 7 to June 30, 1925, the purchases of materials other than

for emergency?- postal-card requirements were decreased $2,740 per

day; 2,331 employees were furloughed for one week each, cutting

the pay roll for the period $93,534.10; and the force was reduced

from 4,186 on i\Iarch 7 to 3,916 on June 30. The further decrease

of the force after the discharge of March 7 was due to unanticipated

resignations, retirements, and deaths, which made it possible to reduce somewhat the furloughs.

The office was thus enabled to operate with the appropria.tions

available for the remainder of the fiscal year and its expenditures were kept within one-fifth of 1 per cent of the cost charges for the

work completed.

REDUCTIONS I^SUAL AT END OF CONGRESS

A reduction of the force is not especially new^ or unusual at the

close of Congress with a long recess ahead. This is well known to employees. After the adjournment of Congress in 1920 my predecessor dropped 172 employees, including 32 emergency and probationary appointees, for " reduction of force," and in August of that

year dismissed 160 more under the new retirement law. All of the

latter were more than 65 years of age and had seen many j^ears of

service in the Government Printing Office. Among the number dis- charged by my predecessor were 45 Civil War veterans and widows

of Civil War veterans. In March, 1919, after Congress adjourned, 141 employees, including 35 emergency and probationary, were separated from the service.

In March, 1915, the reduction numbered 64. Again, in 1909 the

force was reduced by dropping 333 employees, and in 1907 the dis- charged numbered 375. There has been criticism that the discharges were made suddenly

and without due notice. Every employee had ample warning of the

prospective reduction, notice of which was given in my Annual
62 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Report to Congress on January 12, 1925. Furthermore, the employees generally know the condition of the work and can well judge

when a reduction of the force is pending. That many employees did

anticipate a decrease soon after March 4 is shown by the numerous

letters I received from them and their Congressmen requesting to be retained in event of the expected reduction.

In the Public Printer's report to Congress on January 12, I

stated

If Congress and the departments require the same amount of printing and

binding as heretofore ordered, approximately 14 to 17 per cent more funds ^Yill have to be appropriated for that purpose in order to meet the higher scale of charges which the Public Printer has had to establish on account of the increased wages and the bonus transfer to a wage item ; otherwise, the amount

of printing and binding will have to be greatly reduced, which will mean a

substantial decrease in the force of the Government Printing Office before July

1, 1925. This, however, is a situation over which the Public Printer has no

control ; therefore the office will have to be guided by the amount of money

that its customers, Congress and the departments, may have available to expend for printing and binding.

IMPOSSIBLE TO NOTIFY IN ADVANCE

As to the employees who were dropped, it was impossible to notify

them individually in advance, owing to the short time in which

action had to be taken. In fact, it has never been the practice of

this office to post advance notices of a general reduction. To inform

a large group of employees that they will be dropped in a week or

a month thereafter would be very disturbing to the morale of the

entire office, cause a slacking up in the work of the employees to be discharged, and seriously hamper their fellow workers, without

being of material advantage to those who had been listed for

dismissal.

In selecting the employees to be dropped, due consideration was

given to their efficiency and the best interests of the Government.

The preference to which ex-service men are entitled was carefully

observed. 1 hestitate to reflect upon the service of any of the dis- missed employees, but, in justice to this office, it must be stated that

the discharge included those who were rated below the average effi- ciency of the force. Sixty-seven of the employees dropped from the rolls on March 7 were eligible for retirement annuities. Twent}^ others were emer- gency and temporary employees who, under civil-service rules, had

to be dismissed in any general reduction of the regular force. Thirty-six of the employees dropped were more than 65 years of

age and could have been retired at any time in the discretion of the

Public Printer. Thirty-one others were between the ages of 55 and

65 years and had more than 15 years of service each, giving them

the right to an immediate annuity under the 55-year retirement law

or the option of deferred annuity when they reached 65 years, as if they had been that age when discharged.

Taking into consideration those restored to duty, only 56 of the

discharged regular employees were not eligible immediately for an- nuity payments from the Government for the remainder of their

lives. A number obtained employment elsewhere or had other

sources of income.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 63

EX-SER\^CE MEX DROPPED FROM ROLLS

Among the 166 employees originally selected for the necessary

reduction of the force on ^larch 7 were 33 ex-service men out of a

total of 450 veterans employed in this office. Eight of the ex-service

men dropped from the rolls were emergency employees who had no

classified or preferential status under the civil service law. Excluding these emergency employees, only 25 of the discharged ex-service

men were entitled to preference for retention if their ratings were

good." Of this number, four were probationary employees whose

low ratings would not have justified their permanent appointment in

any event. Seven of the veterans notified of their discharge on March T have since been restored to duty. This reduces to 14 the

number of ex-service men dropped from the regular rolls on March

7 who have not been reemployed by the Public Printer.

Every one of the ex-service men dismissed on March 7, including those on the probationary and regular rolls, was rated by their

superior officers as being less than " good in efficiency. Five of the

men had been emplo3^ed in the office less than a year, seven from 1 to 5 years, six from 5 to 10 years, one less than 15 years, and only one more than 15 years. The latter is drawing the maximum pension for total disability and is also entitled to retirement annuity.

Five of the number are less than 30 years of age, eight between 30

and 40, and seven over 40, the oldest being 55 years of age. Seven

are single men. The list included 6 veterans of the Spanish war, 13 of the

World AYar, and 1 who claims Mexican border service. The lat- ter was in the Army only 10 days and discharged before his regiment left Fort Myer. One of the World War veterans is credited

by the War Department with five days' service. After reporting

to training camp he was discharged from the draft as not physically

qualified for military duty. Preference was claimed by another

veteran on account of two months' service in a student officers' training camp, from October to December, 1918. Two others had

served in training camps for four or five months when the war

ended.

CASES REVIEWED BY PUBLIC PRINTER

Since the dismissals of March 7, 20 ex-service men out of the 33

dropped have applied, either in person or by letter, for reinstatement. I have carefully reviewed all these cases and, as far as I

know, have heard personally every veteran who has asked an opportunity to discuss his dismissal. None of these cases was submitted

to me by either the president of Columbia Typographical Union,

Eugene F. Smith, or by the department commander of the Veterans

of Foreign Wars, William Homer Carroll. No specific charges of

the unfair dismissal of any individual veteran were made by either

Smith or Carroll in their letters to the President. As far as the

records of this office show. Smith and Carroll have not presented

specific complaints to any officer of the Government.

The day after sending his protest to the President and publishing

it in the newspapers Carroll telephoned me asking for a conference.

0186^26 5
64 Annual Report of the Public Printer

I replied that inasmuch as he had submitted a formal complaint to the White House, I could not with propriety discuss the matter until

the President had time to consider his communication. I understood at the time that this was satisfactory to Carroll. Several

days later Carroll wrote me requesting an interview " at an early

date " with himself, Department Commander League, of the United

Spanish War Veterans, and Commander Hussey, of the Disabled

American Veterans. In this letter Carroll stated

I desire to reiterate previous statements that our complaints are not against you individually but against those subordinates who are directly responsible

for the present conditions. Commander League and myself have every confi- dence in you, and the same will stand until such a time by a preponderance of evidence the same is destroyed.

We are not interested in the attacks being made by the various unions

we are only interested in the veteran, and I trust that you appreciate fully the stand which we are taking for our comrades and them alone. To Carroll's communication 1 replied under date of March 14

Your letter to the President was referred to me by the White House, and

I have submitted a reply. Under the circumstances, I would respectfully

suggest that we defer the conference until the President has had time to consider my communication and respond to your protest to him. This seems to be the proper procedure, inasmuch as you did not follow the usual course of presenting your complaint to this office before appealing to the President. However, I shall not delay consideration of the complaint of any individual veteran who may believe that he has been unjustly or unfairly rated by this

office. In fact, I have already directed the reinstatement of two veterans who

were inadvertently dropped instead of furloughed.

Carroll has not had any further communication with me, nor has

Harlan Wood, his successor as chairman of the local Veterans' Joint

Committee, ever submitted for my consideration the case of any

discharged ex-service man.

I have had conferences with Department Commander League and

a committee representing the Council of Administration of the

United Spanish War Veterans. Commander League stated that,

after waiting for what he considered a reasonable time in which

to receive complaints from his comrades, he had only one case to present. The committee seemed especially interested in one other

case. The reasons for the discharge of the veterans was explained

in detail to the representatives of the Spanish War Veterans, and no

further action has been taken by their organization.

Department Commander Frank L. Peckham, of the American

Legion, was also asked if he had received complaints from any of

his comrades of the World War as to their dismissal from the Government Printing Office. Commander Peckham replied that he had

not been appealed to, and that he did not intend to take up the

discharge of any veteran until specific complaints were made to his

organization. I assured the Legion commander that I would be

glad to review any cases which he might see fit to take up with me

at any time. Since then I have heard nothing further from Commander Peckham or from his successor, Capt. Julius F. Peyser,

whom I also informed that I would be pleased to discuss matters

affecting his comrades whenever he desired to submit them.

Seven veterans have been restored to the rolls by my voluntary

order. In addition to the veterans, I have restored to duty 16

other employees who were dropped on March 7. This action was

due to a review of their records or was taken to allow higher retire-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 65

ment status. Among those restored to duty was the widow of a

Civil War veteran. One dismissed employee was granted an additional week to complete 24 years of service. Another returned to duty until April 1 to complete 27 years of service. Two others were

restored to reach 55 and 61 years of age, respectively, when one was

eligible for retirement annuity and the other to higher annuity.

Many other cases have been carefully and impartially reviewed in an effort to do equal justice to all under the absolute necessity of

reducing the force to keep within the available funds. The restorations were made possible by a further and unexpected decrease in

the force since March 7, due to deaths, resignations, retirements,

and discharges for cause. APPLICATION or THE PREFERENCE LAW

This office has endeavored to comply faithfully with the laws re- quiring executive departments " to give preference to discharged

soldiers rated as good " in making reductions of force. However,

I am of the opinion that the acts of August 15, 1876, and August 23,

1912, do not apply to the Government Printing Office. The Civil

Service Commission, in its pamphlet entitled " Veteran preference " (Form 1418, issued August, 1924), states on page 5, in a footnote ex- planatory of the term " executive departments " as used in the sol- diers' preference acts, that " executive departments are at the seat of government only (26 Op. 254) and do not include independent

establishments (26 Op. 209)," The opinions of Attorney General

Bonaparte cited by the Civil Service Commission hold that the Government Printing Office is independent of the executive departments

and that the term " departments " or " executive departments " as used in acts of Congress invariably apply to one or more of the

several executive departments mentioned in section 158 of the Kevised Statutes as distinguished from " office," " bureau," or " branch."

Even if it may be held that the Government Printing Office is subject to the preference act of August 23, 1912 (37 Stat. 413), and

the Executive order of October 24, 1921, it does not appear that

either the act or the Executive order has been made applicable to

this office, inasmuch as no system of efficiency ratings has been prescribed by the Civil Service Commission or the Bureau of Efficiency

for the skilled trades and workers in the Government Printing

Office. Until such a system may be so established the preference

proviso has no effect. Such was the decision of the United States

Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in the case of Persing V. Daniels, decided April 19, 1915 (43 App. D. C. 470).

In that case Persing, an honorably discharged soldier who had

been dismissed from the navy yard because of lack of work, brought an action of mandamus under the preference act of August 23, 1912,

to compel Secretary of the Navy Daniels to reinstate him. Both

the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals of the District of

Columbia held that there was no foundation for the action. Chief

Justice Shepard in his decision stated that the Civil Seryice Commission had never exercised its authority to establish efficiency

ratings for the classified service in the several executive departments

and that the proviso exempting discharged soldiers from dismissal
66 Annual Report of the Public Printer

had no effect, as it was not intended to have an independent operation. The Civil Service Commission quotes from the decision in

its regulations of September 1, 1924 (p. 76).

As regards the establishment of a system of efficiency ratings for

this office by the Bureau of Efficiency under the Executive order of

October 24, 1921, the Chief of the Bureau of Efficiency advised me

on April 19, 1922

It is not, at this time, the inteution to apply the efficiency ratings to the

skilled trades of the Government service, but only to the clerical force in the

classified service of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia.

The classification act of March 4, 1923 (sec. 5), provides that its compensation schedules shall not apply to emplo^^ees in positions

the duties of which are to perform or assist in apprentice, helper, or journejanan work in a recognized trade or craft and skilled and

semiskilled laborers. It is assumed that, due to the foregoing ex- ception, the Bureau of Efficiency has not undertaken to establish a system of ratings for the trades in the Government Printing Office. The Comptroller General decided on August 25, 1924, that the

Kiess wage act (Public, No. 276, approved June 7, 1924) supersedes

the classification act of March 4, 1923, in so far as it applies to personnel under the appropriation heading " Public printing

and binding," from which are compensated all employees of the

Government Printing Office except those under the office of the

Public Printer and the Superintendent of Documents. The Comptroller General's decision confirmed the opinion of this office that the

employees affected thereby are not subject to the classification act. SYSTEM OF EATING EMPLOITEES' EFFICIENCY

The Government Printing Office has for years maintained an

efficiency system of its own, and in accordance*^ therewith employees

have been rated as to their production and efficiency. Of our own

accord the system has recently been revised somewhat to conform more nearly to the system established by the Bureau of Efficiency

for other branches of the Government service in so far as the

bureau's plan could be made applicable to the various skilled trades

employed in the Government Printing Office. The efficiency report of an employee is prepared by the rating

officer for the respective organization unit. The employee is first credited with a rating of 85, or " good," as a basis for determining

his actual efficiency. To this basic rate credits and debits are made

as determined by the employee's ability, cooperation, application,

dependability, initiative, judgment, neatness in work, and quantity

and quality of production. These ratings are reviewed by the immediate superior, chief of division, production manao-er, and the Deputy Public Printer before they are submitted to the Public Printer.

In addition, a board, consisting of heads of all divisions, reviews

the credits or debits to insure uniformity of rating for a given cause for all emploj^ees.

The efficiency reports are also submitted to the division of ac- counts for the recording of measurable composition and proofs and

the notation of credits and debits based on immediate reports during

the period as to meritorious action, misconduct, spoilage, unexcused

absences, etc. The separate rating for measurable production, as in
Annual Report of the Public Printer 67

the case of linotype and monotype operators, is used to determine an

operator's rate of pay and is only one of several units which consti- tute the efficiency record of an employee. With 85 as the nominal

efficiency rate for good," 81 to 84 is graded as " fair " ; 75 to 80 as "unsatisfactory"; 70 to 74 as "poor"; and 69 as "incompetent."

This system of efficiency ratings was used in determining the employees to be dropped from the rolls in the recent reduction of the

force. A further assurance to the ex-service men that they were

rated fairly is the fact that their efficiency records were reviewed by

the production manager, a veteran of the World War, and, in a number of cases, were submitted to another veteran of the World

War.

That the efficiency system adopted by this office and the ratings

recorded are within the discretion and judgment of the Public

Printer is upheld by a decision of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia in the case of Taylor v. Taft, Secretary of War (24

App. D. C. 95), in which the court said

The courts have no jurisdiction to review the act of an appointing officer in removing an employee. * * * An employee's fitness, capacity, and attention

to his duties are questions of discretion and judgment to be determined by the heads of the departments. Such questions are beyond the power of any court. RATINGS AN EXERCISE OF EXECUTIVE POWER

In the case of Keim v. IT. S. (177 IT. S. 290) the Supreme Court

of the United States held on April 9, 1900, that the removal of an honorably discharged soldier from a position in an executive department " because of his rating as inefficient " is the exercise of a purely

executive power, and the reasons for such exercise can not be in- quired into by the courts. The civil-service law and regulations vest absolute authority in

the head of every Government department and establishment to determine the fitness of an employee against whom charges have

been preferred to continue in the service. This power, as heretofore

noted, has been upheld hj the courts. (24 App. D. C. 95 ; 177 U. S. 290.) Civil Service Rule XII, paragraph 4, provides that the commission shall have no jurisdiction to review the findings of a removing officer in the case of a dismissal for cause except as to procedure

under the rule for removals for political or religious reasons. The power to dismiss for cause would seem to carry with it the

right to determine an employee's efficiency, inasmuch as incompetency is undoubtedly a proper cause for discharge. Efficiency rat ings must, of course, be fairly and properly ascertained so that the

power shall not be abused or injustice done to any employee. It is my firm belief that such a course was followed in the recent dismissals.

There does not appear to be any better way of judging an

employee's fitness, capacit}^, and attention to duties than to have his

immediate superiors pass upon his qualifications and submit their

findings to review by several other officers who have intimate and

technical knowledge of the special requirements of the service. If

any partiality may be shown it would generally be in favor of,

rather than against, a fellow employee, owing to the close association and many interests that the employees and officers have in

common as fellow craftsmen.
68 Annual Report of tM Public Printer

BMITH FAILS TO STIR UP A PANIC

Under pretense of " representing the printer employees in the

Government Printing Office" (quotation from his letter), Smith

charged that " a feeling akin to panic " existed among employees,

that "the morale of the office is consequently at the lowest ebb in

its history," and that " the state of mind under which printers are compelled to work in the Government Printing Office is almost

unbearable." Smith is an employee of the Washington Star, and

Seibold, secretary of the local typographical union, never worked

in this office; so that neither speaks as an employee of the Government.

To bolster up his claim to represent the employees of the Government Printing Office, Smith cited certain resolutions which vfere reported to have been adopted by Columbia Typographical Union

on March 15, 1925. That meeting w^as attended hy less than 100 out

of the 900 printers employed in the Government Printing Office,

the remainder of the 300 present coming from local offices. As a matter of fact, printers employed in the Government Printing Office take little interest in the local union, and not over 10 per cent of

those who are members regularly attend its meetings.

In answer to Smith's cbarges more than 2,500 employees of the

Government Printing Office voluntarily gathered in Plarding Hail

at 4.30 on Thursday afternoon, March 19, and unanimously adopted

resolutions declaring his statements as to w^orking conditions and

the morale of the office to be " untrue and harmful to the best interests of the employees and misleading to the public." The Harding

Hall meeting was wholly an affair of the ^employees themselves and

I had nothing whatever to do with it, either directly or indirectl}^ I make this statement because of the efforts that were made by

certain newspapers to belittle and misrepresent the spontaneous

action of more than 2,500 employees who take pride in the good name

and the fame of the Government Printing Office. The meeting was presided over by James S. Briggs, of the platemaking division.

KESOLUTIOXS OF EMPLOYEES' Mi^ETI>:(i ^ The resolutions, which were written by William C. Parry, a bookbinder, and proposed by A. D. Calvert, an ex-president of the

Philadelphia Typographical Union, read as follows:

Whereas the daily press of recent dates published statements concerning

working conditions surrounding employees in the Government Printing OflSce to the effect that general demoralization exists and that the morale of the

office is consequently at the lowest ebb in its history ; and

Whereas statements have also been printed indicating there is a tenseness

of feeling and consequent strain on the employees, with a spirit of unrest and

insecurity, to the great detriment of this branch of the Government service

Therefore be it Resolved, That we, the employees of the Government Printing Office, men

and women, regardless of race or color, politics or religion, in Harding Hall

assembled, assert ourselves in solemn protest against these unwarranted

statements, and wish to be placed on record as declaring same to be untrue and harmful to the best interests of the employees and misleading to the

public; and

Resolved, That in view of the increases in wages, improved sanitary working

conditions, and the interest in the welfare of the employees, through the efforts
Annual Report of the Public Printer 69

of the present Public Printer, the morale of the office on the contrary is at a high standard and that a detrimental working condition does not exist, not- withstanding the recent necessary reduction of the force, which was inevitable and which we know to be on account of lack of funds ; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the President

of the United States, the Joint Committee on Printing, the Public Printer, and

the daily press. But this is not the only time that employees of the Government

Printing Office have freely and formally expressed their good will

toward my administration as Public Printer. On December 31,

1924, more than 3,000 employees stood in Harding Hall and the

adjoining cafeteria to convey their felicitations and best wishes for

the new year, and unanimously adopted the following resolutions

commending conditions in the Government Printing Office

Resolved, That in meeting assembled, we hereby desire to express our appreciation and thanks for the increases in compensation accomplished by the termi- nation of the wage adjustments, which result was made possible by the spirit of fairness in which the Public Printer met the committees of the various groups considered. Resolved further, That we are not unmindful of the interest shown by the Public Printer in the welfare of the employees of the office, as is evidenced by

the establishment of a cafeteria and recreation hall, and general betterment of work conditions, the office being now conducted under unexcelled sanitary and

healthful regulations.

Another large gathering of employees was held in Harding Hall

in September, 1923, to unveil a bronze tablet which the Government

Printing Office Cafeteria and Eecreation Association had placed in

the hall as a permanent appreciation of the cafeteria, hall, rest rooms, and bowling alleys that the present Public Printer had

caused to be provided for the enjoyment of all employees. The

inscription on the bronze marker reads as follows

As a tribute of earnest appreciation, the employees of the Government

Printing Office dedicate this tablet to George Henry Carter, Public Printer,

for his devotion to their welfare in establishing the Government Printing

Office Cafeteria and Harding Hall. 1922. The chairman on that occasion was F. C. Roberts, a former president of Columbia Typographical Union. In his presentation address Mr. Roberts said

Mr. Carter, the officers of the Government Printing Office Cafeteria Associaation and the members generally, believing that the time has come when the employees of the office should show their appreciation in a manner more substantial than mere words for what you have accomplished for them in making

it possible for the employees to enjoy this beautiful auditorium, furnishing

entertainment for the young as well as the old, and the privilege of the cafeteria, which is surpassed by none in the city, all of which is the result of your untiring efforts in behalf of the employees of the office, have erected in your honor the bronze tablet—something that will endure for all time—and

may we not hope that it will be an inspiration for those who will follow you in administering the affairs of the office to remember that man's highest wealth, next to his family, is in his service to his fellow beings.

STATEMENT BY ENTIRE SUPERVISING FORCE

As a further evidence of the good will and fine morale which prevails throughout the rank and file of the office, I am pleased to invite

attention to the statement which was unanimously adopted by the

entire supervising force on March 18, 1925. This statement was
70 Annual Report of the Public Printer

signed by the 54 members of the supervising force on duty at that

time and submitted by them to the President. It reads as follows

The supervising force of the Government Printing Office, in meeting as- sembled on this date, feeling the injustice of recent statements, present the following for your information as to actual conditions in that office

The statement has been broadcast by the local press and through verbal comment since the recent reduction of the force of the Government Printing

Office that as a result of the dismissals " the morale of the office is at the lowest ebb in its history."

There is no justification for this and the statement that the employees are working under a demoralizing strain that makes the plant a place of terror. Instead, the usual contented spirit and peace of mind characteristic of the employees of this office prevail. All previous reductions of the force have occurred without any advance

notice to employees and are accepted as inevitable by them. This notice of reduction of force was received as other and larger reductions were ; that is, as necessary and in the best interest of the Government. The employees have been aware for some time that unless increased appropriations were made to the departments by Congress it would be impossible

to carry on the usual amount of printing required for the reason that substantial increases in w^ages, provided by law and approved by the Joint Committee on Printing, and the absorbing of the bonus in cost of printing made

necessary an increase in funds to cover the costs of public printing and binding. This condition, with the adjournment of Congress and its consequent

reduction of printing, compelled an immediate curtailment of the pay roll. The division heads and foremen of the Government Printing Office voluntarily and emphatically deny that there exists any state of unrest, panic, or confusion resulting from recent discharges or for any cause. Statements to the contrary could have been made only by persons with ulterior motives,

wholly unacquainted with the facts in the case. Work throughout the plant

is proceeding normally. RETIRED PRINTERS AND THEIR STATEMENT

On the other hand, there was printed in the local newspapers a statement purported to have been signed and submitted to the

President by 59 former emploj^ees of the Government Printing Office

indorsing the charges made against the Public Printer by Eugene F. Smith, president of the local typographical union. The alleged

meeting of these superannuated printers was staged in a G. A. R.

hall by the theatrical managers of the local union. Only one of the

entire number is a Civil War veteran, although several of the signers were of military age when the Government most needed their services in its defense.

Reliable information has come to me that a number of these retired

printers were invited to the meeting by a false pretense that the

Government retirement bill was to be discussed. Others who did

not respond to this deception were summoned to union headquarters

and intimidated into signing the protest by threats that their union

pensions would be held up or cut off by the local union officials who

had arranged the entire proceedings. Some of the victims claim they

did not fully understand the purport of the paper they had been

ordered to sign. In fact, the text of the letter differs materially

as published in the Washington newspapers and the local Trade

Unionist.

That some of these deluded individuals either had no regard for

the truth or were unmindful of having signed other letters cordially

approving the administration of this office is evidenced from the

number of such communications that I have received from them.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 71

In the list of men who asserted that they " do not fear successful

contradiction " of their statement that " great demoralization, unrest, and lack of morale" prevail among the employees of the

Government Printing Office, was the name of William H. Bechert,

who retired voluntarily on March 14, 1925, after 31 years' service.

In contradiction to the statement which he signed at union headquarters, I quote the conclusion of a letter which Mr. Bechert wrote

to me under date of January 19, 1925

With best wishes and a successful administration of the office, which I think

has been very successful since you were appointed Public Printer, I am, Very cordially,

W. H. Bechekt.

Daniel O'Connell, another one of the round-robin signers who

defied successful contradiction of the charge that justifiable discontent and disorganization exist in the Government Printing Office,

wrote to me under date of July 8, 1922, as follows

On the eve of retirement, I desire to say that I have been treated fairly dur- ing my more than 30 years' service, and that I retire with the best of feeling

toward yourself and those in charge under you, being not unmindful of your

efforts to make things pleasant for all the employees of the office, notably in the establishment of the cafeteria, Harding Hall, and all the other improve- ments for the pleasure and general welfare of the employees.

John Delahunty, who subscribed to the statement that conditions

which now prevail in this office " never were worse," also wrote to me on June 24, 1922

It gives me great pleasure to thank you for your courteous letter acknowledging my service in the Government Printing Office on the occasion of my

voluntary retirement. It is so different to all former Public Printers' methods,

and it makes for a better feeling between you and the large corps of employees under your command.

I also thank you for your efforts to make working conditions more congenial

for all working under your direct supervision.

Another one of the subscribers to the round robin, James M. Montgomery, burst into poetry before he retired to describe the joys of

the cafeteria and recreation hall which I had provided for the employees. Mr. Montgomery thus concluded his laudatory verses

We honor the promoter of this most humane scheme,

His praise in song and story will ever be our theme

;

And as the years roll on apace shall cherish his good will. For he has made it possible our inner man to fill

!

ONLY FOUR EVER HELD A EOREMANSHIP

Although the 59 immortals assumed to speak with intimate knowledge and great experience as to the management of the Government

Printing Office for many years, only four of them ever held a foremanship in this office. That indicates how little value was placed on their advice and services by the various Public Printers under

whom they had been employed. Twenty-eight of the number were

involuntarily retired on account of inefficiency and physical infirmities that unfitted them for continuance in the service. Since their

retirement but few of the men have returned to visit the Government Printing Office and consequently have little or no personal

knowledge of conditions that have prevailed in this office for the

61869—26 6
72 Annual Report of the Public Printer

past several years. What they stated was, of necessity, based upon

mere gossip.

If these men were to tell the whole truth in their offer to " place

themselves at the pleasure of those who had been detailed to ascer- tain the facts," they could, however, substantiate the fact that the

Government Printing Office was infested with grafters, racetrack

touts, bootleggers, loafers, and common drunkards when I took

charge of the establishment, and that it required strenuous efforts to clean up the place so that it might function with decency and

honor. Undoubtedly my activities to oust the miserable clique which

had dominated the office for many years caused some discontent,

which I do not regret in view of the high reputation that is now

accorded the Government Printing Office by all honorable men.

OFFICE RECORD OF EUGENE F. SMITH

Undoubtedly Eugene F. Smith, the president of local typographical union, could add some interesting testimony on this subject with

which he appears to be very familiar. In a Typographical Journal

article Smith charged that my efforts to uncover and discipline

employees who " played the races, negotiated for bootleg liquor, or

violated any rules completely shook the confidence of all rightminded printers and made informers out of the rest." Assuming,

of course, that Smith considers himself to be a " right-minded

printer," it is interesting to note how he conducted himself as such

while an employee of the Government Printing Office. Smith's

official record contains several instances of his having come to the

office in an intoxicated condition. On one occasion Smith appears

to have resigned w^hile under the influence of liquor and, in writing

to the Public Printer for reinstatement, explained : " I possibly

would not have gotten such an idea in m}^ mind had my spirits not

been buoyed up by too many intoxicating drinks."

But the misconduct of the president of the typographical union

is not all ancient history. On the night of November 26, 1924,

Smith was ejected from the Government Printing Office for drunkenness and disorderly conduct. The guards, whom he threatened

to assault, had to put him out of the building five times and then

call a patrol wagon before they could get rid of him. In the melee

Smith tore a sleeve out of the coat of one guard and, doubling up

his fist, is alleged to have threatened to " fix " Lieutenant of the

Guard Mawson, who is a past department commander of the G. A. R.

and of the United Spanish War Veterans. Smith sobered up over night at the police station and the next morning paid a fine of $15

rather than serve a sentence of 15 days in jail for his drunkenness.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE PUBLIC PRINTER

Notwithstanding the opinion of Acting Attorney General Seymour

as to my eligibility for the Public Printership and my unanimous

confirmation by the Senate, the officers of the local typographical

union. Smith and Seibold, continued their malicious charge that I had obtained office under false pretenses and in violation of the law

requiring the Public Printer to be " a practical printer and versed
Annual Report of the Public Printer 73

in the art of bookbinding." They claimed that President Harding

had violated the law in nominating me for Public Printer and that

the Senate of the United States joined in this crime by confirming

my appointment. They did not dare make such baseless charges

during the lifetime of President Harding nor give utterance thereto

until after I had held office for nearly three years. In specific answer to the charge I do not hesitate to assert that

I am eligible under the law for the Public Printership. As to whether I am qualiHed to hold the position, I respectfully refer to my record as Public Printer for the Ig^st five years and to the numerous statements from many honorable leaders of the printing

industry.

President Harding was fully informed as to my qualiiications

when he offered me the Public Printership, and so was Senator

]VIoses, chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, when he

moved that the Senate give consent to my appointment. If Smith,

Seibold, or anyone else knew aught to the contrary, they had ample

opportunity at that time to submit their objections to President

Harding and the Senate. The President announced my appointment on March 31, 1921, and I took office on April 5, 1921. Prior

to that time there had been considerable newspaper comment as to my probable appointment. After the new Congress convened

President Harding submitted my nomination to the Senate, and

confii'mation was unanimously voted the same daj^ The commission under which I now hold office is dated April 14, 1921. It is evident, therefore, that due time was available to inform the President and the Senate of any question as to my eligibility for the office. Xeither Smith, Seibold, nor any of their clique in the local union

challenged my eligibility at that time. In fact, they did not question my right to hold office until I had refused to do their bidding

and had declared that the Government Printing Office would be

managed in the interest of the Government and not at the dictation of any particular clique or organization. When that issue

arose, and I insisted that the Government Printing Office must

observe the rule laid down by President Roosevelt on July 13, 1903,

that union and nonunion men and women have an equal right to serve the Governm.ent and that union rules and regulations can not

supersede the law^ of the land, I was then charged with a variety of

offenses and sentenced by Smith and Seibold to be ousted from

office. The truth is, the only possible ground for declaring me ineligible

for the Public Printership is that I am not a member of Columbia

Typographical Union and more especially that I am not affiliated with or controlled by the secret clique which dominates that organization. I have no apologies or regrets to offer Smith and Seibold

for not associating with them and not following the zigzag footsteps of the local union's president.

UNION PRESIDENT AVROTE INDORSEMENT

However, at the time of my appointment the fact that I was not

a member of Columbia Typographical Union was not regarded

by the officers of that organization as an unpardonable sin. In fact,
74 Annual Report of the Public Printer

officers of the local union indorsed my appointment and formally

approved my qualifications for the Public Printership. In proof of

this statement I submit a letter which M. A. Bodenhamer, who was

president of Columbia Typographical Union at that time, addressed

to me on February 24, 1921, over his official signature as president

of the union. The letter was undoubtedly written with the knowledge and sanction of George G. Seibold, who was at that time, and

still is, the secretary of Columbia Typographical Union.

The letter, which was transmitted to President Harding at Mr.

Bodenhamer's request, reads as follows, attention being especially

invited to the fifth and sixth paragraphs thereof:

Columbia Typographical Union No. 101, Washington, D. C, Fehruary 2.!,, 1921. George H. Carter,

Clerk, Joint Committee on Printing,

United States Capitol, Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Carter: As is but natural at such a time as the present, on the eve of a change of national administration, the air is full of rumors of im- pending changes of more or less importance.

To be sure, the very fact that so much one hears is only rumor and the firm foundation for its borning diflScult to discover in itself has a tendency to put

a damper on the ardor of those whose hopes are probably father to their thoughts.

However, there is one rumor circulating around us that is so persistent in its character that I am constrained to say a few words to you about it—to ex- press my opinion on it, in other words—and that is the one which almost

everywhere I go I find is connecting your name with the office of Public

Printer under the new administration. As stated above, all that has come to me so far regarding the matter is fact, and that at the proper time your friends will be permitted to present your name and press your qualifications for this most important ofiice to the President. When I say " press your qualifications for the office " I do not do so without some considerable knowledge whereof I speak. My acquaintance with you

and the opportunity of gaining an insight into your qualifications for this

position, it is true, date back probably only four years—to the time of my

assuming the office I still hold (president of Columbia Typographical Union,

No. 101, of this city) —during all of which time and for some years before you have filled the very important post of clerk to the Joint Committee on

Printing of the United States Congress, the body which practically controls the operations of the Government Printing Office ; but in that time and through

the association occasioned by the performance by me of my duties and by you

of your own I feel sure that any judgment I have formed of your qualifica- tions for the office of Public Printer is in deed and in truth founded on facts.

I am familiar with the fact that you learned the printer's trade and really

became a practical printer, though j^ou did not follow it as your life's work

when seeking your livelihood ; I am familiar with the fact that you have

been a member of the International Typographical Union (the Newswriters'

Branch) and that you at this time hold an honorable withdrawal card from

the organization. These facts regarding j-our practical qualifications for the

post, plus the experience gained in the position you now occupy (clerk to the Joint Committee on Printing), in which position you have been in almost

constant touch with the operation of the great Government Printing Office from top to bottom for many years, plus your natural intelligence and ability

to fill any position to which you might be assigned with credit to yourself

and honor to the one making the assignment, to my mind would make your

selection as Public Printer an ideal one. In my judgment, as Public Printer you would give that office a thorough

business administration, you would carry into the office no grievances to settle and Vv'ould have no rewards to pa5% and your long service with the Joint Committee on Printing and consequent wide acquaintance with the membership

of Congress itself would bring about a closer feeling—a closer touch—between

the Congress and the Government Printing Office than has existed probably
Annual Report of the Public Printer 75

either in your time or mine, and whicli could but result in great benefit to all concerned, bringing about an administration of the affairs of the office that could be achieved with like success in no other manner. As I remarked at the beginning of this letter, I hope that all I have heard

about this particular appointment is not rumor, but that when a change is made by the incoming President in this very important office it will be per- mitted him to have full knowledge of the qualifications for filling it successfully that I feel you so fully possess and which I have so poorly described. With such knowledge in the President's possession, I feel sure there would be no question as to your selection—and to the satisfaction and great benefit of

all concerned. Again expressing the hope that this information can be imparted to the

President, and with my very best wishes, I remain.

Sincerely, your friend,

(Signed) M. A. Bodenhamee,

President ColumMa Typographical Union, 101. SEIBOLD JOINS IN APPEOVAL

Seibold supplemented President Bodenhamer's letter a few days

later with one of his own under date of March 5, 1921. In this

letter Seibold stated that the Des Moines Typogi'aphical Union,

No. 118, had indorsed my appointment as Public Printer and had

urged Columbia Typographical Union of Washington to " exert all proper effort to secure his [my] appointment." Seibold concluded

his letter with the following expression of confidence in my ability

to fill the office

On my own behalf, however, I desire to say that, should you be honored with

appointment to this high position, I am confident that you will carry to it the same high degree of efficiency that has marked your conduct in all matters coming under my observation. With best wishes for your success, I am. Very truly yours, (Signed) Geo. G. Seibold,

Secretary.

The resolutions which the Des Moines Typographical Union, No.

118, unanimously adopted on February 27, 1921, read as follows:

Whereas we learn that George H. Carter, formerly of this city, for the last 11 years clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing in Congress, is a candidate

for Government Printer ; and

Whereas we know Mr. Carter to be loyal to the interests of our organization, he having for years in a time of great stress with us paid I. T. U. dues ; and

Whereas we recognize the importance of having for Government Printer a man with special knowledge of the Government's printing problems and special

equipment for the duties of the office ; and

Whereas Mr. Carter possesses such special knowledge and special equipment

Now, therefore, be it Resolved, By Des Moines Typographical Union, No. 118, that we heartily in- dorse George H. Carter for appointment as Government Printer and urge Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, of Washington, D. C, to exert all proper effort to secure his appointment ; and be it further

Resolved, That a certified copy of these resolutions be forwarded to Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, and to Mr. Carter. Similar resolutions were adopted by Bluff City Typographical

Union, No. 203, Council Bluffs, Iowa, my home town, on January 30,

1921, and were also transmitted to President Harding prior to my

appointment.

My appointment was likewise approved by Hon. J. H. Strief,

former president of the Sioux City (Iowa) Typographical Union

and former president of the Iowa State Federation of Labor.
76 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The Typographical Journal, the official organ of the International

Typographical Union, in its issue of May, 1921, announced my ap- pointment and reviewed in detail my career from the time I learned to set type and operate a job press in Iowa to my long

service as clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing, stating that

His previous training eminently well fits him for administering the

affairs of the big shop."

pressmen's union files statement

When the question of m}^ eligibility was raised by Representative

Stengle, of New York, and the officers of Columbia Typographical

Union, the following statement was submitted to the Attorney

General on January 31, 1924, by William H. McHugh, vice president, " acting for and in behalf of the International Printing Press- men and Assistants' Union of North America"

The Washington daily papers have indicated that the President has referred

to the Department of Justice a resolution submitted to the Chief Executive

by the Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, which resolution questions

the eligibility of Mr. George H. Carter to hold the office of Public Printer.

I am directed by the board of directors of the International Printing Press- men and Assistants' Union of North America, in behalf of the 45,000 members

of our organization, to protest against giving serious consideration to the

resolution presented by Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, for the following reasons

1. The Hon. George H. Carter is a member of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America and is a practical printer

in every sense of the word; for if any particular organization engaged in

tlie printing trade has a rightful claim upon the name, that organization

would be the printing pressmen, for the reason that as a pressman the actual

printing of a word or picture is the process of presswork, and for the compositor or the typesetter to make claim to the exclusive application of the word

" printer " would be without basis of facts. If the department would put any other construction on the word, or if they would uphold the petition of Columbia Tj^pographical Union, No. 101,

it would exclude for all time the possibility of the kindred trades engaged

in the industry from holding this important office. The kindred trades in the printing industry are five in number—the International Printing Press- men and Assistants' Union of North America, the International Typographical

Union, the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders, the International Stereotypers and Electrotj^pers' Union, and the International Photo-Engravers.

We ask that your department give consideration to this protest against

the indefensible action of Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, for sub- mitting the petition referred to, and if your department intends to give further consideration to the matter, or if there is to be hearings on the subject matter, we ask the privilege to appear before your department in behalf of the printing pressmen and its member, the Plon. George H. Carter. President George L. Berry, of the International Pressmen's

Union, also sent the following telegram to the President of the

United States under date of January 31, 1924 : Attention of the undersigned as president of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America has been directed to the

action of Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, in the passage of a reso- lution raising the question of the eligibility of Mr. George H. Carter, Public

Printer, to hold that position. The International Printing Pressmen and

Assistants' Union of North America is the second largest printing trades union in the world. Its members are engaged exclusively in printing. Members of Typographical Union, No. 101, are not printers, but compositors.

They set type. Printing pressmen print and have exclusive jurisdiction over

printing in America. Mr. Carter is a member of the International Printing
Annual Report of the Public Printer 77

Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America, and any claim of Ms

Ineligibility on the claim of him not being a printer is without basis of

fact. In behalf of the membership of our international organization, we

protest against the action taken by an organization of compositors against Mr. Carter, who is likewise a member of our organization and a printer.

BOOKBINDERS SUPPORT QUALIFICATIONS

A committee representing Local Union No. 4, International

Brotherhood of Bookbinders, also submitted a statement to the President on January 31, 1924, from which I quote in part

This committee, with proper credentials, representing Local Union No. 4, International Brotherhood of Bookbinders, are here to request that our union,

composed very largely of employees of the Government Printing OflBce, be

placed in the right attitude toward President Coolidge.

It has been represented that Hon. George H. Carter is not legally qualified

to fill the position of Public Printer because he is not " a practical printer and

versed in the art of bookbinding," as required in section 17 of the act of Jan- uary 12, 1895. We wish it distinctly understood that so far as our union is concerned there is no question as to his qualifications under the law^as it re- lates to bookbinding; further, there is no opposition to him on the part of our union either from a personal, legal, or executive standpoint, and state- ments to the contrary are misrepresentations and unwarranted by facts. That President Harding, a practical printer himself, was of the

opinion that I was eligible under the law for appointment as Public

Printer is ascertained, of course, from the fact that he nominated

me for that position early in his administration. Subsequently

President Harding gave me a photograph of himself at work as a printer in the Marion Star office and inscribed it

To George H. Carter with greetings and good wishes of one printer and

public servant to another.

Sincerely,

Waeeen G. Harding.

The questioning by Smith and Seibold of my eligibility and qualifications to manage the Government Printing Office would be too

silly to notice if the issue did not affect a public office and the integrity of President Harding and the entire Senate in placing me at the

head of the world's greatest printing plant. The truth is, as my

lifelong friends well know, I have been closely identified with the

printing and newspaper business for many j^ears. It seems unnecessary to detail my experiences of 30 years in various branches of the

printing industry, both public and private, but I believe that my

membership in the following organizations bears ample testimony to

the fact that my services have been recognized and appreciated by

those best qualified to judge

International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union.

United Typothetse of America.

Employing Bookbinders of America.

The Typothetse of Washington, D. C. The Typothetce of the Pittsburgh (Pa.) district. The Anthracite District Typothetse of Scranton, Pa.

The Washington Club of Printing House Craftsmen.

The American Institute of Graphic Arts.

I was also honored with designation by President Harding,

the president of the United Typothetse of America, and the president of the International Printing Pressmen's Union to represent
78 Annual Report of the Public Printer

the printing industry of the United States at the international congress of master printers at Gothenburg, Sweden, in 1923.

OPINION OF ACTING ATTORNEY GENERAL

After reviewing the protests of Stengle, Smith, and Seibold, Acting Attorney General Seymour rendered the following opinion on

January 29, 1924:

Office of the Attorney General,

Washington, Jaimary 29, 192^. Dear Mr. President:

I have the honor to acknowledge receipt' of your request to the Attorney

General to look into the question of the eligibility of the Public Printer raised by Hon. Charles I. Stengle in his letter to you dated January 21, 1924, and your

further letter dated January 26, 1924, inclosing correspondence from Columbia

Typographical Union No. 101 in regard to the Public Printer. Section 3758 of the Revised Statutes referred to by Mr. Stengle has been

superseded by the act of January 12, 1895 (chap. 23, sec. 17, 28 Stat. 603),

which, so far as material to this question, provides

The President of the United States shall nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint a suitable person, who must be a

practical printer and versed in the art of bookbinding, to take charge of and

manage the Government Printing Office. In the case of Keim v. United States (177 U. S. 290, 293) it was held

The appointment to an official position in the Government, even if it be

simply a clerical position, is not a mere ministerial act, but one involving the

exercise of judgment. The appointing power must determine the fitness of the applicant; whether or not he is the proper one to discharge the duties of the position. Therefore it is one of those acts over which the courts have no

general supervising power. The facts relating to the qualifications of Mr. George H. Carter were sub- mitted to President Harding at the time of his appointment. President Harding was especially qualified by experience to determine the qualifications of a man

for the position of Public Printer. The nomination by the President raises a presumption of fitness of the appointee under the statute providing for the appointment. The confirmation

of the nomination by the Senate strengthens this presumption. The fact that Mr. Carter was clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing for a number of years

enabled the Senate to have unusual means of knowing his qualifications at the time the matter of his confirmation as Public Printer was before the Senate.

I am of the opinion that the President could reasonably have concluded

that the present incumbent was qualified as a practical printer and versed in the art of bookbinding. The power of appointment rests alone with the

President. It was for him to determine whether the particular person

appointed possessed the necessary skill to discharge the duties attaching to the position. (33 Op. 534.) No facts have been submitted to impair the

presumption of fitness of the Public Printer under the law providing for appointment to that office. Respectfully,

(Signed) A. T. Seymour,

Acting Attorney General. The President,

The White House. The opinion of Acting Attorney General Seymour has put an end

to the bigoted notion of certain compositors that one must be actively

employed as a typesetter and a member of the typographical union

at the time of his appointment to be eligible for the office of Public

Printer. As a matter of fact, this imaginary bubble was exploded

years ago when President Cleveland appointed as Public Printer

Thomas H. Benedict, a country newspaper publisher, who frankly

admitted that he had never set a line of type or operated a press.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 79

Mr. Benedict's nomination was confirmed by a Republican Senate,

and among those voting to approve his eligibility under the law

were Senator Gorman, one of the authors of the printing act of 1895

which defines the qualifications of the Public Printer, and such other

distinguished Senators as Frye, Cameron, Cockrell, Gray, Harris^

Ingalls, and Morgan.

CHARGE or MISAPPROPRIATIXG PUBLIC FUNDS

The only really serious charge that Smith and Seibold as officers of Columbia Typographical Union have made against me is that of

unlawfully expending and misappropriating the public funds to convert the attic of the Government Printing Office into convenient

and accessible floor space for housing the new photo-engraving plant,,

the school for apprentices, the cafeteria, rest rooms, assembly hall,

bowling alleys, and shower baths, which have been installed under

my administration. In other words, the president and the secretary

of the local typographical union have charged that my expenditures

for the comfort and welfare of 4,000 employees, including more than

900 members of their own union, and for necessary space for the

apprentice and photo-engraving sections was " a premeditated misappropriation of public funds."

In reply, I assert that the libelous charge is utterly false and

without any support in fact or in law. Every dollar of the expenditures for the repairs, alterations, and equipment criticized by Smith

and Seibold was approved by the Joint Committee on Printing and

passed upon by the Comptroller General of the United States as in

strict accordance with law.

Plans for the proposed alterations to the building were submitted

in advance to the Joint Committee on Printing in compliance with

the direction of President Eoosevelt, dated June 30, 1908, that all expenditures in excess of a thousand dollars be approved b}^ the

Joint Committee on Printing before being undertaken by the Public

Printer. Senator Moses, chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, notified me under date of June 21, 1921, that the committee had

formally approved the proposed expenditures in the following

letter

In confirmation of the verbal approval expressed to you personally by the members of the joint committee at the meeting held this day, when 3^011 ex- plained in detail certain plans for altering the attic or eightli floor and roof

of the Government Printing Office for the purpose of providing space for a

photo-engraving plant, assembly and rest rooms, and a cafeteria, for the employees of the Government Printing Office, you are hereby formally advised

that the committee approved of the plans presented and authorized the ex- penditure of such sums as may be necessary to proceed with and complete these

alterations and equip the same, other than the photo-engraving plant.

Formal contracts were awarded on June 30, 1921, and the work

was completed in contract time, accepted and paid for on March 23, 1922. All of the contracts and accounts were submitted to the General Accounting Office and approved by the Comptroller General

without a single disallowance, which fully justifies me in the asser- tion that the entire transaction was in strict compliance with law

and that there was no misappropriation or unlawful expenditure of
80 Annual Report of the Public Printer

public funds, either by the Public Printer, the Joint Committee on

Printing, or the Comptroller General.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS AND BUDGET OFFICER

The superintendent of accounts and budget officer of the Government Printing Office in reporting on this expenditure, which was

first audited by his division, states

All orders, contracts, vouchers, and records of payments covering this con

struction and equipment, together with the authority from the Joint Committee on Printing, were submitted to the General Accounting Office in the usual manner with all other records of business at the close of the fiscal quarters in which the various transactions were closed. The Comptroller General of the United States, through his organization

in the General Accounting Office, passes upon the legality of contracts, the expenditures of public funds, and interprets the authority for such expenditures. AVhen an account has passed through this oflice, which is the highest

Government authority, without a disallowance, it becomes a closed transaction, and for all intents and purposes necessarily must be construed as fully

within the law and completely supported by proper authority.

The Comptroller General made no disallowances whatsoever on the pay- ments by this office for construction and equipment of the eighth floor of the Government Printing Office, in which, in addition to several productive

divisions, are located the rest rooms, assembly hall, cafeteria, etc. In my

opinion, this constitutes a definite and final approval of the entire transaction. Before the expenditures were finally passed upon and approved

by the Comptroller General I discussed the matter with the House

Committee on Appropriations. The printed hearings before the

Appropriations Committee show that throughout my statement to the committee on January 17, 1922, no question was raised by any

member of the committee as to the propriety or legality of the ex- penditure; nor has any Member of Congress since then suggested

to me that the improvement was unwise or unwarranted. It re- mained for only the evil minds of Smith and Seibold to concoct the

charge that public funds had been deliberately misappropriated in making the Government Printing Office the best equipped establishment of its kind.

The establishment of the cafeteria and the health and recreational

activities of this office have been universally praised b}^ everyone

except Smith and Seibold as the best service that the Government

has ever rendered to its employees. Every dollar expended has

been repaid already by the good health, better morale, and increased

efficiency of the entire force. It would be an everlasting shame to permit two malicious individuals to ruin this splendid accomplishment in the satisfaction of their personal vengeance.

I believe that I have just reason to feel proud of the work that

has been done during the last five years in behalf of my fellow

workers and for the upbuilding of the Government Printing Office. The public records prove that this office has attained the highest

efficiency and is rendering the best service in all its history. This

fine achievement has been acclaimed by the best qualified leaders

in the great printing industry who have manifested a most helpful

interest in our work. I set up this record and indorsement against

anything that may be said to the contrary bv such men as Smith

and Seibold.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 81

SMITH APPEALS TO INTERNATIONAL UNION

Disappointed by the repeated failure of their personal attacks on

me, Smith and Seibold appealed again to the local typographical

union to adopt a resolution requesting the International Typographical Union to join them in denouncing my administration of the Government Printing Office. The resolution of the local union was

adopted without prior notice at a meeting attended by less than 60

of the 2,000 local members. Fewer than a dozen of the 900 union

printers employed in the Government Printing Office attended the

meeting, but, notwithstanding this scant support, the local union

officers heralded their charges far and wide as having been " unanimously " approved by the entire 2,000 membership of the local,

organization.

The resolutions were subsequently submitted to the 900 union

printers employed in this office, and with biit a single exception they

refused to indorse the charges that the half hundred nonemployees

had undertaken to prefer in their names. Furthermore, two-thirds

of the 900 union printers in this office had but a short time before

emphatically repudiated Smith, the leader of the attack on me, by

roting against him for president of the local union, and he succeeded

in retaining that office only by the vote of the local secretary's

chapel, which does not include employees of this office. i:mployees tjepitdiate smith's actions

The union printers of the Government Printing Office were so in- censed by the surreptitious action of the half hundred nonemployees

dominated over by Smith that a committee of printer employees

voluntarilj^ proposed the following resolutions in answer to Smith's

charges and had obtained the signatures of more than half of the 900

union ^^rinters in this office before I asked them to withdraw their

resolutions from further consideration:

In the interest of peace and harmony, and in accord with the policy of the

International Typographical Union for friendly relations between employer

and employee, we, the undersigned employees of the Government Printing

Office, members in good standing of Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, approve the following resolutions and petitions

" Whereas the constant criticisms of the Public Printer for the past three years by the officers of No. 101, have caused each printer employee of the Gov- ernment Printing Office a loss of more than a thousand dollars in increased wages ; and

" Whereas certain statements of conditions in the Government Printing

Office are not true, but are imaginary on the part of a few former employees

and other members of No. 101 who never were employed at the Government

Printing Office ; and

"Whereas no condition has existed that would necessitate any question

as to the competency of the Public Printer ; and

" Whereas the nresent agitation by nonemployees has been incited to disturb

the morale of the printer employees of the Government Printing Office ; and

" Whereas working conditions in the Government Printing Office have

been approved by a two-thirds vote of its printer employees who are members of No. 101 and by the decision of the Attorney General in favor of the Public Printer : Therefore be it " Resolved, That we request that no action be taken by the International Typographical Union that will interfere with or prevent a better and more

friendly understanding between the present Public Printer and No. 101. to
82 Annual Report of the Public Printer

the end that the wage question due to come up in October, 1925, may be set- tled with harmony and dispatch for all parties concerned and insure future amity between the Public Printer and No. 101." In witness whereof we gladly and of our own volition sign this resolution and petition.

Notwithstanding his repudiation by the union printers employed

in the Government Printing Office, Smith took his resolutions to the

convention of the International Typographical Union in Kalamazoo

last August and had them introduced by a delegate, who, like himself, is not employed in the Government Printing Office. The Smith resolutions were perfunctorily adopted by the Kala- mazoo convention without any effort to ascertain whether the

charges were true or false. President Lynch, of the International Typographical Union, was

directed to present the resolutions at the recent meeting of the

American Federation of Labor in Atlantic City and to request that

organization to take up the fight against me for the local typographical union.

The printed proceedings of the American Federation of Labor

show that its committee on resolutions " with the consent and approval " of the president of the International Typographical Union,

Mr. Lynch, eliminated from the resolutions the charge of my ineli- gibility to hold office, which the typographical union had declared was its principal complaint " above all else." The convention of the American Federation of Labor then adopted

the amended resolution, which merely asks for an investigation of

the charges submitted to it by the International Typographical

Union.

REPLY TO THE FEDERATION RESOLUTION

That Congress may be informed of my reply to these charges,

I submit the following statement, covering in order the complaints

of the Typographical Union as quoted verbatim from the preamble

to the resolution of the American Federation of Labor

Charge No. 1

* * * that George H. Carter, acting as Public Printer, violated the law of the United States by lowering the term

of experience required of printers for employment in the Gov- ernment Printing Office from four years to two years. Answer to Charge No. 1: The term of experience required of printers employed in the

Government Printing Office has not been lowered from four to two

years. This charge is refuted by the Typographical Union itself in claiming that 99 per cent of the printers employed in the Government Printing Office are members of the International Typographical Union, the laws of which require an apprenticeship of at

least four or five years. If the local union has issued journeymen

cards to printers of less experience, it has violated its own international law in thus lowering the union term of apprenticeship. TheGoyernment Printing Office can not be held responsible for such

action on the part of the union.

The union is estopped from complaining as to the qualifications

of 99 per cent of the printers employed in this office, inasmuch as>
Annual Report of the Public Printer

it has granted them membership cards certifying that they are full- fledged journeymen printers. Therefore the charge can not possibly

apply to more than 1 per cent of the printers employed in the Government Printing Office. As a matter of fact, every printer employed in the Government

Printing Office, whether a member of the union or not, has been

appointed through regular civil service examination, which he must

pass with an eligible rating based on his statement of experience.

The required term of experience is fixed by the Civil Service Commission and has not been a matter of regulation by the Public Printer.

The commission has ruled that applicants for appointment as printers shall have had at least four years' training in the printing trade.

The commission has passed upon qualifications of all applicants and

is therefore solely responsible for the standard of experience required

of printers employed by this office. There is no law of the United States fixing the term of experience

required of printers for employment in the Government Printing

Office, other than that ihej shall be " thoroughly skilled " as shown

by trial under the direction of the Public Printer (Sec. 45, Printing

Act of 1895). Therefore neither the Public Printer nor the Civil

Service Commission could have violated any law in prescribing

either two, four, or five years as the proper period of training.

The only possible basis for charging that I have lowered the term

of experience for printers employed by this offxce may be found in a proposal which I submitted to the Civil Service Commission some

time ago asking for the appointment of a separate class of linotype

and monotype machine operators having at least two j^ears' trade

experience, including not less than one year's training in machine

-composition.

This proposal did not affect the four years' training required of

regular compositors and printer-machine operators, but was intended

to secure, if possible, a limited number of operators for machine

work exclusively. When this proposal was made, the civil-service

list of operators had been exhausted for several years, and it was, and still is, impossible to obtain sufficient operators of four years'

experience in the printing trade to carry on the work of this office. Many commercial plants and newspaper offices employ operators

who have never served a regular apprenticeship as printers but

have successfidly specialized in machine work.

The Typographical Union has accepted as members many operators who never completed a regular apprenticeship as printers. The

apprenticeship law of the International T^^pographical Union re- quires only six months' machine experience in addition to training

as a compositor to qualify for work as a union operator. The civil- service refnjiation also requires only six months' training as an

operator during four ^^ears of preliminary experience in the printing

trade. In the opinion of this office machine experience of at least one year in addition to other training is necessary for a competent

operator.

The experience of this office has shown, however, that a four-year

apprenticeship as a hand compositor is not necessary for the training

of linotype and monotype keyboard operators as specialists on machine work My predecessors appointed at least 10 good operators
84 Annual Report of the Public Printer

who did not iiave four 3^ears' training as compositors, and yet the

typographical union has issued cards to them as fuli-fledged printers. I recall the case of a son of former Public Printer Ford. The

young man was a machinist's helper, but desired to become a linotype operator. In an emergency I granted him a trial and he gave

good promise of becoming, proficient as an operator. Ford had not

served the required four years' apprenticeship as a hand compositor

and could not qualify for civil service appointment. ^ The local

union, nevertheless, granted him a card to work as a journeyman

printer and he is employed in a union shop.

Inasmuch as the Government Printing Office has constant need for a large number of operators for machine work exclusively, and had

been for several years unable to obtain an adequate number of

printer operators, it seemed necessary that an effort should be made

to secure some operators who were qualified for machine work exclusively. Accordingly such a recommendation was made to the

Civil Service Commission, and after extended consideration the

commission submitted a draft of its proposed announcement of a new examination of operators with two years' experience for my

approval on September 18, 1924.

At that time, with the cooperation of the commission, this office was preparing a poster calling for additional printers and machine

operators. Conforming to the new examination proposed to the

commission, a statement was included in the poster to the effect that applications would be considered from operators w^ho had at

least two years' experience in the printing trade, at least one year

of which was required for machine work.

Proofs of the poster with this statement were submitted to representatives of the commission and received their approval before the

poster was issued. As explained in detail on page 97 of this report,

the commission assisted in the distribution of the posters throughout

the United States and has never advised me that the posters con- tained any unauthorized statements. It is evident, therefore, that

the commission approved, at least for the time, the proposed appointment of operators with two years' experience and that I did not violate any civil service rule or laAv by the statement included in the

poster.

Although the poster called for operators with two years' experience,

it likewise offered employment to " journeyman printers and printermachine operators, who must have served at least four years at the

trade." The poster further announced in conspicuous type : " Temporary employment as printers and operators available at once, pending qualification for permanent civil service appointment."

In addition, this office sent special letters to all applicants informing them that they " must qualify through civil service examination

for permanent appointment at an early date after reporting for

duty." The letters also advised applicants that the commission

required " a regular apprenticeship of four years in the printing

trade and at least six months in the operation of a typesetting

machine either during or in addition to such time."

Final draft of the announcement for a two-year-operator examination was submitted to the commission on October 15, 1924. The

commission requested further information on November 11, and this
Annual Report of the Public Printer 85

was furnished on November 19, 1924. My statement to the commission at that time will be found on page 38 of this report, where the

matter is discussed in further detail. Hearing nothing further from the commission at the time, it was

assumed that the new examination would be announced in due time. I was, therefore, greatly surprised to read in the December, 1924,

issue of the Typographical Journal, which arrived about the 15th of

the month, that the Civil Service Commission, before whom the

president and secretary of the local typographical union had ap- peared, " was so impressed with the justice of their complaint that

the instructions, which had already been printed, were held up, with

the prospect that the four-year clause will again be inserted."

The chief clerk of the Government Printing Office phoned the

secretary of the commission for an explanation of the article in the

Typographical Journal. Secretary Doyle replied that the matter was being held up by Commissioner Wales, but promised that the

Public Printer would be given a personal hearing before any adverse

action w^as taken by the commission.

So it stood until January 15, 1925, when a representative of the

commission, F. W. Brown, came to the Government Printing Office, on request, to discuss with the Public Printer the proposed examination for two-3^ear operators. Mr. Brown stated that the officials of

the local typographical union had promised the commission that they

would be able to get sufficient operators to supply the Government

Printing Office and that the commission had agreed with the union

officials to hold up action on the two-year operator examination

until March 1, so as to give the union officials time to supply suffi- cient help to the Government Printing Office. This agreement, by which the Civil Service Commission virtual^

turned over to the local union officials the supplying of printers for

the Government Printing Office, had been entered into without my

knowledge. The union officials undoubtedly made the agreement

with the intention of barring nonunion printers from the Government Printing Office, notwithstanding President Roosevelt's order

of July 13, 1903, that this office shall be open to both union and

nonunion employees and that " no rules or regulations of a union

can be permitted to override the laws of the United States." Again T had to obtain information from the Typographical

Journal as to further action by the Civil Service Commission on my

request for operators of two years' experience. The February,

1925, Journal, which was received about the 15th of the month,

contained a letter dated January 16, 1925, from the secretary of the

commission to the secretary of the local typographical union, stating

that the new examination for operators would be announced by

March 1 if the drive for four-year operators was unsuccessful. The

letter as printed in the Typographical Journal reads

January 16, 1925. George G. Seibold,

Secretary ColumMa Typographical Union, 423 G Street NW., Washington, D. G. Sir: At the recent conference between yourself and Mr. Smith and the commission the commission agreed that no change would be made in the re- quirements for linotype operators and monotype keyboard operators at the Government Printing OflEice without notice to you.
86 Annual Report of the Public Printer

You are now advised that unless the drive now being made to secure

eligibles with the four-year apprenticeship requirement is successful by the

1st of March, 1925, the commission will announce an examination to fill these

places with a requirement calling for two years' experience in a printing

office, including one year of experience in operating a machine.

By direction of the commission.

Very respectfully, John T. Doyle, Secretary.

The Civil Service Commission did not advise this office until

October 30, 1925, that it had finally decided not to call for the proposed new class of operators. The Government Printing Office is unable, therefore, to conform to the practice of many machine-composition plants and training schools throughout the country in the emplo^^ment of operators who have specialized on machine work.

The failure of the local union officials to fulfill their promise to the Civil Service Commission to supply this office with sufficient competent operators is revealed by the fact that on March 6, 1925, we had onl}^ 14 more linotype operators and 10 more monotype

keyboard operators than on October 15, 1924, when the first response

to our poster campaign was received. The slight increase was due

entirely to the efforts of this office and not to any help received from

the local union. No operators with satisfactory efficiency ratings were dropped in the reduction of the force on March 7. The Civil Service Commission had 57 linotype operators and only

9 monotype keyboard operators on its eligible list on March 17, 1925,

to meet the future requirements of the entire Government service.

From July 1, 1924, to June 30, 1925, 107 linotype operators and

28 monotype keyboard operators left the service. In the fiscal year

1924 the loss was 82 linot3^pe and 13 monotype keyboard operators.

The facts are that the past summer was the first time in seven

years that the commission was able to maintain a waiting list of

operators. This list has recently been exhausted by the call for additional help to handle the extra work which Congress will require,

and the commission has again had to authorize the Public Printer to make emergency appointments of operators.

Charge No. 2:

* * * that he, early in his administration of the Gov- ernment Printing Office, established a spy system, than which

there is nothing more un-American in the galaxy of things, by which spy system he greatly impaired the printing efficiency of the office and the morale of the employees thereof. Answer to Charge No. 2

As this charge is placed early in my administration, it evidentlv

refers to my action at that time against gambling, grafting, bootlegging, drunkenness, and other violations of law in the Government Printing Office. The misconduct of a number of emploj^ees had been so flagrant

that the efficiency and morale of the office was greatlv impaired long

before I took charge. I felt it my first duty therefore to ascertain

the guilty ones and end their baneful influence over the affairs of

this office. In that undertaking I received the help of many honorable employees who justly resented the disgrace that some un- worthy fellow workers had brought upon the office. No one was employed as a spy, and I have not at any time established a spy system in the Government Printing Office. In fact.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 87

the aid of so-called " spies " was wholly unnecessary, as the wrongdoers revealed themselves by their open disregard for law and

proper conduct, which had gone largely unchallenged until I was

placed in charge of the office. It is customary, of course, for the conscious-stricken to set up the

deceiving wail that tliey are the victims of an imaginary spy sys- tem, but I am astonished that a law-abidins; body like the Inter- national Typographical Union would appear to support such aa

absurd complaint in behalf of men who have disgraced that honorable organization.

The only semblance of a spy system in the Government Printing

Office is the '* information service *' maintained by the very men

who have preferred the spy charge against me. Ever since I became

Public Printer every trivial happening in the Government PrintingOffice has been reported to their down-town headquarters, distorted

and misrepresented by its unscrupulous correspondent, and published monthly in the official organ of the Typographical Union.

The columns of the Typographical Journal are filled with evidence

of the activities of malicious meddlers who have no regard for the

truth and who seek by contemptible falsehoods to arouse public

hatred toward my administration of the Government Printing Office. On the other hand, the intentional unfairness of the Typographical Journal has been shown on numerous occasions by the- refusal of its editor. J. Yr. Hays, to publish any article written in my behalf by prominent members of the Typographical Union who

believe in fair pla}^ and who have offered to publish the statements

over their own signatures.

The vilifications resorted to by the local clique which seeks either

to rule or ruin this office and besmirch my reputation are beyond

the pale of civilized conduct. Xot only have these scandal mongers

carried their petty tales to the public press but they have also in- dulged in a system of private reprisals that would have shamed

even the infamous secret service of a Russian czar. Emissaries have been sent to my old home in Iowa to unearth, if possible, anything that might reflect on my character, but the record

has been searched in vain.

An attorney has been paid a retaining fee of $1,000 for " legal

advice *' in preferring false charges against me. Eugene F. Smith,

the president of the local typographical union, has drawn hundreds

of dollars from its treasury for expenses " alleged to have been

incurred in seeking revenge for the exposure of his own drunken

misconduct.

Agents of Smith have been sent to the homes of employees to intimidate them into belying their own sworn testimony against one of Smith's coconspirators who was facing discharge for gross

misconduct.

Former friends have been induced by Smith's misrepresentations

to repudiate their written expressions in my behalf, and I have been

maligned country wide as a vicious tyrant and an arch enemy of

the workingman.

Xow I am denounced as un-American for my efforts to rid this

office of grafters, gamblers, drunkards, and loafers who are seeking
88 Annual Report of the Public Printer

to mitigate their own misdeeds by claiming that they are victims of

a

" spy system."

If it is un-American to better working conditions and wages in

the Government Printing Office and to improve its morale so that

the entire printing industry now points with pride to the unexcelled

efficiency of this office, if for doing these things I am to be branded

as un-American, then my standard of faithful service to the Government does not accord with the professed loyalty of those who have sworn to maintain their selfish interests above any other allegiance,

either " social, political, or religious."

Charge No. 3

* * * that on several occasions the said Public Printer

has wantonly and without reason scandalized the employees

of the Government Printing Office, notably at Atlantic City, N. J., on May 23, 1924, where, in a carefully prepared speech,

which speech was broadcast by the Associated Press, he stated among other things that he had been compelled to discharge 268 employees of the office in his campaign to rid it of graft,

corruption, gambling, bootlegging, etc., which statement he

must have known to be false, because in his report to Congress dated December 31, 1924 (more than seven months later than his Atlantic City speech), it is shown that only about

one hundred employees (to be exact, eighty-one plus "about

a score") had been discharged to that time for all causes. Answer to Charge No. 3

I have not " wantonly and without reason scandalized the employees of the Government Printing Office," and my speech at Atlantic City on Ma^^ 23, 1924, which is misquoted in the charge, does

not sustain any such accusation. The manuscript of my Atlantic

City speech, which was filed with the Department of Justice several

months ago, shows that what I actually said on May 23, 1924,

in regard to the discharge of employees prior to that time, was as follows

It has been necessary to dismiss or suspend 268 employees during the last three years in the effort to " clean up " the Government Printing Office and

raise to a decent and efficient standard its morale, which was dragged in the mire for many years. * * * it really is a shame that valuable hours and

days had to be given to the disagreeable task of ousting from the Government

pay roll a motley crowd of gamblers, bootleggers, drunkards, grafters, crooks,

and common loafers. Attention is invited to the fact that I said it was necessary " to dismiss or suspend " 268 employees and that I did not say that 268

employees were " discharged " for the reason stated in my address.

A recent recheck of the official records shows that 116 employees were

dismissed and 158 were suspended for cause from the beginning of

my administration on April 5, 1921, to the date of my Atlantic City

address on May 23, 1924, making a total of six more than stated at that time.

The resolution of the typographical union attempts to prove my

statement false by pretending to quote from my annual report

submitted to Congress on December 31, 1924. No such figures as quoted in the charge can be found in my printed report of December

31, 1924, and I have never made any statement concerning the dis- charge of employees that conflicts with the Atlantic City speech.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 89

The officers of Columbia Typographical Union previously asserted

that—

It is with gratification, however, that we are able to state that not one of our members has been dismissed during the incumbency of Mr. Carter for any of the causes enumerated in his Atlantic Citj^ speech.

There is one conspicuous case of a prominent member of Columbia

Typographical Union which was given publicity at the time and

-which Smith and Seibold can not possibly have forgotten. I refer

to the case of Daniel Y. Chisholm, former Deputy Public Printer^ who was dismissed earh^ in ni}" administration after having been

found guilty of gross misconduct as a Government official. I observe that the resolution as adopted hj the International

Typographical Union, at the request of Columbia Union, does

not reiterate the statement made by the president and secretary of

the local union in their letter of April 9, 1925, to the President

that ** Xot one of our members has been dismissed during the in- cumbency of Mr. Carter for any of the causes enumerated in his

Atlantic City speech."

I have never claimed that all of the 274 (corrected total) employees who had been dismissed or suspended up to May 23, 1924,. were printers or members of Columbia Typographical Union, but,

inasm.uch as the officers of the local union have asserted that no

printers were among the offenders, I submit herewith the record

to date. From April o, 1921, to October 31, 1925, it was necessary to dis- miss or suspend 112 printers for various causes, including drunkenness, bootlegging, misappropriation and destruction of public property, abusive and obscene language, altercations with fellow employees, insubordination, loafing, inefficiency, and failure to report

for duty.

I do not know how many of these men are members of Columbia

Typographical Union, but inasmuch as 99 per cent of the printers

em.ployed in this office are said to hold union cards, it seems fair

to assume that nearly all of the 112 who were discharged or sus- pended for misconduct were members of the local union.

In boasting of the exemplary conduct of his fellow members,

the president of the local union, Eugene F. Smith, overlooked his

own record for intoxication while an employee of this office and

made no answer to my exposure of his drunken misconduct in this

office as recent as Xovember, 1924, when he had to be hauled away

in a patrol wagon to sober up overnight in the police station.

Xo one has scandalized Columbia Typographical Union as much

as has its present president. It is not surprising, therefore, that

Smith's fellow members in this office repudiated him by more than,

a two to one vote last spring after he had made his malicious charges

against my administration of the Government Printing Office. Finally, as to the charge of scandalizing employees of the Government Printing Office in my Atlantic City speech last year, I

believe that the public statement at that time of the wretched conditions which had previously existed in the Government Printing

Office was entirely justified and served a good purpose in refuting

the false reports that had been widely circulated about the present

administration of this office.
90 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The Third District Typothetse Federation, consisting of the foremost employing printers in the States of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, before whom I spoke at Atlantic City, unanimously adopted

the following resolution in support of my work as Public Printer

after hearing the facts which I had submitted to them without fear

or favor

Resolved, That this convention express its warm admiration for the work

of Public Printer George H. Carter in the reforms he has effected in the Government Printing Otiiee and pledge to liim our loyal support in his struggle with the sinister powers that have sought to hamper his efforts and

secure his removal, and call upon all printers in this district to be prepared

to back him up and support him at all times in every way at their command.

Charge No. 4:

* * * that he has without any justification whatever,

vilified Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, of Washington, D. C, and has refused to treat with its officers or committees in any manner, and has shown his antagonism at all times to the said typographical union. Answer to Charge No. 4

I have not vilified Columbia Typographical Union at any time

or in any way. I hold that organization in high esteem. It is composed of many honorable men well known for their honesty^

integrity, and excellent character. Approximately 900, or about

half of the members of Columbia Typographical Union, are employed in this office, and a great number of them have been appointed

during my administration.

Every printer selected by me for my official staff is a member in

good standing of Columbia Typographical Union. Certainly this

action on my part does not show " antagonism at all times " to the

local imion.

It is also grossly untrue that I have refused to treat with officers or committees of Columbia Typographical Union " in any manner " or that I have shown " antagonism at all times " to the union. The

printers' wage negotiation last year was conducted by me with a

committee composed entirely of members of Columbia Typographical Union.

By my invitation. President Howard, of the International Typographical Union, participated in the wage conference with me, and

1 also discussed the matter with Secretary Morrison, of the American Federation of Labor, who represents the International Typographical Union in that organization.

On numerous occasions I have conferred with committees representing the union printer chapels in this office, and I feel justified

in asserting that these meetings have been harmonious and mutually

advantageous.

^ The late President McParland and other officers of the International Typographical Union have also had numerous agreeable conferences with me since I became Public Printer.

So it can not truthfully be said, because I have ignored certain- objectionable misrepresentatives of the local union, that I have re- fused to treat with the officers and committees of the typographical

union " in any manner."

Smith, the president, and Seibold, the secretary, of the local union,,

have so maliciously vilified me personally and have circulated such
Annual Report of the Public Printer 91

contemptible falsehoods about my administration of this office that

I do not believe that even the position of Public Printer requires me

to stultify my self-respect in treating with them. I could not place

faith or reliance in anything that they might say to me, and, conse- quently, a conference with them would be a waste of time and of no

benefit to the employees of this office. AYhenever Columbia Typographical Union sees fit to choose a president and a secretary who are worthy of respect, I shall be glad

to confer with them as I have done with the representatives of all other local labor organizations interested in the employees of this

office. The former friendly relations which I was pleased to maintain

with Columbia Typographical Union and its officers are confirmed

by the fact that M. A. Bodenhamer, who was president of the local union at the time, voluntarily and effusively indorsed my appointment as Public Printer in a letter over his official signature, which he

requested me to impart to President Harding. At that time President Bodenhamer declared that my selection as Public Printer would

be " an ideal one " and that in his judgment I would give the office a thorough business administration, " carrying with me no grievances

to settle " and " no rewards to pay."

Secretary Seibold, of the local union, also wrote me shortly before

my appointment as Public Printer that he was confident I would

carry to the position ^' the same high degree of efficiency that has

marked your [my] conduct in all matters coming under my [his]

observation."

"\Miile I was clerk of the Joint Committee on Printing, Columbia

Typographical Union adopted a resolution expressing its appreciation of the interest I had taken in the welfare of its members. The

following letter convejang the thanks and " all good wishes " of

Columbia Typographical Union was sent to me on August IT, 1919, over the signatures and seal of President Bodenhamer and Secretary

Seibold, of Columbia Typographical Union:

Columbia Typographical Union,

Washington, D. C, August 17, 1919. George H. Garter, Esq., Clerk Joint Committee on Printing,

United States Senate, Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Caster : Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, of this city, in regular meeting assembled this day, on behalf of the 1,300 members of the

organization employed in the Government Printing Office, unanimously ten- dered you a vote of thanks for the interest you have taken in their welfare and for the really invaluable assistance you rendered in the efforts to have

enacted into law H. R. 5418, the bill increasing the pay of printers, pressmen, and bookbinders employed in the Government Printing Office. In addition to the above formal action of the union, the undersigned desire

to take advantage of this opportunity to thank you for all the courtesies ex- tended to us in the past and to assure you that we realize to the fullest all that you have done for our members and for which it w^ould be impossible ever to repay you. Payment being out of the question, we say, sincerely and

truly, " Thank you."

With all good wishes for you and yours, Cordially and sincerely, M. A. Bodenhamer, President.

[seal.] Geo. G. Seibold, Secretary.

In view of this indisputable evidence of good will for many years, can it truthfully be said that I have shown " antagonism at all times " to Columbia Typographical Union?
92 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Charge No. 5

* * * that such antagonism makes him a menace not only to the typographical union but to all unionism.

Answer to Charge No. 5

This charge is an arrogant assumption by the typographical union

that its own edicts shall determine for all other trade-unions the

relations of the Government Printing Office with organized labor.

The typographical union has taken upon itself to brand me as a

" menace to a^ll unionism " because, forsooth, I have refused to truckle to the scheming clique in control of the local organization of

typesetters. I challenge the right of the typographical union to speak for the numerous other labor organizations represented in this office, and

call to witness in my behalf the letters of such great organizations

as the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union, the

International Brotherhood of Bookbinders, the International Stereo- typers and Electrotypers' Union, and the International PhotoEngravers' Union, which together have as many members employed

in the Government Printing Office as has the typographical union.

Maj. George L. Berry, president of the International . PrintingPressmen and Assistants' Union, and past senior vice commander of

the American Legion, thus expressed his approval of my conduct

as Public Printer in a letter to the President of the United States under date of January 26, 1925

It is with genuine pleasure that I observe that Mr. George H. Carter, Public

Printer, is being continued in that office by you. I feel, from a very intimate

knowledge of his conduct, that the great confidence you have bestowed in him

is well placed.

It was my pleasure to join with his many friends in recommending him to the last President, Warren G. tiarding, and those who participated in the recommendation have watched with the keenest interest his work, and I think

it not too much to say that he has made one of the greatest—if not the

greatest—Public Printers that the Federal Government has ever had. The

moral conduct, the efficiency, and the economy exercised by Public Printer Carter have no equal in all of the administrations of Public Printers in the

past ; and I am likewise confident that there has never been such a genuine

affection upon the part of the employees of the Government Printing Office toward a Public Printer as now exists. I am hoping for him a continued

successful administration in order that it might reflect additional credit upon

your administration. I am, therefore, Mr. President, appreciative of the confidence that you have bestov/ed in continuing Public Printer Carter in the work in which he has given such splendid service. Again on October 21, 1925, President Berry, of the International

Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union, wrote the President of the- United States as follows

You have had brought to your attention the subject of certain criticisms

of Public Printer George H. Carter. Mr. Carter is a member of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America and as such is fully qualified under the law to hold the position of Public Printer. This is not controversial because the Department of Justice some time ago

determined this fact. There has been much publicity given by certain elements among ex-service men and organized labor condemning the course pursued by Public Printer

Carter. To these criticisms the member.ship of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America dissent. At the convention

of the American Legion at Omaha it was thought that a resolution would be

offered condemning Public Printer Carter. This was not done.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 93

At the convention of tlie American Federation of Labor held in Atlantic City October 5th to the 16th, a resolution was introduced denouncing Public

Printer Carter. This resolution was not concurred in by the convention, but a

substitute offered by the committee on resolutions asking the executive council

of the American Federation of Labor to investigate the claims made. To this the delegates, including the undersigned of the International Printing Press- men and Assistants' Union of North America, agreed.

As a supporter of the administration of Public Printer Carter we have no

objection to anybody investigating his conduct of office and no one, I am sure,

will welcome an investigation quicker than the Public Printer himself. In a previous communication to you I undertook to say that the Government

has never had a Public Printer who has given the efficient, human, and practical consideration to the duties of that office as has Public Printer George

H. Carter. It would seem that the basis of criticism chiefly is due to the

fact that he had the courage as well as the vision not only to adjust himself

to the program of sane economy, as advocated by you, but likewise to cleanse

the Government Printing Office of those who had ceased to be desirable from

both an efficient and a moral standpoint.

Mr. James J. Freel, late president of the International Stereo- typers and Electrotypers' Union, sent the following communication

to the President of the United States under date of February 1, 1924: As the executive head of this union, also on behalf of the over 100 members

of this union employed in the plate-making division of the Government Print- ing Office, I desire to emphatically state, if any such statement (that employees of the Government Printing Office were not being properly treated by the Public Printer and as a result were very much dissatisfied and antagonistic to Mr. Carter and to his administration of the office) has been made concerning

Public Printer Carter and his administration of the Government Printing

Office, as far as this union and its members is concerned, it is absolutely untrue and without any foundation,

Mr. Matthew Woll, president of the International Photo-Engravers' Union of North America and a vice president of the American Federation of Labor, in a letter to the officers and members of

the local unions throughout the United States, wrote in part as follows, under date of January 19, 1923

I am pleased to inform you that * * * a mutually satisfactory under- standing has been reached with the Public Printer, Mr. George H. Carter;

I am also happy to advise you that our former difficulties were occasioned

by an unconscious misunderstanding of our respective purposes and aims

rather than by a premeditated intent and desire to enforce arbitrary conditions of employment and rewards of labor. We are further .assured that the cooperation of the officers of our local and international union will be vrelcomed at all times and to the end» that

this department of the Government may be fairly and efficiently administered. In view of the foregoing, we should be as ready and willing to respond

in this instance as in all other instances where the services of our members

are wanted or required by employers who accord us fair consideration and

cooperative treatment. A committee representing Local Union No. 4, of the International Brotherhood of Bookbinders, submitted the following state- ment to the President of the United States on January 31, 1924

We wish it distinctly understood that, so far as our union is concerned,

there is no question as to his qualifications under the law as it relates to book- binding ; further, there is no opposition to him on the part of our union, either from a personal, legal, or executive standpoint, and statements to the con- trary are misrepresentations and unwarranted by facts. We consider him a man actuated by high ideals, of a fair and unbiased

attitude toward the employees of the office, having demonstrated his interest

in their welfare by voluntarily advancing the pay of 1,399 employees whose
94 Annual Report of the Public Printer

rate of pay is not fixed by law, also by creating better working conditions and bringing about a state of morale that is helpful to both employer and

employee.

Mr. George D. Riggs. of Des Moines, one of the foremost Iowa

members of the International Typographical Union and a former

president of the union at Council Bluffs, my home town, where I was associated with him in newspaper work for several years, recentl}^ addressed the following communication to the Typographical

Journal, the editor of which refused its publication

To the Editor of the TypoCtKaphical Journal : Within the past two or three years there has appeared in the columns of the Journal, Washington correspondence, numerous vicious attacks on Public

Printer George H. Carter, written, presumably, with the knowledge and consent of the oflQcers of Columbia Typographical Union. Whatever inspired these

attacks, Mr. Editor, is immaterial at this time. The President of the United

States has only recently fully sustained Mr. Carter, and the incident, therefore,

is closed. The Kalamazoo convention of the International Typographical Union, at the

dictation and by direction of the Washington delegation, spent several hours

in vilifying Public Printer Carter, making the main claim that he was not a

practical printer, and even going so far as to demand of the President of the United States his summary dismissal from the Government Printing Office. Following out the dictates of the Kalamazoo convention. President James M. Lynch has brought this matter to the attention of the American Federation of Labor convention, and that convention has also followed the wishes of the Washington delegates to the Kalamazoo convention in demanding Mr. Carter's

dismissal. Also a writer recently in the labor press has taken up the subject and has given

to the labor world some weird and fantastic tales to the effect that the Columbia

Typographical Union has been insulted and totally ignored by the present Public

Printer. This writer also gives out the veiled hint that Senator Pepper, of Pennsylvania, would in effect stand the congressional Committee on Printing on its head and kick Mr, Carter out as soon as the Senator became a member.

What license this writer had to promise something that Senator Pepper

might do if he were elected a member of this committee of Congress I do

not know. It seems to me, though, that the Columbia Union has gone a long way when it has given out to the labor world through this source that Senator Pepper, of Pennsylvania, was likely to take such action. In passing let me say that Public Printer Carter, whom I have known

for 25 years, began to learn the printers' trade the same way that did you and I, Mr. Editor. He learned to set type in a country newspaper office. He also learned to bind books, run a press, make rollers, write editorials, and

perhaps milk the editor's cow. Later on Mr. Carter took up the writing end

of the newspaper business in this same office, but when he moved to a city

and became a city editor (by reason of his natural newspaper ability) he

then •became a member, at the first opportunity, of the Newswriters' Union,

which was at that time a branch of the International Typographical Union.

This branch was later set adrift and its members left hanging high and dry

without, so far as I know, anyone even extending the courtesy of an honorary

membership, which action might have been taken at that time for the general

good of the cause and for reasons of policy if for no other. There are quite a number of members of the International Typographical

Union who are not practical printers, at that. Whether Mr. Carter could even make a living as a practical printer or not is of no particular concern. The howl that he is incompetent and not capable of running the Government

Printing Office is all "bunk."

I_ doubt very much if the attitude of Columbia Union is indorsed by a majority of the members of the Typographical Union employed in the Govern- ment Printing Office. In fact, I happen to know that quite a number of them

do not approve at all and express the belief that the whole fight on Mr. Carter

is political—meaning, of course, International Typographical Union politics. The International Typographical Union is a wonderful organization and I am proud to be a member. I have been a contributing member of this organization for more than 30 years; therefore I have a right to say over my signa-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 95

ture wliat I believe to be tbe truth in reference to this or any other matter

affecting the welfare and the policy of this organization. I, however, do not

believe that the International Typographical Union is bigger than the United

States Government, nor do I believe that the attacks made upon a public

official, who is a part of the present administration and who has been sustained

fully and completely by that administration, are a matter of good policy on

the part of the International Typographical Union.

I am told by a member of the Typographical Union, who is employed in the Government Printing Office, that the attacks on Mr. Carter are the direct

result of his activities in cleaning out of the Government Printing Office a bunch of hard-boiled race-horse gamblers (I am using his language), who were

actually engaged in the business of running a betting book jn the office during

working hours, day and night. I congratulate the Public Printer on his activities in this matter, and his position will, I am sure, be sustained by all rightthinking people. Mr. Carter"s conduct of the Public Printing Office has met with the approval

of the President of the United States, and there seems to be no doubt but that

the congressional Committee on Printing will fully sustain the President. Columbia Typographical Union certainly understands by this time that the United States Government Printing Office can never be run as a " closed

shop. If its membership does not understand and accept this condition, then

it is about time it did so. Other printing trade-unions fully indorse and fit themselves to this condition. George D. Riggs.

Why is it that the typographical union alone has singled me out

as a menace to unionism, notwithstanding the fact that I am a member of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants'

Union and paid dues to the International Typographical Union

for a number of years as a member of the Newswriters' Union?

Can it be possible that the International Typographical Union

is so bigoted and selfish that it has called upon all labor organizations to denounce me merely because I do not happen to hold an

active card in the exalted order of typesetters?

Does the typographical union demand that a member of one printing trade shall be preferred by the Government over a member of any

other printing trade, and that no one but a typesetter shall have any

privilege in this office? The typographical union has constantly assumed the right to speak for all of the 4,000 employees in the Government Printing

Office, including the tj'pesetters, pressmen, bookbinders, stereo- typers, electrotypers, photo-engravers, machinists, electricians, car- penters, pipe fitters, blacksmiths, and all other occupations essential

to a great industrial plant. As a matter of fact, less than one- fourth of the entire 4,000 employees are so-called " printers."

The clique which dominates the local typographical union was

so accustomed for years past to browbeat and belittle all other

trades employed in the Government Printing Office that they had

come to believe that the entire office was subject to their beck and

call.Under former administrations of this office typesetters were

accorded an almost exclusive right to all appointments to preferred

positions, regardless of whether the duties to be performed required

technical training in the art of setting type. The typographical

union demanded for its own members all the swivel -chair jobs in the

office; and no matter how well qualified a pressman, a bookbinder, or

a stereotyper may have been, he was not permitted to step beyond

his particular trade. Electrotypers and stereotypers were relegated

01869 -26 7
96 Annual Report of the Public Printer

to a subordinate place under the printing division, which also dominated all the other printing trades in the office. When I proposed to treat all the printing trades with equal consideration and recognized the pressmen, the bookbinders, the stereo- typers, the electrotypers, and the photo-engravers as entitled to the same privileges as the typesetters, the local typographical union

began to denounce me as a menace to unionism. However, the office has continued to function with greater efficiency than it ever attained

under the regime of the typesetters and is happily at peace with all other labor organizations.

Notwithstanding the charge of being a menace to unionism, I have no ill will toward any labor organization. During my administration

as Public Printer I have maintained friendly and cordial relations

with the representatives, both local and international, of all the

unions having members in this office, excepting only the local ty^ographical union, which is under the control of nonemployees who

seek to rule the Government Printing Office for their own selfish interests. President Lynch of the International Typographical Union is the

only head of an international organization of the printing trades

who has not visited this office or asked to confer with me during

my administration as Public Printer. Although this office employs

900 members of Mr. Lynch's organization, more union printers than

are to be found in any other shop in the United States, he has not, so far as I know, manifested any personal interest in their welfare.

Whatever information Mr. Lynch may have received concerning

conditions in this office, has come from hearsay and not from any

personal and first-hand investigation of his own since he became

president of the International Typographical Union more than a year ago. In marked contrast with Mr. Lynch's attitude, his immediate

predecessors. President McParland and President Howard, con- ferred with me a number of times during their administrations and

never found occasion to denounce me as a menace to unionism.

The charge, which Mr. Lynch appears to have sponsored, comes

wholly from the clique which, for the time being, dominates the

typographical union and which in itself is the only real menace to unionism in the printing industry. I have always had a high regard for the great accomplishments

of organized labor, with which I have been closely associated for

many years. In my Atlantic City speech, which seems to have

nettled the typographical union, I had this to say in behalf of

unionism

My insistence that the Government Printing Office should function as an

establishment of the United States Government and not at the behest of any

personal clique or private organization has been heralded to the public as an

attack on labor unions. I have no fight to make on organized labor. I am

proud of my membership in the Printing Pressmen's Union and of my card

from the Newswriters' Union, which was part of the International Typographical Union at the time I paid dues to that organization. I sincerely

believe that labor organizations have been of great service in bettering the

conditions of workingmen everywhere. But I believe even more firmly that

the Government of tlie United States and its establishments must function for

the general benefit of all the people and not for the sole convenience of any

particular class.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 97

So it was that I insisted upon fair play and equal consideration for every employee of the Government Printing Otfice regardless of his race, color, creed, or fraternal relations. Every employee is appointed through civil-service examination, and no consideration can be given to whether he does or does not

belong to a labor organization any more than he may be discriminated against on account of religious or political alBliations. In my letter to the President of the United States under date of

April 2, 1925, I discussed the relations of this office with organized

labor as follows

Cordial and friendly relations have also been maintained by me with the

representatives of all labor organizations, excepting only the clique that temporarily controls the local typographical union. My appointment was

heartily indorsed by several typographical unions in lay home State, Iowa,

and by a former president of the Iowa State Federation of Labor. The then

president of Columbia Typographical Union wrote a letter proposing my

appointment and approving my qualifications for the position of Public Printer. The present secretary of the local typographical union, George G. Seibold, wrote expressing his confidence that I would give to the position " the same

high degree of efiiciency that has marked your [my] conduct in all matters coming under my [his] observation." Secretary Frank Morrison, of the American Federation of Labor, and Presi- dent Berry, of the International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union, gave me letters of introduction and commendation to the leading represeutativts of labor organizations in Europe when I went abroad in 1923 to investigate

European printing conditions. The president of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. Green, wrote me on January 9 expressing great appreciation for

the respect and affection which this oflSce manifested for the late Samuel

Gompers in suspending work during his funeral services. Numerous labor

publications, including the American Labor World, the American Pressman,

the International Bookbinder, the International Stereotypers and EiectrotjT)ers Journal, and the Monthly Labor Review, have printed articles com- mending the improved working conditions in the Government Printing Office under my administration.

I have none but the highest regard for the great labor organizations and

their splendid accomplishments for the workingmen of this country. My per- sonal interest in these organizations is attested by my membership in the

International Printing Pressmen's Union and by my card as a member of the Newswriters' Union when it was a part of the International Typographical

Union. Therefore it is not true that this office is unfriendly or hostile to organized labor. As a public official I have only insisted that a Government

establishment must, under the law, be conducted in the interests of all the

people, and not at the behest of any particular organization, whether it be

secular, religious, or political. A fundamental principle of the American

Government, as I understand it, is equal rights for all and special privileges for none. In view of this record and my repeated expressions of sincere

esteem for organized labor, I feel entirely justified in asserting that

my record as Public Printer has not been a menace " to all unionism," or to any honorable member of the typographical union.

Chaege No. 6

* * * that he placarded the post offices, customhouses,

and other public places throughout the United States with

posters advertising for printers to work at the Government

Printing Office, holding out in said posters false promises of permanent and lucrative employment to all who would accept same, well knowing all the time that the promises were false and that a large reduction of force was in sight even while

the advertising campaign was in progress. Answer to Charge No. 6

This charge was reviewed by the Department of Justice at the time,

and my action sustained by the Attorney General in his opinion of
98 Annual Report of the Public Printer

April 17, 1925. It would seem unnecessary, therefore, to reply further to this baseless charge, but I have no objection to restating the

facts for the record in the present complaint.

In objecting to the necessary reduction of the force on March 7 the president of the local printers' union, Eugene F. Smith, also

complained because I had succeeded in obtaining enough printers to

carr}^ on essential work for the Government departments and Congress. The campaign for additional printers last October was not

started until the secret boycott which Smith and his supporters had

declared against tiie Government Printing Office was threatening

to hamper seriously the work of the Government and effecting the same result as if a strike had been called against the Government

of the United States. Although it was general!}^ known that the office had more work on hand than ever before in its history and that the civil-service list for

printers had been exh.austed for more than two years. Smith openly

boasted that the Public Printer could not get the much-needed help

until he (Smith) gave consent. Printers were advised not to come

to Washington, some of those who did respond v/ere persuaded not

to apply to the Government Printing Office, a number of our best

operators were induced to accept jobs elsewhere, and other employees were urged to slow up production.

In the hope of destroying the morale of the office and delaying

congressional work. Smith and his associates secretly endeavored to prevent a w^age settlement then pending between the committee of

printer emploj^ees and the Public Printer. As a matter of fact,

the wage negotiation came to an apparent standstill in August, 1924.

The Public Printer was then confronted with the very serious situ- ation of having on hand a vast amount of unset copy (more than

90,000 folios and 96,800 cards), an exhausted civil-service list, and

little prospect of obtaining more printers. In addition, we were approaching the season of annual reports and a session of Congress

which w^ould make additional heavy demands for printing and binding of the greatest urgency.

Therefore, it was imperative that every effort be made forthwith

to increase the force of printers. Although the Civil Service Commission had granted the authority to make temporary appointments

without prior civil-service examination, even this emergency procedure failed to relieve the grave situation which was then con- fronting this office. It was decided that more strenuous efforts should be made to protect the interests of all branches of the Government vitally concerned

in the prompt completion of their orders for printing. A poster

advertisement for printers was prepared and displayed throughout

the country, much to the chagrin of Smith, who thought he had

successfully blocked all means for carrying on the work of this

office. The poster speedily brought printers and the Government

Printing Office continued to function. The mountain of copy was

leveled, the flood of work for Congress subsided, and the Government

Printing Office faced a calm sea with the most efficient crew that had

ever manned the sturdy old ship since it set sail sixty-odd years ago. The poster which ended Smith's boycott was written in' this office Jind was entitled " Uncle Sam has a job for you." Proofs were sub-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 99

mitted by the chief clerk to Herbert E. Morgan, in charge of publicity, and H. E. Filer, of the examining division of the Civil Service

Commission. The understanding was, of course, that these representatives of the commission had authority to and did approve

of the poster, which was printed in accordance with several minor

changes that they had suggested.

Regarding the distribution of the poster, the secretary of the Civil

Service Commission wrote the chief clerk of this office as follows,

under date of October 4, 1924

Mr. Henry H. Wright,

Chief Clerk, Government Printing Ofp.ce, Was1iingt07i, D. C. Sie: Referring to your recent call at tlie commission's office regarrlin^ tlie matter of a poster for advertising the need for printers, etc., it is requested

tliat the posters intended for distribution by the commission to public libraries, Y. M. C. A.'s, printers' unions, etc., be folded to fit the envelope inclosed herewith. By direction of the commission.

Very respectfully,

John T. Doyle, Secretary.

The Civil Service Commission mailed out approximately 5,000

copies of the advertisement for printers to libraries, schools, and

typographical unions throughout the country with the request to display in a conspicuous place. Approximately 15,000 posters were

sent by this office, with permission of the First Assistant Postmaster

General, to post offices in all parts of the United States. The widespread distribution was completed in October, 1924, and, as far as I know, no additional posters have been sent out since that time.

After the distribution of the poster w^as completed, the Public

Printer wrote to the Civil Service Commission expressing appreciation of its hearty cooperation in the campaign for additional

printers. Under date of November 25, 1924, the secretary of the

commission replied as follows:

The Public Printer,

. Government Printing Office, Washington, D. G. Sir : The commission is in receipt of your letter of November 20, in which

you express your appreciation of the commission's assistance in distributing the poster calling attention to the need for printers, etc.. in the Government

Printing Office. The commission is glad to know that its efforts helped to bring results. The commission is, of course, always ready to use every avail- able facility for giving publicity to the personnel needs of the several branches

of the Government service. By direction of the commission.

Very respectfully,

John T. Doyle, Secretary.

Notwithstanding this cooperation on the part of the Civil Service

Commission, Smith boldly asserted that the poster Avas written and

mailed by the Public Printer " without official sanction of the Civil

Service Commission, according to a statement made by Commissioners Wales and Deming."

In view of the foregoing letters from Secretary Doyle, written

"by direction of the commission," it is inconceivable that Commissioners Wales and Deming have made the statement attributed to them by the officers of the local typographical union.
100 Annual Report of the Public Printer

But whether they did or not, the record shows that the poster was

issued with the knowledge and consent of duly authorized representatives of the Civil Service Commission, and that the commission

distributed several thousand copies of the poster from its own office. It is further charged that the poster held out " false promises

of permanent and lucrative employment to all who would accept

same." No such promise appears in the poster. It clearly states that temporarj^ employment was available for " competent " printers

" pending qualification for permanent civil-service appointment."

Furthermore, the poster definitely stated the qualifications required

of all printers employed in the Government Printing Office. Applicants were requested to write to the Public Printer or the

Civil Service Commission, and in response to inquiries this office advised every applicant that all appointments were subject to civil- service examination and probationary service to determine fitness for

the work of the Government Printing Office. It is absurd to say that promise of permanent appointment was

held out to " all who would accept same," whether competent or incompetent.

As is well known, the civil-service examination for printers consists merely of statements by the applicant and his references as

to his training and ability. No practical test is made in advance

of appointment, and this office has to determine the qualifications

of every appointee after he has been assigned to work. The result

is that frequently new aiDpointees fail to make good during their

temporary or probationary employment and can not therefore be

given permanent appointments. iSuch was the case with many of

the printers who responded to the call of the poster.

The poster stated a requirement of approximately 4,000 ems per

hour for linotype operators and 5,000 ems per hour for monotype

keyboard operators. Any experienced operator ought to know in

advance whether he can produce the ems required. For the month

of February, 1925, the average of our linotype section was 4,524 ems per hour, and for the monotype keyboard section 5,828 ems per

hour, including the production of every operator, regular, emergency, and incompetent. Some of our linotype operators easily

topped the 5,000 mark and a number of monotype keyboard operators

averaged well above 8,000 ems per hour. This does not indicate that

impossible requirements were set for the new men, every one of

whom, when he applied for work, represented himself to be an ex- perienced and qualified operator. As a matter of fact, many of the

alleged linotype operators could not set 3,000 ems per hour. Of

course, it was impossible to retain such incompetents, especially after

the increased wage scale became effective. Sixty of the printers appointed or reinstated since October

13, 1924, when applications began, including 52 new men, are now

on the rolls as permanent employees. Of the 185 printers appointed

since October 13, 1924, a total of 89 were separated from the service

prior to the lay-off of March 7. Twenty-five of the latter resigned

of their own accord and 64 failed to meet the requirements of which

they had been fully advised before entering the service.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 101

Fourteen of the 16 new printer-employees included in the dis- missal of March 7 had only emergency appointments and, according

to civil-service rules, had to be dropped in the general reduction of

the force. The emergency employees were urged repeatedly to qualify for probational appointment by filing papers with the Civil

Service Commission, but neglected or failed to get a rating by

March T, and so, by their own fault, were not eligible for retention.

It is not strange that 64 of the new appointees, most of whom

came in before their civil-service papers had been filed or rated, were unable to meet the standards set by this office for real efficiency.

At the time the advertisement was issued the Government scale for

printers and operators was only 90 cents per hour and the poster so

stated. Commercial scales in larger cities throughout the country were somewhat higher and consequently the advertisement attracted a number of incompetent printers. Some of the compositors who

responded to the call were not as well qualified as our apprentices.

The charge that " a large reduction of the force was in sight even while the advertising campaign was in progress " is likewise

untrue. When the call for more printers was issued early in October

of last year, the Government Printing Office had on hand a recordbreaking amount of copy to be printed. The accumulation of copy was due to the inability of the Civil Service Commisssion to supply

a sufficient number of compositors and typesetting-machine operators, and to the fact that this office was unable to pay adequate

wages until an agreement was reached in accordance with the Kiess

collective bargaining act. In addition to the vast amount of work

on hand and the shortage of help, the office faced a busy session

of Congress, which of itself required an increased force for the

prompt printing of congressional proceedings.

No large reduction of the force could possibly have been in sight at the time I was making every effort to get additional printers

to relieve this situation, and no reduction was then contemplated; nor would much of a reduction have been necessary after the adjournment of Congress last March if the employees had not demanded

and obtained a substantial wage increase, which added approximately $876,000 to the annual cost of printing.

In any event, the force employed during the last session of Congress was absolutely necessary to handle the work required of this

office at that time. Whatever reduction may result after the adjournment of Congress, it is imperative that an adequate force

shall be maintained to meet every requirement of Congress while it is in session. This situation is not an unusual one. It has been the almost in- variable custom of the Government Printing Office to call in extra help during a session of Congress and to reduce the force after the

congressional work has been completed.

The employment of an extra force during the sessions of Congress

is recognized by the printing act of 1895, which authorized the

payment of leave at the close of each session to employees engaged on Congressional Record work, so that the temporary employees

could receive leave pay as soon as their work was completed.

Following the adjournment of Congress in 1920, Public Printer

Ford dropped 322 ero.ployees from the rolls, and similar discharges
102 Annual Report of the Public Printer

were made by other Public Printers. These discharges were generally accepted as a matter of course, it being understood that the

Government Printing Office did not have need for as many employees after adjournment as when Congress was in session.

Charge No. T : * * * that after this advertising campaign, and on March 7, 1025, he summarily discliarged without any notice whatever 172 printers, many of tliem grown old in the service

of the Government ; that these men were good printers almof^r without exception; that their only offense apparently was

that they were members of the typographical union and would

not stultify their principles by accpiiescing in the Public

Printer's un-American conduct of the Government Printing

Office. Answer to Charge No. 7

This charge is likewise untrue in almost every particular.

Although individual notice was not given in advance to each of the

employees discharged on March 7, general notice was served by my

annual report issued in January that if Congress did not appropriate more funds for printing and binding before it adjourned on March 4 there would have to be a substantial decrease in the force

of the Government Printing Office. It is also a matter of common knowledge among employees that a reduction of the force usually follows the adjournment of Congress

for a long period, and therefore it was not deemed necessary to

issue advance notice of the customary discharges. In the reduction

of the force last spring I simply followed the long-established practice of the office, a practice which heretofore had never been complained of by the typographical union.

The same necessit}^ for advance notice of discharge does not exist

in the Government Printing Office as in private establishments.

Employees of this office are paid on discharge the accumulated leave

due them at the time. In nearly every case, except as to temporary

employees, the additional pay is equivalent to at least two or three

weeks' full wages. Leave pay for nonworking time more than

offsets any advantage of prior notice in a private plant, the employees of which are required to work out their full period of pay.

In addition to the leave pay, employees of the Government Printing Office who have grown old in the service are eligible for retire- ment annuity on discharge, and thus are pensioned for life at Government expense. Employees of private establishments are seldom

pensioned by their employers.

The records show that 67 of the employees discharged on March 7 were entitled to annuities for the rest of their lives, and in some

instances will receiA^e the maximum of $720 per annum. A number

of printers about whom the t3^pographical union complains have

also been pensioned by the union, and their total income in the

annuities from the Government and the union will amount to approximately $1,100 annually.

It is evident, therefore, that the printers who were dropped from

the rolls of this office last spring are compensated far better than any

advance notice of discharge would benefit them and are enjoying

much higher retirement incomes than other members of their union
Annual Report of the Public Printer 103

who after notice have been discharged from private plants with

only their union pension for support.

The charge is incorrect in stating that 172 printers were dismissed on March 7. The number of printers dropped on that date was 114. Not many of them had " grown old in the service of the Government," as asserted in the charge. In fact, 26 had served less than

one year, and more than half of the entire number were less than

55 years of age. All of the discharged printers over 55 years of age

who have had 15 years of service will receive Government annuity

payments for the rest of their lives, even if they obtained other employment, which many of them did. It is also untrue that the men discharged on March 7 " were good printers almost without exception." The printers selected for

discharge were the least efficient of the entire force, according to the ratings given them by their foremen, the superintendent of

^ printing, the production manager, and the Deputy Public Printer,

all of whom are members in good standing of Columbia Typographical Union.

Unfortunately, a number of the discharged men have been unable

to retain employment elsewhere as printers owing to their poor

workmanship, which had to be tolerated in this office for the time

being due to the lack of more efficient printers.

The charge that the only offense of the discharged printers " apparently was that they were members of the typographical union "

is utterly false. Under the law and the rules of the Civil Service

Commission, this office can not give consideration to whether or not an employee is a member of a trade union or any other organization, political, religious, or social. The local typographical union has claimed as members 99 per

cent of the printers employed in the Government Printing Office. If that be true, any reduction of the force of printers would necessarily include mostly members of the typographical union.

As before stated, the discharged printers, whether union members

or not, were included in the reduction on the recommendations of

the printing division supervisors, all of whom are members of Columbia Typographical Union. Of course, it is beyond belief that

any union printer would propose the discharge of a fellow workman

simply because they both are members of the same t3^pographical

union.

If I was disposed to discharge printers because they belonged

to the typographical union, I would have to dismiss my entire staff of printing officials and almost every journeyman printer in the

office. That I have not done so is sufficient answer to the charge

that the only offense of the men dropped on March 7 was that they were members of the typographical union.

Charge Xo. 8

* * * that lie Las by his vicious and intolerable actions brought about a condition in the Government Printing Office that makes it a detestable place in which to work; that this condition is evidenced by the fact that all who can are finding

work elsewhere, even though such action brings about the

sacrifice of many years' service records and a possible retire- ment annuity in later years. 61S69—2G—

8
104 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Answer to Charge No. 8

A sufficient reply to this charge has been given by the 61 printers

dropped on March 7, who have since applied for reinstatement,

thereby showing that they do not consider the Government Printing Office to be a detestable place in which to work. Nine hundred

other printers are continuing to work here apparentl}^ well satisfied

with existing conditions. A comparatively small number have re- signed since March 7, and during the past year only four printers re- tired voluntarily on reaching the optional retirement age. Twentythree other printers who were due for retirement applied for extensions of their employment, thus indicating their satisfaction with

office conditions.

In answer to a similar charge made last March by the president

of the local typographical union, more than 2,500 employees of tho

Government Printing Office gathered of their own accord in Harding Hall and unanimously adopted the resolutions which were proposed by a fellow employee, Mr. A. D. Calvert, an ex-president of

the Philadelphia Typographical Union. The resolutions are quoted on page 68 of this report.

The charge that " all who can are finding work elsewhere, even though such action brings about the sacrifice of many years' service,"

is absolutely disproved by the record of resignations since March 7. Only one of the comparatively few printers who have voluntarily

left the office since that date was employed here more than 10 years, and he resigned to accept a better paying position in another department of the Government.

Not one of those who resigned has sacrificed any retirement

annuity, as none had served the required 15 years. Of those who

resigned to seek work elsewhere, 18 had been in this office less than

one year. Four of the printers who resigned in the last year have

been reinstated at their own request.

The facts thus show that employees do not regard the Government

Printing Office as a detestable place in which to work; they have

not sacrificed years of service and possible retirement by seeking

work elsewhere. From the civil-service list of 435 compositors and

111 typesetting-m'achine operators seeking employment in the Government Printing Office as recent as last August, it is apparent that

many other printers likewise do not regard this office as " a detest- able place in which to work." This was the largest list of printer

applicants that the Civil Service Commission had been able to obtain

in many years. Charge No. 9:

* * * that the foregoing are only a few of the instances which could be cited of the unfitness and incompetency of Public Printer Carter to be head of the Government Print- ing Office, in which capacity he is virtually the master of the destiny of more than 4,000 American citizens; that that posi- tion should only be held by one with ability, experience in the handling of men and business, tolerance of the rights of

others, and that the present Public Printer measures up to none of these specifications.

Answer to Charge No. 9

There would be some assurance of a desire on the part of the local

printers clique to tell the truth if the above statement had frankly
Annual Report of the Public Printer 105

admitted that all the foregoing charges " are only a few of the in- stances which could be cited" of their grossly unfair attacks and

their malicious but unsuccessful efforts to ruin the morale of this

great establishment of the Government.

It is astonishing that the charge has omitted from "the few

instances " cited of my unfitness and incompetency the likewise

ludicrous charge printed in the recent issue of the Typographical

Journal that, under my regime, "business men in all branches in

small towns through some sort of a tip are piacino- orders for letter- heads and envelopes with their postmasters, who in turn send them

to Carter to be printed." If the secretary of the International

Typographical Union had any regard for the truth, he would not

have published such a deliberately false statement, for he well knows

that the Government Printing Office does not print letterheads and

envelopes for sale to business men by postmasters or anyone else. The " few instances " cited of my alleged unfitness to hold office also fail to include the libelous charge by the president and the

secretary of the local typographical union in their letter of April

9 that I had deliberately misappropriated public funds in providing a cafeteria, recreation hall, rest rooms, bowling alleys, and

other comforts for the employees of the Government Printing Office. I have heretofore submitted evidence showing the utter falsity of

this charge and stated that officers of the local typographical union

must either prove the charge, which they asserted Columbia Typographical Union was ready to substantiate^ or be accountable individually and collectively for the malicious libel. Since that time the

officers of the local union have not repeated the charge in public, nor did the International Typographical Union assume to stand

sponsor for it. As to whether I have the ability and experience necessary to con- duct the business of the Government Printing Office, I respectfully

invite attention to the Annual Reports of the Public Printer for the

last five years, and to the following expressions of opinion by

some of the foremost men, magazines, and organizations of the

American printing industry

By the United Typothetse of America, the international association of master printers, at its thirty-ninth annual convention in

Chicago October 23, 1925 : Whereas Public Printer George H. Carter during his incumbency has made

such an unparalleled record of economical administration in the United States Government Printing Office ; and

Whereas through the establishment of a definite and comprehensive pro- gram which has proved to be highly beneficial to the printing industry as a whole and particularly to the boys learning their trade : Therefore be it Resolved, That because of this distinguished service to tiie printing industry

and to the Government, the Hon. George H. Carter be, and is hereby, elected

to honorary life membership in the United Typothetse of America.

By The American Printer 'editorially in its issue of November

5, 1925

The election of Public Printer George H. Carter to honorary life membership in the United Typothetse of America is deserved recognition of a courageous, able, result-getting public official. The Government Printing Office at Washington was never conducted more efficiently. President Coolidge and

Congress are doubtless convinced of this and will continue Mr. Carter for many

years at the post for which he has shown such aptitude and in which he has

accomplished so much.
106 Annual Report of the Public Printer

By the Employinc? Printers Association of America in its bulletin

of November 5, 1925

The respect of printing proprietors and principals generally for George H.

Carter, Public Printer of the United States, and their approval of his efficient administration, were strikingly manifested in last month's national convention

in Chicago, when upon Mr. Carter was conferred honorary life membership in the United Typothetai of America.

Certainly no other group of men could possess a more thorough under- standing and appreciation of the problems with w^hich Mr. Carter has been

confronted in his management of the great Government Printing Office than

the members of the United Typothetse of America.

The action of the typothetje is therefore highly significant and is also interestingly corroborative of the several previous positive indorsements of Mr. Carter's administration of the Employing Printers Association of America.

By the executive council of the United Tyioothetse of America,

February 5, 1925

Whereas the United Typothet£e of America, the international association of master printers, in its efforts toward standardization in the graphic arts industries has b.een generously assisted by tke constructive leadership of the United States Public Printer, Mi\ George H. Carter ; and

Whereas our association's objectives are to secure the highest ethical ideals,

tlie most scientific methods in management, and the highest attainment in craftsmanship in our industry, and in these objectives Mr. Carter has given us his most entlmsiastic support,: Therefore be it Resolved, That the executive council of the United Typothetse of America,

in regular session, hereby express our appreciation of the services so gen- erously extended to us by Mr. Carter and our confidence in his competent

management of America's greatest printing establishment, and commend him

to the administration for his high purposes not only in the business committed to him by the Government, but in the printing industry where his leadership is so highly appreciated.

By the New York Employing Printers' Association, the largest

local organization of employing printers in the world, February

25, 1924:

Resolved, That the New York Employing Printers' Association, at their February meeting, held February 25, 1924, at the Hotel Astor, New York City,

commend the Hon. G. II. Carter, Public Printer, for his highly efficient con- duct of the affairs of the Government Printing Office, especially his fine work

in apprenticeship training, and the welfare work among all employees, as

well as the impartial manner in which he enforces civil-service rules; be it further

Resolved, That as an organization and as individuals we give our hearty

support in carrying out his program of administration, and that the managing

director be instructed to forward to the President of the United States and

to Mr. Carter copies of this resolution. By the Richmond (Va.) Printers' Association, March 11, 1924:

Whereas the Richmond Printers' Association feels that George H. Carter, Public Printer, has done a wonderful work while he has been in charge of the Government Printing Office, and that his efforts have already resulted in a better and more efficient service to the public, and that he is tlie right man

in the right place: Therefore be it Resolved, That the Richmond Printers' Association, in regular meeting con- vened, this the 11th day of March, 1924, do hereby heartily and unanimously

indorse the administration of George H. Carter in his position as Public

Printer of the United States of America.

By the Interstate Typothetse of Western Pennsylvania and New

York, March, 1924:

Whereas Public Printer George H. Carter has signally demonstrated his

ability as an executive in his conduct of the Government Printing Office ; and
Annual Report of the Public Printer 107

Whereas his efforts have resulted in largely increasing the efficiency of the force so that this plant is operated with a maximum of efficiency and a minimum of waste ; and

Whereas his work has brought about the actual saving of taxpayers' money

as well as an increase in the contentment of the majority of the employees

under his direction: Therefore be it Resolved l)y Interstate Typothetw {composed of the leading master printers

of Jamestown, N. Y.; Dunkirk, N. Y.; Franklin, Pa.; and Erie, Pa.), That we

deplore the unjust attacks upon Public Printer Carter, that we commend his administration of the Government Printing Office, and that we are heartily

in accord with his policy of operating this plant without favoritism or malice,

solely in the public interest. B}^ the Typothetse Federation of the Fourth District, consisting

of the employing printers in the States of Delaware, Maryland,

Virginia, and North Carolina, and the District of Columbia, February 16, 1924

Be it resolved, That the Fourth District Typothetag Federation commend in the highest terms the progressive and efficient manner in which Hon. George

H. Carter, Public Printer, is conducting the affairs of the Government Print- ing Office, commending especially his work in apprenticeship training, general welfare work for all employees, and the impartial manner in which he is enforcing the civil-service rules ; be it further

Resolved, That we pledge, as an organization and individually, our support

to him in the carrying out of his program of administration. George H. Ellis, of Boston, former president of the United

Typothetse of America, February 17, 1925

. I have been more or less familiar with the work of the Public Printer for more than 50 years, and I have no hesitation in saying that Mr. Carter is far and away the superior of any who have preceded him. This opinion is, I know, shared fully by the United Typothette of America, the national organization of employing printers, the members of which do probably SO per cent of the printing in the commercial field in this country.

By Mr. J. Horace McFarland, president of the Mount Pleasant

Press, of Harrisburg, Pa., and chairman of the committee on legislation of the United Typothetse of America, February 19, 1925

With a lifetime of acquaintance with the Government printing relations,

and with broad printing relations throughout America, I am continually

astonished at the grasp, executive ability, and accomplishments of the present

Public Printer. By Mr. Oscar T. Wright, president of the National Capital Pres3

and former president of the Typothetse of Washington, D. C, April

16, 1924:

The writer is not of the same political faith as Public Printer Carter, but he takes this opportunity of going on record to the extent of asserting that under no previous administration have tlie affairs of the Government Printing

Office been so efficiently, sensibly, and economically handled as they have been

during the term of office of Public Printer Carter. By Mr. Thomas E. Donnelley, president of R. R. Donnelley &

Sons Co., printers of Chicago, February 20, 1925

As a printer I have been more or less familiar with the Public Printing Office for the last 25 years. Most of the time it has been a nest of incompetency,

politics, and inefficiency. President Roosevelt attempted to correct it, but made an honest but unfortunate choice. Mr. Carter is the first man who has ever held that office who had a vision

of its requirements, executive ability, and a real desire to do a great public

service. The entire department has been reorganized, its efficiency has been

greatly increased, he has established against great opposition a comprehensive

apprenticeship system, and I believe that his retirement would be a serious mistake.
108 Annual Report of the Public Printer

By Mr. J. Linton Engle, of Philadelphia, former president of the

United Typothetae of America, February 8, 1924:

I have observed Mr. Carter's work, and I am acquainted with the splendid

administration which he has brought to the department of printing. Mr.

Carter deserves the encouragement of all who desire the best possible business administration in our governmental departments.

I feel confident that your more intimate acquaintance with Mr. Carter's

efficiency will encourage you to give him that support and protection which

is due such a capable oflicial. By Judge Alfred E. Ommen, of New York, general counsel for

the Employing Bookbinders of America, March 14, 1924

Last year the bookbinders of this country had a convention in the city of Washington, in which many of the bookbinders of New York participated,

and through this convention came in frequent contact with Mr. Carter. No

bookbinder went away from that convention without a feeling of absolute good will toward Mr. Carter. They were all impressed that Mr. Carter was a competent, clear-headed, tactful man—a gentleman by instinct as well as by habit. Besides the foregoing statements, editorials commending my work

as Public Printer have been published from time to time in all the

leading magazines of the printing industry.

On account of similar attacks which officers of the local typographical union had made upon my administration of this office, I invited the Joint Committee on Printing, under date of June 2, 1924, to make a full and complete investigation of the Government

Printing Office. In submitting the matter of my own accord to the Joint Committee on Printing before charges had been reviewed

by the Department of Justice, I made the following statements

For such consideration as the Joint Committee on Printing may desire to give the same, there is transmitted herewith a copy of an address which I delivered before the annual convention of the Third District Typothetse Federation at Atlantic City on May 23, 1924. The address is a resume of conditions existing in the Government Printing Office at the beginning of my administration as Public Printer and recites the efforts made to improve the efficiency

and morale of this great establishment. I believe that the high standard now

attained amply justifies the course pursued and that there is no occasion for apologizing to anyone for cleaning up the rotten mess which I found in the Government Printing Office. In view of the vilifications, by certain unscrupulous persons, of the present

administration of the Government Printing Office, I felt that the public was

entitled to know the truth and therefore exposed some of the wrongdoings in

this office with which the members of your committee are already familiar. There appear, however, to be certain discontents, especially among men no

longer in the service of the Government Printing Office, who would deny or misconstrue the facts as stated in my Atlantic City address. I am prepared

and willing, therefore, to submit such evidence in support of my statements as the committee may deem advisable to consider at this or any other time.

If an inquiry is undertaken, I respectfully suggest that it include all matters

relating to the conduct of the Government Printing Office, its officers and

employees, under the administrations of both Public Printer Ford and myself.

As Public Printer I invite full and complete investigation of the Government

Printing Office by your committee and feel assured that such an inquiry will prove that this office, notwithstanding its unsavory past, has now attained a high standard of efficiency and morale and has the respect and confidence of many men foremost in the printing industry throughout America.

The Joint Committee on Printing considered the matter at its meeting on June 4, 1924, at which T was present, and under date

of June 7, 1924, the chairman of the committee, Senator ISfoses, formally advised me that " the committee was of the opinion that

official investigation was not necessary."
Annual Report of the Public Printer 109

The situation is well expressed by the following editorial published in the National Republic of September, 1925

The experience of Public Printer Carter proves that the Washington official who makes a real effort to economize is sure to be let in for a lot of trouble. When Mr. Carter took charge of the Printing Office he found the place overrun

with bookmakers engaged in making betting pools on the races, and many

employees more busily engaged in this form of " speculation " than in working

for Uncle Sam. He found strongly entrenched rings which were undertaking

to dictate the personnel of the plant. Undertaking to^ run the office as a

representative of the Government he became the target of attack on the part

of disloyal elements in his organization. The climax came when he undertook to reduce the force, in line with the administration's economy policy, at the close of the last session of Congress, when organized opposition broke

forth. A Washington bureau official soon discovers that the only way to be popular is to permit employees to render as little return for their pay as they

like. On the other hand, any effort to get the Government's money's worth is certain to arouse the most furious opposition. It is said that the demand for Public Printer Carter's removal on the ground that he asks too much in behalf

of the Government will be made a political issue in the next campaign.

Whether the people will be much interested in a complaint that a bureau chief

is trying to economize remains to be seen. In view of the facts submitted with this statement and the opinions expressed by the Attorney General and the Joint Committee on

Printing, I respectfully suggest that the charges of the International

Typographical Union are unworthy of any further consideration.

These charges are merely a reiteration of the baseless complaints

that were made last spring by President Smith and Secretary Seibold of Columbia Typographical Union of this city. Although the

matter was fully inquired into at that time and my action sustained

by Attorney General Sargent, the local clique have continued their

malicious persecutions in the vain hope that they could either rule or ruin the Government Printing Office. The International Typographical Union was deceived into indorsing their false charges without having made any effort to ascertain

the truth, but the American Federation of Labor has been fair

enough to ask for an investigation before taking action that might

concern the various other labor organizations with which this office has maintained most friendly relations. I therefore deemed it to the best interests of the public service that the foregoing statement

should be submitted to Congress that it may be fully informed of the

trials and tribulations of this office.

Extracts from the reports of the Deputy Public Printer, the Production Manager, the Chief of Tests, the Superintendent of Documents, the Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance, and

the Medical and Sanitary Officer are submitted herewith.

REPORT OF THE DEPUTY PUBLIC PRINTER

Noticeable advancement in efficiency and cooperation and result- ing economy is shown in every section of the office. This efficiency

has been made possible to a considerable extent through the extensive

introduction of modern equipment and machinery. It is a pleasure

to state that employees as well as officials have given, as a rule,

whole-hearted cooperation in the use of such equipment, to the end

that the greatest production from such equipment may be made
110 Annual Report of the Public Printer

possible. The fact that quite a number of the employees have suggested added worth-while improvements to machinery and changes

in method of handling work proves beyond question that a fine spirit of cooperation prevails throughout the plant.

Referring to cooperation, it has been noted that writers in magazines publistied in the interest of industrial management are practically unanimous in their conclusions as to the high factor value of

cooperation and loyalty in considering the efficiency of an employee.

In my opinion this subject is worthy of serious consideration.

The efficiency of an employee, it is submitted, can not and should

not be considered only from the standpoint of his individual productive capacity—that may be close to 100 per cent; it surely is of equal

importance to consider the cooperation or loyalty of the employee

or, in other words, his attitude and conduct with reference to the

rules and regulations necessarily issued and made effective by the

head of an office in administering the affairs of a manufacturing

plant.

To the degree an official or employee shows limited cooperation or

loyalty, to that extent he is lacking in one of the most essential

elementary units of efficiency. Cooperation and loyalty are productive of good will and contentment, and an employee in any office who lacks these attributes will more than likely become the medium

through which dissension and contempt for necessary regulative measures is disseminated among employees who otherwise would

prove desirable workers, and thus the morale and discipline, so neces- sary in any well-regulated establishment, are eventually destroyed.

REDUCTION OF THE FORCE NECESSARY

^ Subsequent events fully confirmed the wisdom as well as the necessity for reduction of force that occurred March 7, 1925. The nor- mal requirements of the office call for at least 20,000 folios to be constantly on hand in order to meet the demands of the machine sections

for continuous operation. On March 9, 1925, in all sections, inchiding the planning division and copy editor's unit, there were only

17,244 folios; on May 9, 14,032; May 16, 8,000; June 8, 9,000; June

16, 11,000; and June 29, 14,000. The increase in folios in June is explained through the unexpected receipt of something like 6,000

folios of a congressional hearing. The decrease in receipts of copy was natural, because the departments found their funds practically

exhausted for composition purposes. Fortunately, a great number

of employees had leave due during these lean months, or it would

have been absolutely necessary to further reduce the force by either

furloughs or discharges.

During the past year the work in the stores division has markedly

increased. Part of this increase is attributable, of course, to the handling of blank paper for departments. As an example: In mimeograph paper alone requisitions from the cutting and packing section

from June 15 to July 23 called for 61,680 reams of cut sizes. The in- creased demand for post-card stock is indicated bv the fact that the

stores division for the first half of the present contract handled over

6,000,000 pounds as compared with 7,000,000 pounds during the

whole of the preceding 12 months. As a slight indication of the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 111

quantity of paper handled in this division, the Yearbook and Postal

Guide Volumes required 40,000 reams or thirty-four 40,000-pound

carloads.

The installation of a lay-boy in this division, which was purchased during the past year, is giving good service and has eliminated

complaints from the pressroom with reference to improper boxing of

paper. In addition, it has been the means of reducing the overhead

labor charge for this kind of work.

A change made in the classification of waste paper for the coming

year will result in a saving to the Government of approximately

S2,000. This change consisted of taking newsprint shavings out of

class 6 and placing it in a class by itself. As stated in last year's report, the lack of storage space seriously

handicaps the handling of stores and the product of the office. With

the limited space on hand it has been found necessary to repile and

remove paper to make room for increasing shipments. The less paper is handled, the better its condition when placed on the press. Then, again, the cost of labor involved in being compelled to rely on this makeshift method of storage adds considerably to the over- head expenses of the office. This could be eliminated by the erection

of a new building on the site of the old buildings that were erected

in 1S5G. which are unquestionably a menace to the safety of eml^loyees and the surrounding neighborhood.

TEAIXIXG OF THE APPEEXTICES

On July 27, 1925, there were 145 apprentices receiving instruction

in their respective trades as follows

Printer (including Veterans' Bureau trainees) 128 Type machinist 1 Electrotype molder 3 Electrotype finisher 3 Stereotyper 3 Photo-engraver 3 Pressman 1 Bookbinder 1 Machinist ^ 2 The returns now received by the office from the output of the

fourth-year class of apprentices thoroughly vindicate the decision

of the Public Printer to reestablish the apprenticeship system in the

Government Printing Office. Members of this class are fully competent in the setting of type, imposition, make-up, etc., including

job disjDlay, and are now under instruction in machine composition.

The members of this class will finish the four-year course July 5, 1926, and upon receipt of certificates of competence from the Public

Printer will be placed upon the rolls of the Government Printing

Office as journeymen craftsmen.

The planned course of intensive training compels, on the part of

the apprentice, close application every hour of the day while on duty.

While strict discipline is maintained, due consideration is given to recreational and physical features. Lectures have been given by

master printers in Hardinof Hall; all members have inspected the

paper miU at Georgetown, £). C, where they could witness the actual
112 Annual Report of the Public Printer

manufacturing of paper. A visit was also made to the graphic arts exhibit in the National Museum, the curator delivering a very

instructive lecture which was highly appreciated.

A job or display unit has been added to the apprentice section.

This was found necessary in order to accommodate the increased

number of apprentices promoted to job composition.

WORK ACCOMPLISHED BY APPRENTICES

While the apprentice classes, from a financial standpoint, are not

self-sustaining, the following record of production and work per- formed will show that the Government receives, after the first three

months, a fair return for money expended

Printing division : Document sections

Composition ems set__ 26, 202, 800 Author's chargeable alterations hours 6, 744 Making-up do 2, 247 Imposition , do 10, 585

Stripping do 12, 421 Dropping forms do 4, 512 Holding copy do 38, 454 Miscellaneous work do 84 Job section

Composition, chargeable do 19,414

Authors' chargeable alterations do 659 Making-up and imposition do 9, 668 Dropping forms do 663

Stripping do 30 Holding copy do 479

Miscellaneous work do 722

Distribution do 1, 951 Platemaking division

Molding and finishing section

Operating finishing machine do 11, 292

Solid-body work do 559

Stereotype molding do 512 Battery work do 2, 641 Backing-up do 586

Stereotype casting do 309

Straightening . do 584

Miscellaneous work do 2, 242 Photo-engraving section

Stripping and printing do 2, 224

Proofing do 2, 228 Routing do 173

Finishing do 75 Miscellaneous work do 2, 242 Apprentices in the press and bindery divisions and the machineshop section have also progressed to a satisfactory productive-hour

basis; but on account of the miscellaneous nature of output, a definite

account can not be rendered.

Every effort is made to interest the apprentice in his work, and I am pleased to report that Avith few exceptions the instructors have

met with a favorable response. The crying need of to-day, not only

in the Government Printing Office but also in the commercial field,

is a workman Avho can take manuscript as delivered to a printing

office^ and edit, set, read, revise, and impose for press. Specialization is all right in its place, but if all workmen became specialists,
Annual Report of the Public Printer 113

and unquestionably that is the trend to-day in the printing trade,

the need for the all-round printer becomes all the more accentuated.

The Government Printing Office apprentices are being taught the

basic principles of every unit of hand and machine composition,

including its allied branches—making-up, imposition, etc. At the

end of the course, however, each apprentice who is earnest in his

desire to become a master printer will come to the conclusion that

there is no end to the road that leads to complete mastery of the

*'Art preservative of all arts." REPORT OF THE PRODUCTION MANAGER

PLANNING DIVISION

This division plans the thousands of jobs handled by this office, routes them through the office, and maintains a check system of the

progress of the job from section to section.

The requisitions review board is closely related to the planning

division in that the employees are constantly on the watch against

unauthorized publications and uneconomical methods of printing,

so that the product of the office will be printed economically and

according to law.

The combined efforts of this division and the requisitions review

board resulted in a saving in the Government printing bill during

the last fiscal year of $78,241.18.

One of the outstanding savings effected by this division was in the

planning of a reprint of Hinds' Precedents. The last edition consists

of eight volumes, totaling about 8,500 pages, and printed on a heavy

rag paper. The new addition will make about 10,000 pages, but by

using a thin Bible paper this whole edition can be brought into five volumes, effecting a saving in paper and binding of approximate!}^

$26,500.

One of the best results noted by the organization of a requisitions

review board is the fact that the various departments are keeping a

stricter watch on their requisitions, and are now making an honest

effort to eliminate all requests for printing and binding that are not

economical or within the law.

The largest addition to the duties of this divisior during the past

year was the supplying of blank paper and envelopes to the Government establishments in this city. These supplies were formerly

furnished by the General Supp'ty Committee and the Post Office

Department.

During 'the past fiscal year this office furnished approximately

5,000,000 pounds, or 125 carloads, of paper at a cost of $410,000, and

it is conservatively estimated that a saving of $40,000, or 10 per cent, was made by this office through our ability to purchase and handle

larger quantities of paper and to make more advantageous contracts with the manufacturers of paper and envelopes.

The departments, by purchasing their paper and envelopes through

this office, have the assurance that they are getting the quality of

paper they are paying for, as all paper is tested by expert paper

chemists in the testing section, and the manufacturers are compelled

to deliver paper according to specifications adopted by the Government.
114 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Under the old system the departments, in some instances, bought

and paid for 100 per cent rag paper, but received paper that con- tained only 50 per cent rag. Under the present system this can not

occur. PRINTING DIVISION

There has been a general reorganization throughout this whole

division toward a more efficient handling of the ever-increasing

amount of composition received. Some of the changes made are as

folJovv's

Proof section.—The tearing out of the large vault in this section

has almost doubled the space available for proof readers' desks. New

and up-to-date equipment has been installed which is resulting in

greater and more economical production.

The rearrangement has permitted the foreman and his assistant to so divide their work and at the same time coordinate it that it is possible to keep a closer and more efficient supervision over the whole

section than could be had under the old arrangement.

The additional floor space has permitted the drawing together of

the various units of the proof section around the central tube system,

so that now there is less footwork necessary, resulting in less noise

and confusion and quicker handling of the Avork. Hand section.—One of the main cooperative features in the office has been developed between the hand section, main pressroom, and

bindery. We now have folding machines and sewing machines that

will fold and sew 32-page signatures where we formerly folded,

gathered, and sewed only in 18-page signatures. This system re- quires the three branches of the office above-mentioned to keep in

very close touch so as to impose, print, fold, gather, and sew the

signature in 32-page size. Of course it is apparent that folding,

gathering, and sewing in 32-page signatures cuts the bindery work in

two, but this has increased the work in the hand section,, and requires more careful imposition than for the 16-page signatures. Eealizing

that the time spent in the more difficult imposition is saved many

times over in the reduced handling in the bindery section, the hand

section has gladly taken hold of this additional work with remarkable

results. Patents section.—The big all-the-year-round job is the Patent

Specifications and Official Gazette. These two jobs are spoken of as one, as they are closely related and come under the general head of

specification work.

During the past year 149,643 pages of patents and trade-marks were printed, as compared with 120,602 pages during the preceding

year, an increase of 29,041 pages. In addition to this the illustrated

Official Gazette, averaging about 300 pages per issue, has been

printed each week; also the Annual Index of Patents and TradeMarks granted during 1924, which made 1,731 pages as compared

with 1,598 pages for the preceding year. One of the largest patent issues ever received was printed

during the busiest part of the whole year, just prior to the adjournment of Congress. This issue contained over 1,000 patents. In

fact, there has been a gradual increase of patents during the whole

year. Formerly the normal weekly issue of patents was 750; now

the normal issue exceeds 900 patents.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 115

It is necessary to print and deliver the Official Gazette each week

and to have all copies in the mails on Tuesday. In spite of the considerable growth of this publication, the office has met the delivery

date without fail. Another notable increase in efficiency in this section is the early

date of delivery of the Annual Index of Patents and Trade-Marks.

In past years this publication was delivered during the month of

October after the close of the calendar year. Now, by installing a new method of keeping the tj'pe as a continuously corrected index

after each weekly publication, we are able to deliver the annual

index the 1st of February after the close of the calendar year; in

other words, instead of 10 months we now deliver in 1 month.

Linotype section.—There has been a decided increase in production in this section. The average ems set per operator last year was 3,715 ems per hour; the average set this year was 4,171, an

increase of 456 ems per hour for the whole section. The principal

factor contributing to this increase in per hour production is the new

wage scale. Tyfe-macJiine section.—This section has charge of repairs for all type-setting machinery. In addition to keeping a total of 397

type machines in repair, this section does considerable manufacturing of small parts.

During the past year new work for the monotype section amounting to $8,000 was done. If these new parts were purchased from the

manufacturer they would cost $11,871.38. New parts for the linotype section costing about $2,200 would have cost if purchased from

the factorv $3,000, showing a net saving to the two sections of

$4,671.38.

" Monotype section.—This section has put many new schemes into

effect during the last year that have resulted in about 10 per cent saving in time and labor. To demonstrate: Copy for 36 specifications for one department was sent to this section. The wording of

each separate specification was generally similar for about 95 per

cent of all the copy. By working out a combination, these similar

parts were all set on one spool and run through the casting machine

the required number of times, while the variations were set on

another spool and then the whole specification assembled separately.

The type for each specification comprised about 3,000 to 3,200 ems

and the variations amounted to about 200 or 300 ems, thus saving

about 2,800 to 3,000 ems on each specification, or a total of approximately 100,000 ems on all specifications.

The above case is selected to demonstrate the thought and care that

is taken throughout the office, as well as in the monotype section,

to get as much printing and binding done for the appropriations

allowed by Congress as is possible.

The average ems per hour for monotype operators has increased

during the past year from 5,048 ems per hour to 5,772 ems, an in- crease of 724 ems per hour for all operators. This increase summed

up in total for the year, based on an average of 70 operators working daily, would amount to 126,902,720 ems gained in production

in one year. This amount, based on an average of 5,600 ems per

hour, would show a gain of 22,661 operator-hours in a year. At

$1.05 per hour, the rate paid operators for 5,600 ems per hour, this

shows a saving of $23,794 by the increased production.
116 Annual Report of the Public Printer

As stated above in the report on the linotype section, the principal

factor contributing to this increase is the new wage scale, in effect now about a year. Another item effecting a reduction in the cost of production in

the monotype section is the reduction in the number of recasts caused

by faulty metal. During the first six months of 1924 there were

550 recasts as compared with 234 for the same months of 1925,

showing a saving of 42 per cent for the period. This result is attributed to the help and cooperation of the testing section, and

as the chemist in charge of this work continues to correct the vast amount of metal that is yet to be remelted and toned up to the new

standard the number of recasts will be reduced still further.

During the year two of the latest model material-casting machines

have been installed in this section. These machines produce slugs,

leads, and rules of all sizes and lengths as needed for all classes of work in this office. The machines save several hundred dollars

each 3^ear in cost of material and supply the demands of all other

composing sections with the exact sizes of slugs, etc., required in the

minimum length of time.

Library printing hranch,—The principal item of production in

this branch is that of catalogue cards, of which there were printed

during the past year 14,364,500, an increase of 2,000,000 over 1924,

and 2,600,000 over 1923.

As indicative of the importance of this Government activity, the

Library of Congress received for printed catalogue cards furnished

outside libraries during the year 1923, $105,532.75; during 1924.

$119,149.85; during 1925, $140,701.89, a total for three years of

$365,384.49.

During the past year a complete survey has been made by a committee of superintendents appointed by the Public Printer to determine a more economical layout and method of performing the work

of the Library printing and binding branches.

The result of this survey has been to send all requisitions for jobs

to the main office to be passed on by the requisitions review board

with the view to standardizing this work with other Government

printing.

During the first month of this method 150 jobs were submitted to the board, with the result that approximately 50 per cent were printed

according to Government standards and considerable waste in manufacturing methods eliminated.

Joh composing section.—The most valuable addition to this section

during the past year was the installation of two Ludlow Typograph

machines with 14 cabinets of up-to-date type matrices. These machines are proving more and more valuable as the office becomes more

experienced in their use. They are particularly useful in the production of rule work, posters, and post-office labels. Composition done on these machines saves about 25 per cent ; and on some of the jobs

not only tlie 25 per cent is saved on composition, but a number of

recasts are made which saves the cost of electrotyping also. The foreman of this section has been particularly successful in

effecting small economies. To illustrate : In locking up forms in the

job section a small piece of wood is placed between the quoins and

the furniture; this is done to protect and lengthen the life of the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 117

furniture. These pieces of wood or " chips " were manufactured in

the carpenter shop at a cost of $20 a year. Eecently the cutting

and packing section was cutting a job printed on very hard and

heavy cardboard, and the waste, heretofore thrown away, was just

the size of our " chips." The cutting and packing section now saves

this waste for the use of the job section, and we now have on hand

enough chips to last about two years, and the cardboard chips are superior to the wood chips for this class of work.

Taking the printing division (composition and proof reading)

as a whole, it is my opinion that efficiency has increased during the

past year about 25 per cent. Considering the fact that the whole

office has steadily increased in efficiency during the four years of the

present administration, this still further increase of 25 per cent over

last year is remarkable.

PEESSWORK DIVISION

There were two outstanding production records made in this division during the past year. During the closing hours of the last Congress a law was passed

increasing the cost of private mailing cards. The Post Office Department prepared for a heavy increase in the demand for the Government postal card. Representatives of the Post Office Department

stated they would require a production schedule of 20,000,000 cards

a day instead of 4,300,000 cards, our normal production. This was

a tremendous increase to demand at a moment's notice—to produce as much in one day as were produced normally in five days.

The Post Office required a daily output of approximately 10,000,000

cut cards and 10,000,000 cards in sheets of 48. It gives me great satisfaction to report that deliveries were started

15 days after the representatives of the Post Office Department

notified the Public Printer of their unusual requirement. Every one

of the numerous activities were coordinated, and our first shipment,

after 15 days to get stock in and boxes made, etc., was 15,000,000

cards, the next day 18,000,000, the next 21,000,000 cards, and an

increase each day until the largest day was 26,000,000, making

complete delivery of 182,000,000 cards in nine days after and including the first day's delivery. It will be noted that our average

production and delivery was over 20,000,000 cards per day over a nine-day period—this with practically no interference with other

work except in the press division.

The highest number of cards previously delivered by this office in

any one day during the history of this office was 15,000,000 cards.

This past year 26,000,000 cards per day was reached, and if the

requirements of the Post Office Department demanded it, I have no

doubt we would have reached the enormous figure of 30,000,000 cards

in one day.

Owing to this unusual demand, the production of postal cards for

the past year exceeded that of the preceding year. The production

in 1924 was 1,253,073,180 cards; in 1925 it was 1,595,376,890 cards, an increase of 342,303,710 cards, or approximately 22 per cent. Another big increase in production made by the press division was in the manufacture of money-order blanks. In round numbers
118 Annual Report of the Public Printer

220,500,600 money-order forms were manufactured and shipped during the past year, an increase of approximately 30,808,600, or 16

per cent, over the previous year's record.

BINDERY DIVISION

At the beginning of the present administration a survey of the

condition of machinery throughout the whole office disclosed the

fact that the bindery division was in worse condition mechanically

than any of the other divisions. It was decided that this division

should be the first to receive a complete reorganization mechanically,

and, under the direction of the Public Printer, a program of purchase and rearrangement of machinery was adopted to extend over

three years. Practically every unit of the bindeiy, after exhaustive study of

methods in commercial binderies throughout the East and Middle

West, has been rearranged so as to have a straight track for woric

in its course through this large division.

It was found that in n'umerous instances the first operation was

performed on one floor, the second two floors above, and the third

back on the first floor again. Also, in the machine folding room one

spot was found where all trucks loaded with work had to pass over

a very narrow place. By rearranging the various classes of folding

machines the traffic jams occurring at this one spot were eliminated.

The traffic jams of loaded trucks frequently resulted in collisions and

printed work was spilled. When this happened, not only the loss of time was felt, but a considerable number of printed copies or

sheets were destroyed. Conditions similar to this one were found

throughout the whole bindery, but are now corrected.

The program of purchase of new and modern bindery machinery

and the discarding of old and obsolete machinery is nearing completion. During the past year three fast, continuous trimming

machines have been purchased. These trimmers will deliver three

times as much work and alloAv of a much larger variety of cutting

than the old-style trimmers.

Some of the more important purchases of bindery machinery in- clude four new cutting machines; a gang stitching machine; new

sewing machines; new continuous- feed cloth case-making machine;

new case-forming machines ; new stamping presses with ribbon-gold

attachment; new head lining, crash, and backing machines; new

hydraulic book presses; new automatic feeder for board-cutting

machine; new hand board cutters; new ruling machines; new gumming machine that gums and dries in one operation ; new speed-type

Cleveland folding machines; automatic feeders for six old Cleveland

folders that increase production of each machine from 35,000 folded

copies per day, hand fed, to 80,000 copies per day; new combination

folding machines; new quad folding machines; new gathering

machines; new two-up attachments for old gathering machines that

gather twice the number of signatures formerly gathered.

In nearly all purchases of new machinery old machines were

turned in as part payment for the new ones', thus making a very

material reduction in the cost of the new machinery and saving more

to the Government than could have been realized by outright sale.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 119

The bindery division, in my opinion, and verified by numerous

employing bookbinders of the world visiting the office, is now one of

the most up-to-date and efficient all-round binderies in the^ world.

As the bindery performs the final work in the making of a book or pamphlet, it frequently happens that this division has to do unusual

rush work to make up for time taken by other divisions of the office, the mills in furnishing paper, and the slowness of departments in

furnishing copy and returning proofs. This is a condition that we

are constantly trying to avoid, but there are circumstances in some in- stances that make it imperative to rush the bindery. The officers and

employees accept these trjdng conditions cheerfully and do all they can to meet whatever requirements are made.

An example of this during the last few months was in our machine

sewing room. The Postmaster General requested the Public Printer

to reduce the time of delivery of the Annual Postal Guide, so that all guides would be delivered by July 25. Last year the Guide delivery was completed on October 3. As this request was made during the typesetting stage of the book, the greater rush was necessary

after the signatures reached the machine sewing room—the smallest

end of the funnel, as it were, in the manufacture of a book. The

Annual Guide, State List, and Abridged Guide in all made 105,620

sewed books, or 7,642,784 signatures; about 600,000 signatures, or

8,400 books, per 8-hour day. The whole three volumes were sewed in

1214 days—this with very little interruption of other work.

PLATE-MAKING DI\T:SI0N

This division has also been working on a new-machinery program.

Some of the new machinery installed are as follows : Two hydraulic

molding presses ; one wax case-shaving machine ; one stereotype tail cutter for Record-size plates; one flat stereotype casting box; one

beveling and squaring machine; three spring-finger hold-down at- tachments for shaving machines ; two micrometer shavers with holddown attachments; and one combined saw and trimmer, all for the

foundry section of this division; also one etching machine; one precision proof press, and one power-rocking etching tub have been in- stalled in the photo-engraving section.

The photo-engraving section is up to date and the largest in Washington. This section has one big job all the year around, the Official Patent Gazette, which requires, on an average, 1,200 zinc etchings a

week. The total square-inch production of the last year was 664,437,

consisting of 129,955 half tones, 527,265 line cuts, and 7,217 combinations. During this period the production of half tones increased

32,291 square inches, or 33 per cent, and line cuts 78,507, or 17 per

cent. THE NIGHT FORCE

This force, consisting of small sections of the printing, press, bindery, and plate-making divisions, is organized principally for

congressional work, such as the Congressional Kecord, bills, reports,

hearings, calendars, etc.
120 Annual Report of the Public Printer

During the last session of Congress 5,567 pages, or a daily average

of 71 pages, of the Congressional Record were printed and delivered.

The number of pages each day varied from 4 to 191. It will be

noted that this publication differs from a daily newspaper in that

the office can never foresee just how large a Record is to be printed

each night. The force is therefore elastic enough to handle a 191-

page Record in the same time as a 4-page Record. When a large

Record is running, the whole force can be thrown into the work;

when a small Record is running, there are always plenty of hearings,

bills, etc., to keep everyone working at top speed.

In printing the Record stereotype plates are used. A force of

four stereotypers during the past session turned out Record pages on an average of 36 seconds to a plate, size of plates 7^ by 10^4

inches.

There are 33,500 copies of the Record printed each night, and all copies have to be in the mail, in the homes of Members of Congress,

in their committee rooms, offices, and on their desks by 8 o'clock each

morning. Delivery starts at 5 a. m., no matter how late Congress

is in session the day before.

In addition to the Record, the night force during the last session

of Congress handled 3,946 regular bills, in addition to the committee

bills and the reported, referred, engrossed, and enrolled prints.

There were printed 481 Senate reports, 620 House reports, 75 Senate

documents, and 230 House documents, aggregating approximately

12,000 type pages, all in addition to the vast quantity of hearings.

Never in the history of the night force of the office was there so

little chargeable overtime work performed. There was a great deal

of overtime performed by the various supervisors, but this is not

chargeable. This latter statement discloses, however, the zeal of

the supervisors to perform their duties efficiently without thought of

compensation, as they are all on an annual salary basis. I wish here to reprint a statement made to me by the night assistant

production manager in his annual report

In conclusion, permit me to make the following observations: It is only natural for one who has had nearly 30 years' service in the Government Print- ing Office to draw comparisons between past and present conditions, and the deduction made from them is that at the present time, as the result of more

efficient and businesslike management, there is less waste of time and material, more accurate knowledge of the progress and condition of the work, and with

a smaller number of employees, more and better work done than ever before. Supervisors in the past knew little about conditions or methods outside of

their own sections, but under the present system each one has knowledge of the preceding and succeeding stages of the work and is thereby able to visualize a job from its inception to its completion, which is most helpful in supervising the work in his own section.

I would be remiss in my duty if I did not emphasize the spirit of cooperation

which exists on the night force. The supervisors of each section are always

in readiness to cheerfully render any possible assistance to other sections. There is an entire absence of disposition to play a lone hand and let the other

fellow get out of his trouble the best he can. DELIVERY SECTION

This past year demonstrated the fact that obtaining nine Mack

trucks from the Army was a move toward more efficiency. The

taking over of blank paper supplies for all Government establishments in this city has increased the work of this section considerably,
Annual Report of the Public Printer 121

and if the Mack trucks were not available for both hauling prime

stock from the freight yards and hauling finished stock to the

departments, we would never have been able to keep up with the

requirements.

Our experience during the past year demonstrated the need for more transportation facilities, and we have recently received five more surplus Army trucks. When these trucks are conditioned, we

will have a fleet of 14 Mack trucks and 10 electric trucks, 24 in all. The relations between this section and the receiving and shipping

divisions of other Government and railroad establishments have been

most cordial during the past year. SAVINGS AND UTILIZATION OF WASTE

As chairman of the permanent committee on prevention of waste,

I wish to report that the effort along this line is just as intense as at the beginning of our campaign.

This campaign is helped considerably by the Constructive Organization Pictorial Posters that are posted each week. The employees

are interested as well as the supervisors.

Following is a list of savings during the past year

Production manager

Standardizing " Immediate report " blank ^_ $15. 00 Clock control of electric metal pots 605. 65 Planning division

Requisition review board 78, 241. 18 Blank paper 40, OOOL 00 Change stock on retained jackets, substituting 75 per cent rag

for 100 per cent rag ledger 145. 00

Savings on salaries due to changes in official position and reduction in number of messengers 3, 120. 00

Printing division

Office of Superintendent of Printing

Unfilled position of assistant superintendent 3, 200. 00 Rearranging and systematizing vault 25. 00 T5T)e-machine section—Manufacturing spare parts cheaper than

furnished by manufacturer, making special tools and jigs for repair vp-ork 5, 671. 38 Job section

Using waste cardboard as " chips " and utilization of waste

stock 3, 476. 30 Designating employee to turn out lights in men's wash

room 3. 80 Use of laborer on proof press instead of each compositor

pulling his own proofs 3, 630. 80 Library printing branch

By repairing paper-stock cabinet so it will close tightly,

avoiding waste of stock due to exposure to light or dust 10. 00 Standardizing job composition 40. 00

liinotype section

Installation of improved galley racks, checking of '* dupes,"

checking up on bad proofs 600. 00 By more careful supervision of the use of gasoline, reducing

use of electric lights, cotton waste, and stationery 87. 00 Monotype section

Reorganizing the control of equipment and installation

of material-making machine 700. 00 By reducing the number of metal pots lighted each day,

reducing the number of compositors setting folio lines, having 1 compositor and 1 laborer sorting leads and slugs instead of 2 compositors 4, 672. 40
122 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Printing division—Continued.

Hand section

Use of automatic justifier, rearrangement of patents sec- tion $500. 00 Use of twin chases 1, 200. 00 Proof section—By salvaging paper fasteners, printed labels, metal furniture, obsolete forms made into scratch pads 50. 00 Proof section (night) —Careful check on issuing lead pencils, erasers, etc 150. 00 Monotype section (night) —Saving of time in handling folio lines 1, 329. 80 Linotype section (night) —Trimming all bill-head logotypes to avoid spacing and cutting of metal furniture to space out

lines instead of using quads 500. 00 Night assistant production manager

All matter set by monotype to be handled in linotype sec- tion after being delivered to that section 2, 500. 00

Allotting all index matter to monotype section . 200. 00 Presswork division

Installing 2 automatic sheet feeders, saving the labor of 2 women press feeders 3, 250. 00 Salvaging w^aste stock from rolls and returning to stores 3, 700. 00 Using stocks Nos. 170 and 172 in double size for combination

forms, thereby reducing presswork on certain forms 50

per cent 5, 000. 00 Money-order section—Adoption of new lay-out plan of having

work advance in consecutive operations has resulted in re- ducing cost of 200-page books 1 cent each, saving 10, 000. 00 Rebuilding press and installing new numbering machine 2, 000. 00 Bindery division

Replacing bookbinders in operation of machines by skUled

laborers 15, 000. 00

Devices for improving the output of L-ruling machines, these

devices made in the office 500. 00 Use of cloth strips on backs of check books instead of leatlier 500. 00 Automatic feeders for rotary board cutter, saving in operation. ^ , 250. 00 Rewinding attachment for cutting cloth strips, made in office— 2, 400. 00 Saving of scrap binders' board for wrapping packages 500. 00 Improvement on smashing machine, by operator 2, 000. 00 Use of 32-page signatures in gathering and sewing 10, 000. 00 Use of slitter on wire-stitching machine, made in office 1, 500.00 Use of new continuous trimmers 5, 000. 00 Tip single waste papers instead of double waste papers on

cloth-bound books 768.00

Insetting illustrations instead of pasting inside of wire-stitched pamphlets 5, 000. 00 Use of patent rope instead of jute twine for office bundling 500. 00 Folding and insetting on folding machines instead of insetting

by hand 10,000.00

Working sheets two-up and slitting on parallel folding

machines 2, 500. 00 Changing method of preparing and guarding for binding sheets embossed for blind readers (known as Braille sheets) 1,600.00

Plate-making division

Eliminating waste in surplus wax 108. 00

Stripping deposit tanks of copper anodes when not in use 300. 00

Installing ingot caster in metal room, eliminating one laborer.- 1, 248. 00 Saving of 2 pounds of starch and 3 pounds of gum arable per week 39. 20 Attaching handle to scrubbing brushes 10, 80 Photo engraving—Installation of 2 new etching machines has

effected a saving of perchlorate of iron and nitric acid 65. 00

Plate vault—Removing old chip boards from condemned plates

and using between new plates ; untying page cord and reusing same 200.00
Annual Report of the Public Printer 123

Chief clerk:

Unfilled vacancies of clerk and messengers $1, 720. 00 Superintendent of accounts:

Unfilled vacancy 540. 00

Chief of tests: Utilization of new cleaning mixture for cleaning type, etc 300. 00 Handling glue in Library branch as in main office 12. 00 Substitming 100 per cent rag paper for monotype tracing cloth. 200. 00 Use of old roller composition to make tablet glue 3, 000. 00 Standardizing copying ink 535. 00 Medical and sanitary officer

Obtainins: druss and supplies from Veterans' Bureau without

cost to this office 4, 000. 00 Storekeeper and traffic manager

Change in routing of blank paper orders between the storeroom and the cutting and packing section ()26. 00 Regular schedule used on No. 8 elevator in furnishing rolls of paper to pressroom 1, 252. 00 Superintendent of construction and maintenance

Reduction in the use of power 64, 267. 55 The use of a helper to repair window shades instead of a car- penter _• 81. 20 Conservation of lead from crematory 563. 40

Chief of delivery section

. Saving chip board and returning to bindery (used in handling

jobs to delivery) 624. 00 Total 312,333.46

REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF TESTS

The routine testin<2: work of the te.stinn: section, which inclncles

the samplin«r and testing of all delivered materials and samples

offered by bidders, and the analysis of technical control samples, has

been ver}^ heavy dnrinof this year. There were 5,354 miscellaneous

samples tested, which is an increase of 245 over the fiscal year

1923-24. The testing of paper samples required much more work,

due to the addition of the folding endurance test to specifications

for bond, ledger, map, and writing papers.

Beginning about April 1, 1925, daily technical control work was

begun on type and stereotype metals. Two quantitative determinations for tin and antimony are required on each pot of metal, one

before correction and one after the correction metal has been added.

The following is a detailed tabulation of the samples tested during the past year : Paper and paper products, including bid, delivery, and investigational

samples 3, 942

Textiles, including bookbinding cloths and cordage 516 Bookbinding leathers 35

Gasoline 72 Ink-making materials 263 Metals (type metals, tin. lead, antimony, etc.) 165 Lubricating oils and greases 82 Glue 44 Chemicals 136

Miscellaneous, including soaps, v:axes, turpentine, etc 76 Total 5, 354 Therfe were 163 rejections of paper and 30 of miscellaneous materials during the year, due to technical inspection.
124 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The following is a tabulation of the causes for rejections of paper^ some deliveries being rejected for more than one deficiency:

Causes for pape?' rejections

General appearance 19^ Off and mixed color 4 Low in bursting strength 69 Overweight 40

Deficient in absorption 3 Excessive ash 8

Deficient in stock 18

Unsatisfactory opacity 9

Finish &

Deficient in folding endurance 17 Thickness 2

Postal-card impection.—During the year 8,964,412 pounds of

postal-card paper were tested, and inspected, with a rejection of only

1,596 pounds, or 0.018 per cent. This shows a remarkable reduction

in the rejection of postal-card paper as compared with the year

1921-22, when, partly under Post Office Department inspection, 16

per cent was rejected out of approximately 9,000,000 pounds. During the year 1922-23 the rejection was 2 per cent on 7,100,000

pounds, six months of which period was partly under Post Office

inspection, and during the year 1923-24 the rejection was 0.075

per cent on approximately 8,700,000 pounds.

The office has received cordial cooperation from the contractors and manufacturers of all grades of paper during the past year. Considering the large amount of paper purchased by this office on

definite specifications, the number of rejections due to noncompliance

with specifications is very low.

The total number of rejections of all materials was lower than

in previous years, although more deliveries were inspected and

tested. Rejection of matemals.—Following is a list of some of the rejections of miscellaneous materials during the year, together with the

reasons for rejection

Neat's-foot oil—the delivery was composed of 80 per cent mineral

oil and 20 per cent neat's-foot oil. Lard oil—deliver}^ was rancid and off color. Ferric chloride solution—specifications, 42° Baume : Delivery was

37.5° Baume, which was too weak for use in photo-engraving.

Silicate of soda—badly contaminated with dirt and other foreign

matter. Chloride of lime—two deliveries of 600 pounds each. Specifications required 35 per cent available chlorine. Deliveries were 26.5

per cent and 29 per cent, respectively.

Tin foil—specifications 47 per cent tin. Delivery was 44 per cent

tin.Sodium cyanide—specifications 96 to 98 per cent. Delivery was

85 per cent. Antimony—specifications stated 99-|- per cent pure. In an order

of 5,000 pounds, 4,000 pounds were of satisfactory quality, but one

barrel of 970 pounds contaihed only 50 per cent antimony, the rest being dirt and other foreign material.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 125

INVESTIGATIONAL WORK

Considerable investigational work is conducted by the testing

section relative to the various materials used and the different processes of the printing industry employed in this office. There is probably no industry which is more closely allied to chemistry, or which covers a broader field than the printing industry. Paper, inks,

textiles, dyes, pigments, leathers, solvents, detergents, varnishes, oils (vegetable, animal, and mineral), metals (ferrous and nonferrous),

waxes, fats, soaps, adhesives, and plastics are all used to a greater

or lesser extent. The Government Printing Office includes practically every branch

of the printing industry, and therefore offers a broad field for technical investigation and control work. The work of the testing sec- tion, from an investigational standpoint, includes the preparation

of standard specifications for various materials, the carrying out of

technical investigations, and technical control over the manufacture

of various materials made by the office. Wherever additional developments have been made during the

past year along the line of previous investigations a brief summary

of the work is presented.

jSpecificatio7is.—Definite specifications are now used for the purchase of most materials regularly used by the office. All paper is purchased upon specifications drawn by the paper-specifications committee of the Joint Committee on Printing. Specifications for tin,

antimony, lead, copper, and similar materials in general use by the

Government are in harmony with those adopted by the Federal

Specifications Board. Specifications for miscellaneous materials

used exclusively by the Printing Office, such as bookbinding cloths,

bookbinding leathers, flax book twine, and various dry colors and

varnishes used in the manufacture of ink, have been developed \)y the

testing section.

Investigations are now under way to further improve these specifications and to develop specifications for materials such as glue, for

which no specifications have been prepared up to the present.

The testing section is frequently called upon to prepare specifications for special materials not regularly purchased or stocked by the

office. One of the most important duties of the testing section is the

preparation of specifications and the securing of sufficient data on

which to base such specifications.

The testing section rendered considerable assistance to the paperspecifications conmiittee of the Joint Committee on Printing in the

preparation and revision of the paper specifications for 1925-26. A

suggested revised form for the specifications was adopted, which was more concise and included the definite requirements for each

weight called for under the same specification. Reliable information

relative to the quality of paper delivered to the office during the

previous year was furnished.

At our recommendation the folding endurance test was added to

all specifications for bond, ledger, writing, and map papers, in

order to better insure satisfactory quality of such papers.
126 Annual Report of the Public Printer

PAPER INVESTIGATIONS

In addition to the large amount of routine testing of delivery

paper samples for compliance with specifications and standard

samples, tlie testing section has conducted during the year considerable investigational v^ork on paper and paper testing. In another

part of this report reference is made to the cooperative v^^ork on

commercial bond and ledger papers carried on jointly with the

United TypothetiP of America. This work was of great assistance

in the revision of the Government specifications for these papers as

to grades and tests. The present specifications furnish five grades

of bond and four grades of ledger, which are ample for all uses of

the Government service, and conform more nearly to suitable commercial grades of these papers.

The testing section offered, through the press of the paper in- dustry, to supply information to prospective bidders as to the re- quirements of the Government specifications by making tests of

their regular commercial brands of paper. Several manufacturers

took advantage of this offer and considerable more interest was shown in the bidding on Government requirements for the year. The testing section also offered to make preliminary tests for contractors on samples of proposed deliveries before shipment, tu avoid rejection of paper after delivery. These tests were furnished

for information onl}^, the delivery being subjected to customary

inspection and testing.

Considerable assistance hns also been rendered Government contractors b}^ aiding in the calibration of their testing apparatus, and

especially in calibrating folding endurance testers. A folding test

is now specified on approximately 10,000,000 pounds of bond, ledger,

map, and writing papers purchased annually by this ofRce. Indoor atmospheric records.—During the j^ear recording temperature and humidity instruments have been installed in the press and

bindery divisions of this office for the purpose of securing reliable

information on indoor atmospheric conditions and determining the

conditions under which paper is handled. These instruments are carefully checked twice each week with accurate sling psychrometers.

In addition to securing information in the Government Printing

OfRce, several members of the United Typothetae of America in vari- ous parts of the country are also furnishing reports on daily temperature and humidity conditions in their plants.

The results of this investigation will be of considerable value in

determining the conditions under which paper is handled and will

also furnish information for determining the difficulties experienced

with paper which may be attributed to variations in atmospheric

conditions.

Paper-testing conditions.—During the last three years all paper

testing by the Government Printing Office has been conducted in a

specially constructed room in which the temperature and humidity

are ^automatically controlled. The standard testing condition of

70-75° F. and 50 per cent relative humidity was adopted in 1922 by

the paper specifications committee of the Joint Committee on Printing. This condition has also been adopted by the Federal Specifications Board for paper testing. During the year slight modifications
Annual Report of the Public Printer 127

have been made in the construction of the humidity room, and it is now possible to maintain the adopted standard testing conditions

throughout the year. This condition is automatically maintained

day a'nd night, and the difficulties previously experienced during

July. August, and September have been eliminated.

Testing methods and apparatus.—Methods and apparatus for

meastu-ing certain properties of paper, which it has not been possible

to specify definitely up to this time, are being carefully investigated

and developed by the testing section. These investigations include

the determination of opacity, sizing quality, mimeographing quality,

finish, and surface resistance.

During the year an important cooperative investigation was con- ducted to secure comparative folding endurance tests on samples of

paper submitted to dili'erent paper-testing laboratories. Twenty-five

paper-mill and commercial testing laboratories cooperated in this

work, and the restuts are now being tabulated and a detailed report

prepared.

Kraft wrapping paper.—An investigation of kraft wrapping paper

is under way to secure data for the revision of specifications for this

paper. Samples of regular mill grades of kraft wrapping papers

have been received from 12 manufacturers who are cordially cooperating in this work. The samples are subjected to various physical

and microscopical tests to determine which tests are more suitable for

indicating the serviceability of such paper.

Humidifying system in pressrooms.—A conmiercial installation

for increasing the humidity of the atmosphere has been installed for

trial in the job pressroom. It is hoped to determine whether increasing the humidity of the pressroom through the fall, winter, and

spring months, when the relative htmaidity is low, will aid in over- coming difficulties experienced at such times with curl and static in

iDaper. Since this installation was not made imtil the latter part of

March. 1925. the results during the year have not been sufficient for

report.

DETZEGEXTS EOR F;E3I0VAE OF IXK. ETC. A thorotigh investigation has been conducted relative to the

removal of ink from type, the removal of wax from electrotype

sheUs, the cleaning of press rollers and the cleaning of ink containers. There are two distinct types of detergents commonly used

in the printing industry, volatile solvents and alkali cleaning agents,

both of which were covered in the investigation. As a restilt of this

work, the following detergents have been recommended and are now

in use by the Government Printing Office for various cleaning

requirements

1. Aviation gasoline.—This quality of gasoline is used for cleaning type where quick drying of the cleaned surface is necessary.

It readily removes the ink from the surface of the type and after

evaporation leaves the surface dry and free from oil. ITork done with

present-day commercial grades of motor gasoline has shown that they

are unsuitable, owing to the oily residue left on the type, which will not evaporate and is diffictdt to wipe off. This oily residtte interferes

seriously with the taking and retaking of proofs, and in the making

61869—26 9
128 Annual Report of the Public Printer

of stereotype matrices it blisters the tissue. Blended motor gasolines are slightly better than commercial motor gasoline, since the

benzol added to the gasoline increases the volatility, but the oily

residue present in the gasoline itself interferes with the cleaning of

type in the same way as motor gasoline.

2. Benzol.—Pure water-white benzol is used for cleaning type in

instances where the aviation gasoline will not remove the hardened

or dried ink. This material is a better solvent than aviation gasoline and in this quality does not possess as objectionable an odor as lower grades of benzol. It is also used for cleaning numbering heads

used on presses. This material has replaced solvent naphtha, which

has an objectionable odor and is less efficient. Approximately 240

gallons of benzol are used annually.

3. Mixture.) 'benzol 60 per cent and acetone J^O fer cent.—This is the most powerful solvent mixture adopted by the office, and is used

for removing hardened ink from half tones and old type, which can

not be removed by aviation gasoline or benzol alone. The demand

for this mixture is very limited, but 15 gallons being used annually.

4. Motor gasoline.—The commercial grade is used for washing

press rollers and press forms while on press. For this purpose, it is more suitable than aviation gasoline, as the oily residue aids in

preserving the rollers.

5. Kerosene.—Used for removing wax from the face of electrotype

shells. It is also used for the cleaning of press rollers. All of the above solvents—aviation gasoline, benzol, acetone-benzol

mixture, motor gasoline, and kerosene—are inflammalDle.

6. Tri-sodiuni phosphate cleaning mixtures.—Formerly strong

ca'ustic soda, commonly Imown as lye, was used to a large extent

for removing ink from type forms, especially when the ink had

hardened, and for cleaning ink containers. Strong caustic alkali

solution, usually used hot, has several disadvantages. It is very

injurious to the human skin, possesses an objectionable odor, and

leaves an alkali film on the cleaned metal, which it is difficult to remove. The lye solution, which can not be thoroughly washed

out of the type, also injures the thin tissue of the stereotype matrices

when heat and pressure are applied.

In order to avoid the use of strong alkali, cleaning mixtures were

developed containing tri-sodium phosphate, soda ash, and a small

percentage of caustic soda. Two formulae containing varying proportions of these ingredients have been experimented with, each of

which gave satisfactory results. These cleaning mixtures are not

injurious to the human skin, do not possess any objectionable odor,

and leave the surface of the metal clean and free from alkali film.

They are also satisfactory for cleaning ink containers in the ink

section.

The following formulae have been in use, and the approximate

cost of each is given:

No. 1 No. 2 Per cent Per cent Tri-sodium phosphate 40 80

Soda ash 45 Ground caustic soda (95 per cent) I__ZIZII 15 20 The materials must be mixed in the proper proportions for use

as needed. These mixtures are used the same as caustic soda, ap-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 129

proximately 1 pound in a gallon of hot water. The surface cleaned

must be thoroughly rinsed with hot water after use of the cleaning

mixture.

A comparison of the approximate cost in barrel lots of these cleaning mixtures and that of caustic soda is given below

Per poujKJ

Cleaning mixture No. 1 $0,037

Cleaning mixture No. 2 . 04T

Ground caustic soda (95 per cent) .045 Either of the two mixtures now used will do more cleaning than an equal weight of caustic soda, and therefore are more economical,

in addition to effecting much better results from a cleaning standpoint. This cleaning mixture will also replace a considerable amount

of solvent cleaner formerly used, especially in the press and foundry

divisions, thereby effecting an appreciable saving as well as reducing;

the fire hazard.

A further saving incident to the use of these mixtures is in the^ item of brushes. When caustic soda alone was used, a palmetto or- vegetable fiber brush seldom lasted more than one day. With the

new type of cleaner, a brush will last from four to five days, saving

approximately $65 a year in brushes alone.

Assistance has also been rendered the Post Office Department along

the same line. The Postal Service used a large quantity of strong,,

hot caustic soda for cleaning automobile parts, removing grease,,

dirt, etc., and had paid between 8 and 14 cents per pound for special

mixtures. Their objection to caustic soda was similar to ours. A

conference was held with a representative of the motor transportation division of the Post Office Department, at which their cleaning

problem was found to be similar to that of cleaning ink cans and

removing ink from type.

The above formula No. 2, containing 80 per cent tri-sodium phosphate, and 20 per cent caustic soda (95 per cent quality) was tried

at the local post-office garage with satisfactory results. A preliminary purchase of 50,000 pounds of this material was ordered by

the Post Office Department for use by all garages of the motor

transportation service. Specifications were furnished by the testing

section of the Government Printing Office which also tested the bid

and delivery samples. A saving of at least 4 cents per pound was made on the first purchase of 50,000 pounds by the Post Office Department.

TECHNICAL CONTEOL OF TYPE METALS

One of the most important investigations undertaken by the test- ing section during the year was on the composition and technical control of all type and stereotype metals used in the office. These metals

are alloys of tin, antimony, and lead, the proportion varying in ac- cordance with the uses of the metal. The most important metals are

those used for linotype, monotype, and stereotype work.

After continued use, being cast into type, remelted, cleaned'^,

and recast many times, the composition of type metal changes

materially, due to the loss of tin and antimony by oxidation or drossing. Considerable trouble has been experienced owing to variations

in the composition of type metals caused by their continued use.
130 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Occasional attempts had been made to correct these defects by " rule

o' thumb " methods, but with little success, and no regular analyses were made to verify the composition.

There are approximately 6,000,000 pounds of metal in the Government Printing Office, of which approximately 2,900,000 pounds is type

metal, 1,600,000 pounds stereotype, and 1,500,000 pounds electrotype.

With such a quantity of metal, part of which may be in storage

for years after being cast, while other portions may be remelted in

a few days, the only way in which the quality of the metal can be

maintained is b}^ daily technical control of the remelting and casting.

Monotype metal.—Of the three principal metals used, monotype,

linotype, and stereotype, the most trouble was experienced with

monotype metal. The preliminary investigation of monotype metal

covered daily analyses of samples from the melting pot for a period

of six weeks. The analyses showed a wide variation in the composition of the metal from day to day. There was no apparent rela- tionship between the percentages of antimony and tin content; a metal with high tin content might have a low antimony content, or

vice versa. In practically every case, however, the tin content was

higher than necessary, and in all cases the percentage of antimony was too low for satisfactory work. After a study of various formulse

for monotype metal, and a consideration of the condition of the

metal in this office, it was decided to adopt tentatively the following

formula for monotype metal: Tin, 7 per cent; antimony, 16.5 per

cent; and lead, 76.5 per cent. Owing to the condition of the metal, its correction to this formula

could be made with the us8 of a minimum amount of lead and

antimony.

Stereotype metal.—The next investigation undertaken was on

stereotype metal, which showed an even wider variation in the tin

and antimony content than the monotype metal. As in the case of

monotype metal, the antimony content was consistently, although not

uniformly low. A study of authoritative data on stereotyping shows

a wide range of formulae for stereotype metal, due to the different

requirements of such metal. As a result of considerable investigational work, giving full consideration to the character of work

required by the office, the following formula has tentatively been

adopted : Tin 8.0 per cent, antimony 15.5 per cent, lead 76.5 per cent. The use of metal corrected to this formula has given good results in

the casting room and on the presses. Linotype metal.—A series of analyses of various lots of linotype

metal covering a period of several weeks demonstrated that the

metal varied more in quality than had been anticipated. It was

very high in tin, due to correction having been made from time

to time without accurate knowledge of the composition of the metal.

As in the case of stereotype and monotype metals, the class of work

produced by the office was considered in the adoption of the following formula : Tin 4.5 per cent, antimony 11.5 per cent, lead 84.0 per

cent. Due to the high percentage of tin a large amount of lead,

together with a small amount of antimony, was needed to correct the linotype metal. This resulted, however, in the office securing a much-needed addition to its stock at practically the cost of lead.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 131

The correction of linotype metal has practically eliminated the

troubles due to hollow slugs, poor type faces, " squirts," obstructed

mouthpieces, etc. Methods of control.—The next step in the metal work was to develop a rapid method of analysis for tin and antimony. Type

metals are melted in lots of approximately 10,000 pounds. After

a thorough mixing a sample is taken for analysis. The method of

analysis must necessarily be rapid, due to the expense of keeping

this amount of metal in a molten state. After the analysis is made,

metal for correction must be properly alloyed and the corrected metal

poured the same day. A method has been adopted by which the

metal is analyzed and correction made in from 45 to 90 minutes

after sampling.

To introduce antimony into the type metal it was found necessary, due to its high melting point, to alloy it with lead before adding to the melted type metal. The antimony alloy is composed of approximately 50 per cent lead and 50 per cent antimony, and is made by

heating the two metals to approximately 950° F. under a coke

blanket. Wlien the alloy is made in this manner there is a loss of

only approximately 1 per cent of the original weight of metal used,

and this is partially recovered from the dross. Results and teneflts.—The correction of monotype metal was begun

April 15, 1925, stereotype June 24, 1925, and linotype November

15, 1925, Through December 31, 1,020,000 pounds of monotype,

348,000 pounds linotype, and 141,000 pounds stereotype metals were

corrected to the respective adopted formulse.

Due to the technical control of metal, there will be a substantial

economy as well as the production of better quality printing. The

printing divisions will secure the maximum output of good composition with a minimum of defective type requiring resetting, type

forms will stand up better to molding in the foundry, and plates will

be produced with fewer blowholes and low spots. In the pressroom

longer runs with clear clean prints should result from the better

stereotype and type forms.

GLUE IN^^STIGATIONx\L WORK

The work started last year for the better handling of glue" in the

bindery and the development of formulae for flexible glues has been

continued with satisfactory results. The method recommended by

the testing section for the handling of glue effected marked improvement in the quality of work done by the office. Practically all glue,

either straight or flexible, is now made by soaking overnight in

cold water, heating for a short time, then pouring immediately into

molds, and storing in a refrigerator. The jellied glue is retained in

this condition until issued for bindery use. The glue in this form

will melt quickly in small electrically heated pots.

Regular flexible glue.—The use of the regular flexible glue, the

formula for which was developed last year for the bindery, has been

extended to other branches of the office, such as the money-order and

postal-card sections. The flexible glue formula has been improved,

so that, with slight modifications during the different seasons of the

year, all difficulties have been overcome.
132 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Special ftexiblS glue.—From investigation of the requirements for

the glue on the gathering, stitching, and covering machines, it was

found that, in order to secure quick setting, the machines were

operated with 'a very viscous glue. This resulted in the application

of an unnecessarily thick layer of glue which became brittle, causing

poor adhesion between the cover and back of the book. Considerable investigational work was required to solve this problem

of securing a proper glue—a quickly setting glue, made necessary by

the speed of the machine. A satisfactory formula was developed.

It is modified at different times of the year to overcome atmospheric

conditions. The covers are firmly glued to the backs of the books,

and remain flexible, the amount of glue used having been reduced

materially.

In order to specify and purchase the proper qualities of glue for

the work of this office, the latest type of glue-testing apparatus has

been secured. This will insure proper and uniform quality and

furnish reliable information to prospective bidders as to the quality

of glue desired. As soon as the laboratory investigation on glues

is completed, it is planned to submit for publication an article cov- ering specifications, testing, and handling of glue in the bindery,

together with formulae for the various flexible glues.

RESTORATION OF OLD DOCUMENTS

Frequently the office is called upon to restore old documents, such

as Land Office and other legal records, which have become worn and

damaged through age. One part of the process consists in covering

each sheet with a thin material known as mousseline or crepeline,

through which the writing can easily be read. This cloth is pasted

to the paper with a paste in which water is used. In some cases it was found that the water caused the ink to run, which would render

the work illegible. The testing section developed a special rubber

solution for coating the material before using the paste. The use of this solution prevents injury to the printed or written matter by

the water in the paste.

RECLAMATION OF ROLLER COMPOSITION

Between 10,000 and 15,000 pounds of old roller composition has

been disposed of annually as waste for approximately 1% cents per

pound. Press rollers are composed of high-grade glue and glycerin.

An investigation by the testing section showed that the composition

could be reclaimed for use in bindery glue, with a material saving

and a decided improvement in quality. All tablet glue used by the

office is now made from old roller composition, and a quantity is also reclaimed for making flexible glues. The reclamation of this

material will effect a saving of $3,000 a year, as the reclaimed material has a value of 15 cents per pound when used in bindery

adhesives.

LUBRICATING OILS An investigation was made by the testing section of the use of

lubricating oils by the office. All oils are purchased under Federal

specifications, and deliveries carefully tested, thereby assuring de-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 133

livery of satisfactory quality. The proper grade of oil has been

determined for each class of work. Two grades have been eliminated. A paraffin oil, costing 12 cents per gallon, has been substituted for hydraulic press oil, formerly purchased at approximately

30 cents per gallon. The cheaper oil has proven more satisfactory

for the requirements of the office. Two oils of slightly different

grades were carried in stock for the ice machine and air compressor.

One grade was dropped with satisfaction.

• Oil used for the motor trucks was found to be several grades too

light, which tended toward high oil consumption and excessive wear

on the motors. With the proper grade, the trucks show an increase

of over 40 per cent in mileage per gallon of oil. The principal

saving, however, is in the increased efficiency and longer life of the

machines, due to correct lubrication.

INK INVESTIGATION

Manufacture of ink.—During the past year 113,356 pounds of ink,

comprising over 40 different kinds, were manufactured by the ink

section. All materials used in these inks were purchased on definite

specifications and tested for compliance.

The quality of the job black ink was improved through the use of the highest grade carbon black and pure linseed oil varnish.

Although this increased the cost per pound, the ink worked better on the press and gave more impressions per pound, thus offsetting

the increase in cost in addition to producing a black with excellent

printing results. Addressograph ink.—The special black check addressograph ink,

the formula for which was developed last year by the testing section

at the request of the Treasury Department for use on metal stencils, was furnished during the year to the Treasury Department, Veterans' Bureau, and Post Office Department. Five hundred pounds

were supplied to these departments at $1 per pound, former price

paid for no better commercial ink being $3 per pound.

Stencil ink.—All stencil ink used by the Superintendent of Docur

ments for fiber stencils has been manufactured by the ink section on

formulae developed by the testing section.

Permanent poster ink.—Special attention is given to all materials

used in the manufacture of ink for use on posters for outdoor exposure. The pigments are tested for quality and fastness to light and

the finished inks are given severe tests for light fastness and water

resistance.

Copying inks.—All colors of copying inks used by the office have

been manufactured by the ink section on formulae previously developed by the testing section, and have worked satisfactorily. A black

copying ink was added to the list during the year and the formulae

modified to overcome atmospheric conditions during periods of high

humidity.

Writing and ruling ink.—As a result of . further investigations

relative to permanent record blue-black writing ink for office use and machine ruling in the bindery, two qualities are now made by

the testing section and carried in stock, one suitable for rulingmachine use and one for office and fountain-pen use. The ruling-
134 Annual Report of the Public Printer

machine ink which was formerly purchased at 80 cents per quart

costs approximately 15 cents per quart including materials and

labor. The writing ink for office and fountain-pen use costs approximately 10 cents per quart, while Government-contract prices varied

from 32 to 55 cents per quart for ink of inferior quality.

All red ink for general office use is now produced by the testing

section, effecting a small saving, since it costs approximately 5 cents per quart against 27 cents per quart Government-contract

price.

The investigation relative to dyes for ruling-machine use has

been continued during the year in order that the results may be

conclusive. Tentative recommendations were made last year as to the most suitable dyes for ruling work, and it is hoped to complete

this work during the next year and publish an article giving the

results of this investigation.

Waste ink.—The amount of waste ink returned to the ink mill by

the press rooms during the year was 13,240 pounds, as compared with

14,785 pounds during the previous year, a reduction of 1,545 pounds.

Recommendations have been made which, when carried out, should

materially reduce the amount of waste ink. All waste ink is re- claimed as book or news ink.

COOPERATION WITH PRINTING INDUSTRIES

The cooperative work started last year with the United Typothetse

of America for jointly working out practical specifications for at

least the more important printing papers and materials has been

continued during this jesir. The work relative to the standardization, of paper based on technical quality has been limited so far to bond and ledger papers. In this investigation 103 samples of bond

and 50 samples of ledger papers, representing the regular commercial products of 34 paper mills, were subjected to complete microscopical, physical, and chemical tests. As a result of this work,

tentative technical specifications for seven grades each of bond and

ledger papers were prepared and submitted at the annual convention

of the United Typothetae of America in Chicago, in October, 1924.

The plan was received with approval and has also interested both consumers and manufacturers of paper in the subject of paper

quality.

The results of the work on bond and ledger papers were published

in October in a circular entitled " Tentative Specifications for Bond

and Ledger Papers, with Classified Tabulation of Tests on -Samples

Submitted by Paper Manufacturers." A second edition was issued

in March, 1925, due to demand for this publication.

The testing section is planning during the next year to invite paper

manufacturers again to submit samples of their regular brands of

bond and ledger papers in order to ascertain if the tentative specifications submitted are in need of revision, to determine the normal

variation in paper of the same quality, and to stimulate additional

interest in technical standardization.

The paper manufacturers have cordially cooperated with the test- ing section in various investigations relative to the quality of differ- ent kinds of paper by furnishing necessary samples of their com-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 135

mercial papers, and also in connection with various cooperative tests on methods and apparatus for paper testing.

During the year a large number of requests were received from

various commercial concerns seeking technical information as to our method of buying paper and suppHes, copies of specifications, and

advice on paper and other problems of interest to consumers and

manufacturers of printing and binding materials. _ Over 200 letters were sent out during the year by the testing section in this connection.

PUBLICATIONS

During the past year the following articles, prepared by the test- ing section, were published in various trade journals:

" Technical investigation of flax book twine," by E. O. Keed.

" Kelative humidity and paper testing," by E. O. Eeed.

"The effect of temperature and relative humidity on the folding

endurance of paper and discussion of testing conditions," by E. O.

Reed.

SAVIXGS

Substantial savings have been effected by certain investigations

carried out by the testing section, such as: Reclamation of waste roller composition for bindery adhesives.

Manufacture of permanent-record blue- black writing inks for

office and fountain-pen use. Manufacture of red writing ink.

Manufacture of blue-black ink, permanent to light and water re- sistant, for ruling-machine use. Production of backing fluid, from waste zinc etchings, for use in

electrotype section of foundry.

Substitution of paper for tracing cloth for monotype keyboard

rolls for making large number of recasts from the same roll. Substitution of silicate of soda for glue in the sealing of fiber containers in the postal-card section for both water and rail shipments.

Manufacture of black check addres&ograph ink for various Government departments using metal stencils. Manufacture of stencil ink for use of the office of public documents.

Material reduction in the cost of solvent and alkali detergents by

eliminating all trade products and standardizing the materials used.

Increase in life of pahnetto fiber brushes for scrubbing type forms

by substituting tri-sodium phosphate mixture for strong caustic soda.

Reduction in amount of glue used due to recommended methods of

handling and formulae for flexible glues.

Material reduction in the cost of certain chemicals used by substituting technical grade for C. P. or U. S. P. grades wherever possible; also by specifying purchase in as large size containers as warranted by the amount used, and by eliminating separate purchases

of the same material by different sections of the office. Considerable economy to the Government could be effected by the

production by the Government Printing Office of certain materials

m common use by different agencies of the Government. Writing

61869—26 10
136 Annual Report of the Public Printer

inks, permanent record blue-black, and red ink could be furnished

the departments in large-size containers, effecting considerable sav- ings over the present contract prices. Already considerable saving

has been effected in the production of black check addressograph

ink for use on metal stencils by the Treasury and Post Office Departments and Veterans' Bureau. The supply of this ink to other departments using metal stencils would effect similar savings. Multigraph

ink used on duplicating machines printing from metal type could

be furnished by this office from regular printing ink stock. The furnishing of all paper filing folders and index cards from

standard quality stocks wo'uld, in my opinion, be advantageous and

economical compared with stocks of similar quality furnished by

the Government contractors. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

The best evidence of the growing esteem for Government publications will be found in the increase of our mail-order business, which

shows net receipts of $487,922.63 for the fiscal year ended June 30,

1925, an increase of approximately $47,000 over the previous year. That there is continued growth is not surprising, because the importance of Government publications to the business, agricultural,

scientific, educational, and other interests can not be overestimated.

The public's interest in Government publications is ever increasing,

as will easily be seen from the following statement of the receipts

for the last five years

1920-1921 $293,371.63 1921-1922 344, 682. 14 1922-1923 382, 368. 18 1923-1924 . 440, 904. 93 1924-1925 487, 922. 63 The duties of the office are somewhat diverse, and for that reason

I have prepared the following schedule of activities during the past

year, which will give some idea of the work performed.

Stock

Publications received and stored 55, 138, 327

Publications distributed ^ 52,084,458

Letters

Cash orders received 375, 571

Letters received asking for information 161, 852 Shipping

Packages mailed 21, 372, 292 Sacks filled and mailed 139, 155 Mailing lists

Additions 223, 264 Drops 125, .351 Impressions made from stencils on mailing machines 22, 712, 964

Publications condemned

From department stock 1, 874, 650 From public documents office stock 770, 881 Library

Publications received for shelf listing, cataloguing, and indexing 30, 321

Publications issued

Index to Monthly Catalogue of United States Public Documents, July,

1923, to June, 1924 (186 octavo pages).

Twelve numbers of Monthly Catalogue of United States Public Documents,

July, 1924, to June, 1925 (totaling 933 octavo pages).

Twenty-sixth Preliminary Schedule of Volumes, Reports and Documents

of the Sixty-eighth Congress, first session, December 3, 1923, to June

7, 1924 (7 octavo pages).
Annual Report of the Public Printer 137

Publications issued—Continued.

Document Index No. 34, Sixty-eighth Congress, first session, December 3,

• 1923, to June 7, 1924 (283 octavo pages).

The Document Catalogue for the Sixty-fifth Congress, July 1, 1917, to June 30, 1919 (including the special session of the Senate, March 5-16,

1917) is in press. Forty-four price lists and eight leaflets. INFORMATION

The natural outcome of being a sales office for Government publications would be the creation of a bureau of information to answer

inquiries as to subjects covered by Government literature. Shortly

after the office was organized the necessity for developing this

function was recognized, and to-day we are occupying the position

of a central information agency where all inquiries relative to Government publications or what they contain can be forwarded

for reply. The receipt of 161,852 letters would seem to testify to the popularity of this service.

SERVICE

The improvement of the service is our constant aim, but there are many obstacles encountered that do not number among the troubles

experienced by most mail-order houses. The question of stock is always an uncertain quantity, as we have as a general rule very

little information on which to base our requirements. Publicity

from unanticipated sources often exhausts our supply, and aside

from creating delays while reprints are being made, if the publication was run from type and not plated, we are forced to make

refunds. During the last fiscal year $10,631.11 was returned, which

represents either overpayments or supply exhausted.

The adoption by the Government of a legal tender of small

amounts along the line of the Canadian postal note would be a great

convenience, not only for the public in ordering Government publications, but for any one patronizing a mail-order house where small

remittances are involved. Although we advertise that postage

stamps will not be accepted, last year more than $12,000 worth were

received as remittances. If we could not find an outlet for these

stamps it would be necessary to return them as nonacceptable for

the reason that they can not be converted into cash. Fortunately

our foreign business has grown to such an extent that we were able

to use all of them. I am convinced that advertising of stamps as not acceptable keeps a great many people from ordering publications, when the remittance is a small amount, because they consider

it is too much trouble to obtain a money order.

BOOKKEEPING SECTION

The act creating the General Accounting Office provided for the

auditing of accounts of all public funds, and as a result the documents office, for the first time in its history, was subjected to a complete audit of its accounts, and the report made by the auditors

contained recommendations for certain changes.

The operation of the system, however, has been very satisfactory,

and we now obtain an exact daily balance of moneys received and
138 Annual Report of the Public Printer

are in position to render monthly an account current showing all receipts and expenditures, with proper supporting vouchers.

RELATION TO THE LIBRARIES

Naturally in the course of a year many questions arise regarding

the work of the office as it aifects the libraries. These questions were

carefully considered and answered in a paper on "The documents

office and the libraries," prepared by the Superintendent of Documents for the annual meeting of the American Library Association

at Seattle, Wash., and read iDcfore the joint session of the National

Association of State Libraries and the Public Documents Round

Table on July 8, 1925.

The bill for the establishment of a library information service

under the Bureau of Education again failed to pass during the last Congress. The objections of this office to the bill should not be in- terpreted as depreciating the value of such a service; but after a careful analysis of the objects to be obtained we have concluded that

the functions of the proposed library information service, as defined by the bill, could not be carried on without duplicating to a considerable extent the work we are now doing.

Miss Edith Guerrier, the author of the bill, certainly should be

commended for her efforts to popularize Government publications;

but, although there is a certain educational feature connected with

the work, we do not believe it necessary to establish a new agency

for such a service. The creation of this information service was

again considered at the Seattle conference of the American Library

Association, and it would appear from the discussions that some of

the members of the American Library Association are now favorable to having this service rendered by the public documents office. UNITED KINGDOM PUBLICATIONS

The generous policy of the United States Government in its free

distribution of publications has no doubt served to depreciate their

value. Those opposed to a restricted free distribution might be

interested in knowing that Great Britain since the war has discontinued even its pre-war limited free distribution, and now all libraries have to purchase their copies.

The British Government, recognizing the value of its publications,

in 1887 passed a resolution permitting the reprinting of information

contained in a majority of them. This policy is similar to ours, in

that we do not allow copyrighting. The two countries also entertain

similar views in their practice of charging the prime cost to the

Government, so that the public may purchase at a nominal cost for

paper, presswork, and binding.

IMPROVEMENTS

One real problem that has confronted us for several years has

been how to obtain additional space for our over-crowded library,

and also for the growing clerical force required to handle the enor- mous increase in our sales business. Thanks to the efforts of the

Public Printer and the support of the Director of the Bureau of the

Budget, we were able to dispose of several millions of excess and
Annual Report of the Public Printer 139

obsolete publications from the old building, which enabled us to move the mailing machine room, formerly housed on the fifth floor of the annex, to a space vacated in the old building. This gave the

needed vo6m for expansion in the annex, permitting of a rearrangement of the catalogue and clerical forces. The results have been most

gratifying, and sufficient floor space has been gained to house the

additional clerks provided by Congress. Additional stacks have

been erected to take care of the library requirements for four or five years. The fifth, sixth, and seventh floors have been thoroughly

cleaned and painted, the first time since we moved in 20 years ago. coxcLrsioxs

The greatest handicap to the efficient working of the office is the constant change in |)ersonnel, and the failure of Congress to provide

for promotions. Such a condition vitally affects the work, and

creates a discontented force. Keclassification was supposed to sup- ply the remedy, but unfortunately the emj)loyees were graded on the

basis of salaries paid at the tim.e the allocations for positions were made, and, aside from the low grades, practically all of the clerical force is receiving the minimum salary. Unless Congress provides

for promotions it will be practically impossible to make any, as we

find that, owing to the continued growth of the work, all vacancies

must be filled, leaving no surplus funds.

The policy, therefore, followed by most of the departments, of

providing for promotions by the reduction of force, could not be

adopted without detriment to the work. Besides, employees obtaining satisfactory efficiency ratings naturally expect some recognition,

which is impossible imless Congress grants appropriations for that

purpose; and failure to provide such appropriations will have only one result—to lessen the morale of the force and increase the need

for additional employees to carry on the work.

REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF CONSTRUCTION

AND MAINTENANCE

The accomplishment of the construction and maintenance division for the 3'ear includes a marked reduction of force, the satisfactory and economical operation of the new electric substation, completion of important building construction and alterations, installation of much new equipment and machinery throughout the shop,

overhatiling of machinery, and the routine operation and maintenance of the buildings.

The reduction in personnel has been very considerable during the

past two years. In 1924 the reduction was 45, and 33 more were dropped in 1925, making a total reduction of 78 employees in the

division in the past two years. During this time the work discontinued was operation of the boiler plant and substitution of an electric substation for the steam-driven generating station. Building

alterations at the present time are comparatively minor. The steam

and electric power formerly generated here are now being supplied

by the Capitol power plant, which reports having had to increase

its personnel by six to carry the Printing Office load. Deducting

this number from our decrease of 78 makes a net decrease of 72, Avith-
140 Annual Report of the Public Printer

out having discontinued any service except a, reduction of building

construction work, of which a considerable amount was done during

the year. On June 30, 1925, the construction and maintenance division, including the carpenter, paint, electrical, pipe and sheet metal,

power, machine, and sanitary forces, had 272 employees.

While a considerable increase in wage scales was made effective

in the first half of the year, the reduction in personnel has more than

offset the wage increases. The total of $525,841.92 paid for salaries

and wages is approximately $50,000 less than was paid to the employees of this division for the year 1924 and $60,000 less than was

paid for the year 1923. These figures include the $240 annual bonus

which was discontinued July 1, 1924, and thereafter included in

regular wages.

COST or BUILDING MAINTENANCE

The cost of building maintenance for the year was $74,104.44 for

labor and $14,139.75 for materials, totaling $88,244.19, making the

unit cost 12.19 cents per square foot, as compared with 10.28 cents the preceding year. The total cost of operation and maintenance,

including the operating expenses of the power section, the sanitary

section, building maintenance, and electricity and steam purchased,

totals $334,911.48, or 46.27 cents per square foot for the year 1925,

as compared with $339,856.96, or 47.53 cents per square foot for

the year 1924.

A careful allocation of electric current and steam used for manufacturing purposes on the one hand and for heating, lighting, ventilation, and building operation on the other, indicates that 56 per

cent of the electric and steam costs are for manufacturing purposes.

Making this deduction from the power section's operating expenses

and the cost of steam and electricity, reduces the building maintenance and operating expense to 34.97 cents per square foot for the

723,867 square feet of floor area. Although wages were increased,

it will be noted that there was an actual decrease in the total cost of

building maintenance and operation which is a result of the power

plant economies.

Floor and balcony space has been added during the past year as follows: A second story of 9,858 square feet has been completed in

the entire old boiler room^ and part of the engine room. An in- closed bridge having 192 square feet connects this floor with the

warehouse. A balcony was extended in the new money-order quarters to provide a toilet room and wardrobe-locker space. The ex- tension contains 473 square feet. A steel balcony of 1,850 square

feet was installed to carry lockers for the proof and monotype sec- tions. Two large pipe shafts were cut down, adding 70 square feet

of useful floor space on each of the sixth and seventh floors. A

small locker balcony of 192 square feet was removed on the sixth

floor where the large balcony was erected. These additions make

the total increase of floor space during the past four years amount

to 67,664 square feet.REMODELING OF PROOF ROOM

The proof room has been entirely remodeled. Removal of a vault, addition of a locker balcony, and alteration of a shaft in-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 141

creased the usable floor area approximately 2,000 square feet. New

desks, tables, bookcases, and lighting system were provided.

Alterations in the photo-engraving section increased their working area by 1,914 square feet. This space was formerly a cafeteria

storeroom and part of the dining room. The quarters of the hospital section were enlarged to provide a ward for males.

Extensive alterations were made for the Superintendent of Documents in the Annex Building to make room for additional library

stacks and take care of the increasing sale of Government

publications.

The old ink-roller room was made a part of the first-floor press- room. Iron gat^s and guard houses have been provided at both ends of

Jackson Alley, closing it to public traffic as authorized by the second

session of the Sixty-eighth Congress. This facilitates the work of

the office and materially reduces the cost of guarding the property.

Among important jobs which were mentioned in the last annual

report, including building work during the present fiscal year, are preparation of quarters for the new Congressional Record equipment, the new postal card section, and addition of the second story over the entire boiler room and part of the engine room.

Plans, drawings, and layouts for the above building work, locations for all machinery installations, and details for many of the

shop jobs have been made by the chief draftsman and his assistants.

POWER SECTION

The personnel of the section was increased from 11 to 14 during

the year by the transfer of one electrician and two laborers from

the electrical section. These men are on night duty and care for

all storage batteries and the electric trucks. The power section also

operates the incinerator which was built and put in service this year. The new electric substation receiving power from the Capitol

power plant was completed during the latter part of the fiscal year

1924, so that the fiscal year 1925 marks the first full year of its operation. The old steam plant was also entirely dismantled, and

steam for heating the buildings, operating the laundry, and serving

other production requirements has been obtained throughout the

year from the Capitol power plant. This office continues to serve the city post office with direct current electric power, but steam is supplied directly from the Capitol power plant.

As the fiscal year 1924 was a year of changing over, when part of our steam and electricity was generated in our own plant and part

of it was purchased, comparisons of cost are made for the years 1923

and 1925, which are respectively the last year in which steam and

power were generated here, and the first year in which steam and

electric power were purchased.

The following statements give detailed figures of power plant

operation for the two years. The actual reduction in the cost of operation to the Government

Printing Office for the fiscal year 1925 was $25,032.22. There was also
142 Annual Report of the Public Printer

a saving of $23,033.40 in the use of water which is furnished by the

District of Columbia without charge to this office. The saving to the

city post office amounted to $8,701.93, making the total decrease in

operating cost to the Government $56,767.55. A conservative rental

value of the space made available for warehouse use as a result of

the change over is $7,500 per annum, which amount added to the

operating saving, makes a total annual saving of $64,267.55. The

estimated saving, based on what the cost would have been for operating the old plant, is $65,365.20 per annum.

Power-plant operation for fiscal year 1925 includes the following

services: Electric current, compressed air, refrigeration, steam for

heating and industrial purposes, industrial and sanitary water pumping, cold drinking water pumping, hot water pumping, and brine

circulation for refrigeration.

The charges in all cases are exclusive of interest and depreciation

and are based on the actual cost of labor and material for operation,

maintenance, and repairs.

Cost of operation

Labor and material for substation operation $10, 187. 26 Labor and material for all other power-plant operations 22, 525. 57

7,204,100 kilowatt-hours purchased at average $0.01515 per kilowatt- hour 109,170.34

68,693,337 pounds steam purchased at average .$0.47591 per 1,000 pounds 30,515.83

Total cost 172,399.00

Sold to city post office 1,555,400 kilowatt-hours, at average $0.0187 29, 115. 11 Total net cost to the Government Printing Office 143, 283. 89 Value of 202,486,650 gallons city water used at $0.05 per 100 cubic

feet 13,537.10

Total cost of operation if water had been purchased 185, 936. 10

Electric current Transmission and conversion losses kilowatt-hours 822, 150 Used by the Government Printing Office do 4, 826, 541 Used by the city post office do 1, 555, 400

Total metered at the Capitol power plant do 7, 204, 100 Operating efficiency per cent 88. 59 Distributed electric load used by the Government Printing

Office per cent__ 75. 63 Distributed electric load used by the city post office do 24. 37 Total cost per kilowatt-hour of distributed electric load $0. 0187

Total cost of electric current to the Government Printing Office— 90, 242. 49

Total cost of electric current to the city post office 29, 115. 11 Total cost of electric current 119, 357. 60 Government Printing Office proportion of substation charges 7, 709. 03

City post office proportion of substation charges 2, 478. 23 Total substation charges 10, 187. 26
Annual Report of the Public Printer 143

Government Printing Office proportion of purchased electric current $82, 533. 46

City post office proportion of purchased electric current 26, 636. 88

Total cost of electric current purchased

. 109, 170. 34 Total cost of electric current 119, 357. 60 Steam

Steam used by the Government Printing Office pounds— 63, 693, 337 Steam used by the city post office do 31, 046, 110

Total steam for city post office and Government Printing

Office pounds__ 94, 739, 447 Average cost per 1,000 pounds steam $0. 47591

Cost of electric current and steam to Government Printing Office— $120, 758. 32

Cost of electric current and steam to the city post office $43, 890, 27 Water

City water used by the Government Printing Office gallons— 202, 486, 650 Value of city water at $0.05 per 100 cubic feet $13, 537. 10 Cold drinking water used gallons— 663, 626

Ice manufactured pounds 582, 500 Gas used cubic feet— 18, 305, 900 Cost of gas at $0.70 per 1,000 cubic feet $12, 814. 13 MACHINE SHOP SECTION

The machine shop section's personnel was reduced from 52 at the

beginning of the year to 41 at the close of the year. This decrease of

11 was made, first, because of having completed the extensive program of overhauling and rebuilding all serviceable equipment

throughout the plant which was not turning out a proper production both in quality and quantity, and, second, a further reduction

became necessary because of a shortage of funds. All needed over- hauling of machinery is being carried on and the productive condition of all equipment is kept up to the proper point.

With the personnel reduced 20 per cent during the year, it is in- teresting to note that the average number of jobs worked each day

has been 134, as compared with 136 for the preceding year. The

total number of jacket jobs for the period since the last annual

report is 537, and repair jobs, adjustments, and miscellaneous jobs

total 42,464, making a grand total of 43,001. This work includes

installation, inspection, and repair of machinery and mechanical

equipment throughout the plant, except typesetting machines, which

are cared for in a separate shop. A fleet of 9 Mack trucks, 23

elevators, numerous lifts, conveyors, and other equipment add to the

list requiring mechanical inspection and maintenance. There are saws to file, cutting-machine knives to grind, special tools, dies,

knives, attachments, gears, and parts of all kinds to make.

The estimated saving during the year by using old material and

parts salvaged from old machines, including also the junk value

of parts turned in, amounts to $3,329.50.
144 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ELECTRICAL SECTION

The electrical section's personnel was reduced during the year

from 68 to 61 employees, yet the number of new installations totaled

274 and repair jobs 18,125 as compared with 231 and 17,049 for the

preceding fiscal year. The section makes the installation of all electric wiring and elec- trical equipment of all kinds. All motors are given regular in- spection, cleaning, and oiling. Other apparatus, such as automatic

controllers, which are extensively used throughout the plant, lighting, signal and fire alarm systems, clocks, fans, elevators, hoists,

conveyors, etc., are inspected and maintained.

The important electric installations during the year are the fol- lowing: CongTessional Record conveyor, two elevators, one crane and one hoist for the postal-card section, rearrangement of light and

power circuits made necessary by the removal of pipe shafts on the

sixth and seventh floors, linotype and monotype keyboard installations, enlargement and changes in the photo-engraving section.

Record room, ruling and sewing section, and money-order section.

The program of improving the lighting was continued and trojan

bowl fixtures were used for all new installations in work rooms and

where rearrangement of equipment required changing of the lighting system. New lights were installed in the following places:

Photo-engraving section. Record room, money-order section, postalcard section, proof room, cutting and packing section, pressrooms,

and warehouse.

PIPE AND SHEET METAL SECTION

The work of the pipe and sheet metal section embraces installation

and maintenance of all pipe and plumbing lines, fixtures and service,

including cold and hot water, drinking water, brine, compressed

air, steam, ammonia, heating system, fire lines, vacuum lines, and

sewers. The sheet metal work includes roof, cornice, and skylight

maintenance, sheet metal floor covering under all machinery, also

safety guards, ducts, hoods, linings, etc. This section has worked on 200 jacket jobs during the year and an

average of 35 miscellaneous repair jobs daily, making a total of

12,155 jobs during the fiscal year. Elimination of waste, particularly of steam and water, has been

effected in many ways. Reference to the power section's report

shows a saving of 344,579,540 gallons of water during the past year,

as compared with the preceding year. While the largest single

item in this saving is due to changing over of the power plant,

taking out boilers and condensers which were supplied with city

water, much saving has been effected by bringing the cooling water

from air compressors, aftercooler, ammonia compressor, and con- densers into a receiving tank from which this water is pumped into

the house system. Condensate from the tunnel 8-inch steam mains

is carried into another tank and supplies practically all the building hot water requirements, except at lunch and closing periods

when the necessary additional amounts are automatically added and

heated in a thermostatically controlled heater.

Following complete shut down of our steam plant, this office used

during the period, November, 1923, to May, 1924, 60,120,422 pounds
Annual Report of the Public Printer 145

of steam. During the same period of the last fiscal year, the con- smnption was 49,935,644 pounds of steam, making a saving in seven months of 10,184,778 pounds, which amounts to $4,582.80. This

saving was due largely to improvements in the heating system, and

a closer regulation of the pressure on the system to supply actual

requirements only.

One of the sheet metal jobs of particular interest has been the

installation of two blower conveyor systems, one carrying the wast«

from a continuous trimmer in the pamphlet bindery and one carry- ing the waste from the Eecord trimmer. The trimmings are carried

from machines directly to the waste paper baling room. The personnel of the section has been reduced nearly 25 per cent

it was 26 at the beginning and 20 at the end of the fiscal year. CARPENTER AND PAINT SHOP SECTION

The section was reduced from a personnel of 40 to 34 during the

year. The repair jobs to buildings and equipment numbered 9,203, an average of 29 per day which is 3 less than the preceding year's

daily average. The number of jacket jobs was 525 and included

construction of the following equipment: 15 racks, 48 cabinets, 65

tables, 10 trucks. Boxes and crates for the shipment of postal cards,

-cores, etc., totaled 41,006; of this number 39,649 were for the shipment of postal cards alone.

An order by the Post Office Department for 176,000,000 cards in

sheets, to take care of the anticipated requirements under the new

postal law, suddenly jumped the average daily required number of

wooden packing boxes to eight times the normal quantity. In 39

days the shop turned out 19,500 boxes, an average of 500 per day,

as compared with the average of 74 per day for the other days of

the year. To take care of this increased demand a night force was

put on, both day and night forces worked overtime, and all parts

of the regular carpenter shop equipment that could be used to advantage in carrying through the program was put into service. The

largest single day's production totaled 780 boxes.

Lumber salvaged from packing boxes during the year totaled

360,000 board feet, and it furnished a large part of the required material for boxes, crates, and considerable repairs.

SANITARY SECTION

The section rolls carried 72 employees at the beginning of the year

and 70 at the close, while the floor area was increased approximately

10,000 square feet by new construction. The actual increase in space

in the production sections totals about the same amount as a result of

the new money-order and postal-card quarters which are located in

what was formerly storage space. The gross area per employee is consequently something over 10,000 square feet, much of which space

is used by both day and night forces. The section operates a laundry in which 862,400 towels were

laundered during the year. A drying tumbler was installed primarily for drying rags, which

formerly were himg on lines and racks and required days to dry.

The tumbler has proven a great help also in the laundering of
146 Annual Report of the Public Printer

towels, saving $450 per year in labor formerly used in shaking out

the towels. In the laundering of rags, with which are now included

greasy and oily rags which formerly were discarded, the quantity

turned in to stores amounted to 6,869 pounds in the last quarter of

the year as compared with 12,672 pounds for the entire previous

year. Rags cost 15 cents per pound and are laundered at approximately cents. This saving of 103^4 cents per pound on rags

will amount, it is estimated, to $2,950 for the present fiscal year. REPORT OF THE MEDICAL AND SANITARY OFFICER

There were 12,846 treatments given to injured or sick employees

of the Government Printing Office, of which 3,099 were surgical

cases, requiring 4,996 redressings, and 4,751 medical cases ; one death,

due to apoplexy.

The surgical cases included:

Incised wounds 255

Contused wounds . 4.55 Lacerated wounds 511 Punctured wounds 108 Abrasions 372 Sprains 206 Burns 172 Foreign bodies 417

Infections 260 Fractures 6 Dislocations ^ 3 Miscellaneous 334

Total 3,099

Number of employees receiving compensation for time lost due to injury. S PHYSICAL EXAMINATION

For entrance into the Government service, as provided by Exe(?litive order of June 18, 1923 566 For extension of two years, as provided by retirement act of May 22, 1920 _ 90 Reexamination for probationary or permanent appointment 105 Examination for transfer to other work and fitness for duty 38 For life-extension service 12

Cafeteria employees 16 Total „ 827 Number of employees sent to United States Public Health Dispensary

for diagnosis or treatment 19 Number of emploj^ees sent to United States Veterans' Bureau for treat- ment (at their request) S CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Smallpox: Exposed to smallpox, and kept under observation during

period of incubation 3 Quarantined, because of direct exposure 2

Vaccinations, as a prophylaxis I 1 072

Scarlet fever

Cases in the homes of employees^ 22 Quarantine unsatisfactory, sent off duty 6 Diphtheria : Cases in homes of employees ^ 7 9P^^^^

^^^^^ investigated as to whether or not satisfactory quarantine was being
Annual Report of the Public Printer 147

Mumps 6

Syphilitic infection : Primary stage—sent off duty 2 Absenteeism : Number of employees absent due to illness, injury or

illness in family

Report in person 957 Report by telephone 3, 739 Report by letter 128 Report by messenger 916

Total 5, 740 It is the policy of the aclministratioii of the Government Printing

Office to assist the working forces to greater production, and to do

so by selecting them with consideration as to their future fitness for

the work they are expected to perform, helping them to be regular,

dependable, and efficient and aiding them constantly to increase their

value. For the accomplishment of this, important changes have

been made in the workrooms, to better the working conditions, to give more air space, more room ; and for a better " layout of the

work," modern equipment has been installed; all means have been

taken into consideration for the welfare, comfort, and contentment

of the employees.

FEW CLAIMS FOR COMPENSATION

There were only eight (8) cases of injury in which claims were made before the United States Employees' Compensation Commission for compensation for time loss due to injury. There was not a

case of injury due to any machine, appliance, or mechanism, severe enough to cause loss of time during the year. This is largely due

to supervision and cooperation of the employees and to the fact

that all machinery is equipped with safety guards.

The cases in which compensation was paid for time lost are as follows

1. Contusion, left foot, piece of concrete fell on foot.

2. Contusion, left foot, iron bar fell on foot. (These men were doing reconstruction Nvork in the old boiler room.)

3. Contusion, left leg, fell from bicycle—messenger.

4. Fracture, right arm, fell over telephone wire attached to desk.

5. Fracture, great toe, packing box fell on foot.

6. Laceration, left hand, while using truck, ran into a box.

7. Strain, sacroilliac articulation, fell on ice at entrance into oflSce.

8. Hernia, due to lifting. There was not an employee absent for a sufficient length of time

to make a claim for compensation for time lost due to any wound

infection during the year; this no doubt was due to immediate treat- ment given to all injured employees.

There has recently been an addition to the hospital section, a room

so divided as to make a male ward, also a laboratory fully equipped

for chemical and microscopic work. The Government Printing

Office now has one of the finest and best-equipped industrial hospitals

in the United States. The Washington City Post Office has an emergency aid station

with a nurse in charge, but has no night service. They have cases of

such a nature that that institution is not prepared to handle. These

cases have been receiving treatment at the Government Printing

Office. During the last fiscal year there were 297 treatments given

to employees of the Washington City Post Office.
148 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Under authority of the act approved March 4, 1925, the Public

Printer has discontinued the printing of such other and additional

reports for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1925, as have usually been

submitted to Congress concerning the business of the Government

Printing Office. The original copies of such reports will be kept on

file in the office of the Public Printer for public inspection, as provided for in said act. Respectfully submitted.

Public Printer,
STATISTICAL TABLES

(Compiled by Superintendent of Accounts and Budget Officer)

Table No. 1.

Summary of financial transactions for fiscal year ended June 30,. 1925

$157, 880. 00

11, 698, 708. 98

RESOURCES

Appropriation for salaries. Government Printing OfBce $157, 880. 00 Appropriation for working capital, allotted to Congress, Government Printing OflBce, and Architect of the Capitol for printing and binding 2, 000, 000. 00 Deficiency.. 3,200.00 Transfers and payments for printing and binding for departments and bureaus and payments from vari- ous sources to June 30... 9, 579, 126. 09 Due July 1, from departments and bureaus for print- ing and binding done 116, 382. 89 Appropriation for salaries, oflBce of Superintendent of Documents 339, 960. 00 Appropriation for general expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents. . 165, 000. 00 Total resources available for work of fiscal year 1925 $12, 361, 548. \ liabilities

Salaries, Government Printing Office: Disbursed to June 30 $138, 30L 06 Outstanding obligations July 1 5, 733. 93 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations _ $144, 034. 99 Working capital and repayments for printing and binding: Disbursed to June 30 10, 513, 057. 99 Outstanding obligations July 1 1, 082, 005. 42 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations 11,595,063.41

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Disbursed to June 30 315, 244. 04 Outstanding obUgations July 1 13, 938. 74 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations 329, 182. 78 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Disbursed to Jime 30 116, 94L 80 Outstanding obligations July 1 48, 058. 20 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations 1 Total disbursed to June 30 11, 083, 544. 89 Total outstanding obligations July 1 1, 149, 736. 29

165,000.00

Total disbursed and outstanding obligations. 12, 233, 281. 18 Unobligated balance (subject to 10 per cent over or under on outstanding orders) 128, 267. 80' 12,361, 548.98 Table No. 2.

Financial transactions in fiscal year ended June 30, 1925, covering

appropriations for fiscal years 1923, 1924, O'l^d 1925

APPEOPRIATION FOR 1923

Resources Disbursements Unexpended

balance July 1, 1925

Public printing and binding: Unexpended balance July 1, 1924 Credited to appropriation per payments by Govern- ment establishments and private individuals for printing and binding executed and by funds from

miscellaneous sources Disallowances deposited Disbursed for material and supplies

$500, 272. 21

1, 174. 45

155. 66

Total. 501, 602. 32

$9, 468. 38

9. 468. 38 $492, 133. 94 149
150 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table No. 2.

Financial transactions in fiscal year ended ^June 30, 1925, covering

appropriations for fiscal years 1923, 1924, 1926—Continued

APPROPRIATION FOR 1923—Continued

Resources Disbursements Unexpended

balance July 1, 1925

Salaries, office of Public Printer: Unexpended balance July 1 1924 $22, 899. 43 $22, 899. 43

Salaries, office of Superintendent cf Documents:

XJDGxp6Dd.G(i bsl^piicG July 1 1924 12, 604. 94 12, 604. 94 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents: Unexpended balance July 1 1924 9, 420. 69 9, 420. 69 Increase of compensation ($240 bonus)

Unexpended balance July 1, 1924__. 28, 428. 56 1.54 Total 28, 430. 10 28, 430. 10 Grand total appropriation 674, 957. 48 $9, 468. 38 565, 489. 10

125, 683. 91 Unobligated balance of 1923 appropriation on June

439, 805. 19 APPROPRIATION FOR 1924

Public printing and binding:

$562, 954. 49

3, 200. 00

269, 465. 17

. OO

Deficiency act Dec. 5, 1924.. Credited to appropriations per payments by Govern- ment establisbnients and private individuals for printing and binding executed and by funds from

miscellaneous sources Disbursed for labor $142, 428. 09

285, 269. 49

53, 073. 63

183, 209. 13

Disbursed for paper. Disbursed for lithographing and engraving. Disbursed for material and supplies. Total 835, 620. 04 663, 980. 34 $171, 639. 70

Salaries, office of Public Printer: Unexpended balance July 1, 1924 17,393.27 Disbursed 4, 849. 88 Total - 17. 393. 27 4, 849. 88 12, 543. 39

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents: Unexpended balance July 1, 1924.. 26, 906. 96 Disbursed 11, 606. 70 Total 26, 906. 96 11, 606. 70 15, 300. 26 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents: Unexpended balance July 1, 1924 52, 622. 50 Disbursed... 34, 165. 90 Total 52, 622. 50 34, 165. 90 18, 456. 60

Salaries and expenses. Congressional Record Index: Unexpended balance July 1, 1924 758. 34 Disbursed: 758. 34 Total 758. 34 768. 34 Increase of compensation ($240 bonus)

Unexpended balance July 1, 1924 55, 297. 53 Disallowance deposited 6. 85 Disbursed. 26, 204. 77 Total 55, 304. 38 26, 204. 77 29, 099. 61 Grand total appropriation, 1924 Deduct for outstanding obligations

988, 605, 49 741, 565. 93 247, 039. 66

129, 008. 80 Unobligated balance of 1924 appropriation on June 30, 118, 030. 76
Annual Report of the Public Printer 151

Table No. 2.

Financial transactions in fiscal year ended June 80, 1925, covering

appropriations for fiscal years 1923, 1924, and 1925—Continued

APPROPRIATION FOR 1925

Resources Disbursements Unexpended

balance July 1, 1925

Public printing and binding:

Legislative act of June 7, 1924... $2, 000, 000. 00

3, 200. 00

9, 579, 126. 09

Credited to appropriations per payments by Government establishments and private individuals for printing and binding executed and by funds from

Transferred to interior civil ledger (retirement fund) $152, 000. 00

6, 855, 479. 09

2, 768, 562. 95

54, 266. 33

682. 749. 62

11, 582, 326. 09 10, 513, 057. 99 | $1, 069, 268. 10

Salaries, office of Public Printer: Legislative act of Jime 7, 1924.. 157, 880. 00

- — —

Transferred to interior civil ledger (retirement fund). 2, 806. 00 Disallowances deposited 3. 10

135, 498. 16 Total 1 =^7 SJW 1

0

lO I

J OOO. J \J 138, 304. 16 19, 578. 94

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Legislative act of June 7, 1924 339, 960. 00 Transferred to interior civil ledger (retirement fimd) 7, 506. 00

307, 738. 04 Total 339, 960. 00 315, 244. 04 24, 715. 96 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Legislative act of June 7, 1924. . .-. 165, 000. 00

116, 941. 80 Total 165, 000. 00 116,941.80 48,058.20 Grand total appropriation, 1925.. -- Add payment due Government Printing Office for

12, 245, 169. 19 11, 083, 547. 99 1, 161, 621. 20

116, 382. 89 Deduct for outstanding obligations . .

1 1, 278, 004. 09

1, 149, 736. 29 Unobligated balance of 1925 appropriation on June 30, 1925 ...

i

i 128, 267. 80 Total unobligated balances (subject to change by 10 per

cent over or under on outstanding obligations): 1923.. i- 439, 805. 19

118, 030. 76

128, 267. 80

1924

1925Total

1

- 686, 103. 75

j -

- RECAPITULATION—ALL APPROPRIATIONS

Total paid for labor during fiscal year i $7, 149, 907. 18 Total paid for material and supplies . 875. 427. 13 Total paid for lithographing and engraving 107^ 339. 96 Total paid for paper 3, 053, 832. 44 Total paid for printing and binding 11, 186, 506. 71 Total paid for salaries during fiscal year 2 143. 154. 04 Total paid for salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents ' 326, 850. 74 Total paid for expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents 151, 107. 70 Total paid for salaries and expenses. Congressional Record Index 758. 34 Total paid for increase of compensation ($240 bonus) 26, 204. 77 Grand total 11, 834, 582. 30

1 Includes amount paid to retirement fund $152,000

* Includes amount paid to retirement fund 2, 806

' Includes amount paid to retirement fund 7, 506 Total paid to retirement fund 162, 312
152 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table No. 3.

Moneys received during fiscal year 1925, the source, and Treasury

deposit

1922 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: Deposited for miscellaneous printing $68. 98

1923 Deposited for miscellaneous printing $1, 174. 45 Auditor's disallowance 155. 66

1, 330. 11 Increase of compensation: Refund for overpayment i. 1. 64

1924 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: Deposited for printing for departments and bureaus 253, 498. 91 Deposited for miscellaneous printing 14, 140. 78 Refunds 1,575.41 Auditor's disallowance . 38 Expense incurred in making sales of waste paper, condemned material, etc. 250. 07

269, 465. 55 Increase of compensation:

Auditor's disallowance 1.52 Refund for overpayment 5. 33

1925 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: Deposited for printing for departments and bureaus. 9, 498, 634. 54 Deposited for miscellaneous printing 63, 470. 29 Refunds 1,400.70 Repairs to motor-cycle and truck 46. 57 Auditor's disallowance 452. 13 Expense incurred in making sales of waste paper, condemned material, etc. 15, 121. 86 9,579,126.09 Deposited to the credit of miscellaneous receipts: Sale of waste paper 46, 051. 08

Sale of waste wood 1, 293. 39

Sale of waste metal... 4,412.93

Sale of condemned material, machinery, etc. 6, 297. 54 Sale of waste gold 4, 057. 62 Surplus receipts from sales of documents 157,446.65

219, 559. 21 Total 10,069,558.33 Table No. 4.

Production of principal items entering into printing and binding

in fiscal years 1923, 1924, and 1925

Item 1923 1924 1925 Main oflfice and Congressional Library branch: Total charges for printing and binding dollars.. 9, 734, 188. 62 9, 279, 921. 37 112,332,954.66 Jackets written... number.. M, 166 54,946 52, 731 Estimates written do.... 43, 606 45, 562 45, 830

Bills computed do.... 64, 670 63, 986 66,000 Total number of ems set ,do.... 1, 963, 371, 800 2, 044, 664, 900 2, 128, 394, 700 Hours of time work in composing sections . ...do..-. 269, 572 276, 204 274, 609 Electrotype and stereotype squai e inches-

11, 353, 505 10, 641, 184 10, 447, 231 Postal cards printed number.. 1, 180, 991, 000 1, 253, 073, 180 1, 595, 376, 890 Money-order books shipped ,..do.... 907, 406 948,460 1, 102, 503 Forms sent to press ...do.... 144, 464 151, 386 145, 005 Actual impressions do.... 490, 311, 561 480, 293, 692 471, 384, 300 Chargeable impressions do.... 2, 151, 586, 004 2, 051, 135, 651 2, 129, 585, 506 Sheets folded by machine .-.do.... 209, 299, 225 242, 954, 732 235, 489, 426 Signatures gathered by machine ..--do 162, 134, 538 148, 237, 041 139, 940, 616 Tips made by machine do.... 5, 560, 534 8, 943, 186 7, 217, 929 Copies wire-stitched . do.... 48, 631, 333 52, 261, 582 46, 426, 889 Copies paper-covered . do 7, 032, 577 6, 195. 993 4, 583, 788 Books and pamphlets trimmed ...do.... 62, 701, 960 58, 187, 509 56, 726, 117 Books rotmded and backed ...do-... 1, 283, 636 1, 336, 066 1, 192, 311 Books marbled and edged do.... 149, 514 188, 675 150, 359 Stamping impressions . -do-.- 2, 425, 567 2, 714, 567 2, 742, 491 Books cased in -.do—

.

1, 352, 127 1, 371, 196 1, 257, 079 Indexes cut

.

. . do-.. 105, 257 131,419 140, 311 Sheets passed through ruling machines ....do-... 27, 983, 644 24, 136, 850 21, 096,848 Signatures sewed —.do..-. fiSS fU7 79, 653, 610 83,821,611 Copies punched or drilled Sheets or lines perforated —.do-..- ...-do-..

79, 532, 374

7, 907, 635

2, 796, 833

79,243

79, 323, 823

8, 647, 095

3, 081, 257

80, 259

102, 005, 765

6, 582, 474

2, 850, 376

93, 295 Tablets made

Miscellaneous rebindings, etc .—do-.- -..do—.

Includes $800,000 estimated labor and material expended on uncompleted jobs.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 153

Table No. 5.

Charges for ivork executed for Congress, departments, and inde- pendent Government establishments during the fiscal year ended June SO, 1925

Congress ^ $1, 853, 729. 16 Miscellaneous charges to Members of Congress 676. 31 Private orders 18, 573. 05 Private orders for speeches by Members of Congress 45, 597. 06 Superintendent of Documents 484, 196.56

State. 144,570.51 Treasury 1, 014, 824. 79 War 669, 468. 41 Navy 574, 143. 78

Interior 300, 501. 42 Patent Office 903, 134. 08 Geological Survey.-.. 112,392.29 Smithsonian Institution 52, 259. 98

Justice 174, 245. 69 Post Office 2, 227, 481. 96 Agriculture 900, 070. 04 Commerce 623,835.96 Labor 264,797.13 Library of Congress 257,533.79 White House 3, 268. 81 Pan Amencaji Union 35, 186. 67 Supreme Court, D. C 4, 173. 79 Supreme Court, U. S 25, 522. 31 Court of Claims 41, 758. 01 Interstate Commerce Commission 140, 140. 83 Civil Service Commission 58, 132. 48 Geographic Board 203.78 General Accounting Office 25, 424. 57 Alien Property Custodian 4, 980. 31 Bureau of the Budget 24, 477. 54 Commissioners, D. C 8,270.08 Employees' Compensation Commission. 4,225.96 Federal Reserve Board 58, 922. 47 Federal Board for Vocational Education 12, 960. 51 Federal Trade C ommission 20, 032. 30 National .\dvisory Committee for Aeronautics 14, 109. 33 Panama Canal... 17,550.52 Railroad Administration 9, 222. 41 Railroad Labor Board 8,012. 11 Shipping Board... .• 80, 225. 59

Tariff Commission 23, 420. 49

Veterans' Bureau. 273, 838. 46 War Finance C orporation. 5, 302. 03 Public Buildings and Public Parks 3, 314. 77 Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission 5. 14 American Battle Monuments Commission 127.02 Bureau of Efficiency. 816. 32 Commission of Fine Arts 260. 60 Federal Power Commission 4, 315. 58 Grant Memorial Commission 1,800.00 National Forest Reservation Commission 295.66 National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers.. 39.41 Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway Commission 20. 67 Special Council, oil leases, etc 566. 16 Total... ...111,532, 954.66

1 This amount includes $409,013.52, charge for blank paper.
Annual Report of the Public Printer

Actual

overhead expense i ii

SS

2,

299,

048.

67

Credits

by

work

for

other

sections

i S

1 i

23,902.81 43,

394.

34

65,

516. 80

52,

999.

47

5,

328. 70

9,

697.

72

94,

234. 06

88,324.77 1,

731. 96

74. 00

54,

569. 34

439,

977. 97

I

So

1,

901,

628. 04

Miscellaneous

and

general

expense including gas $4,

637. 6075. 60

3,

202. 80

322.

30

1.

25

13. 92

24,

582. 29

143. 95

2.75

17. 55 si 779. 47

16. 54

150,

296. 99

186,

595. 39

iilll

1,977.00

2.31

1,

754. 16

943. 99

31.82

21,

418. 80

3,

878.

74

2,

425. 85

407.63 1,

259. 72

5,

517. 33

309.

31

6,

041. 20

836.

20 si

if

275,

687. 42

^ i i s 1

1

i i N

i i

i is

i is 3,

157. 11

Repairs

and

new

work

$100.

78

14. 15

260.

32

198.

94

202.

62

1,

913. 84

178. 98

394.

60

1,075.26 272.

23

75. 59

175,

986. 19

292.

65

832.

75

3,

309.

38

1,

207. 83

1,

423. 93

2,

159. 3299. 64

13,

883.

26

2,

181. 99

207,

571. 67

1.22 1,

617.

00

272.

49

666.57 39.64

339.08 i

Salaries

and

wages,

leave

of

absence

and

holiday pay mmimmmiimmmmm

1,

145,

164. 05

Divisiou,

office,

or

section

Public

Printer

Deputy

Public

Printer

Chief

clerk

(including

switchboard)

Details,

not

chargeable

Accounts

Production

manager

and

planning

Superintendent

of

printing.

Superintendent

of

binding..

Electrical--

.--

.

...

Pinp

and

qhopt.

mptnl

\ i

ii

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i i

i i

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Capitol

power

plant

-.

Productive

machinery

and

equipment

Total...

Leave

and

holiday

nav—

oroductive

divisions..

Grand

total....
Annual Report of the Public Printer

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156 Annual Report of the Public Printer

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Annual Report of the Public Printer 157

Table 8.

Inventory of quantity and cost of paper and envelopes, material and

supplies, and machinery and equipment on hand June 30, 1925

j^6Scriprion. Reams xUUIItlo Qost,

Paper and envelopes:

47, 373 $128, 685. 14

108, 877. 45

16, 15a 19

13, 851. 86

1, 718. 80

22, 272. 62

10, 057. 71

224, 172. 61

4, 004. 62

79, 28a 99

13, 601. 66

29, 801. 93

18, 66a 25

3, 589. 06

8, 483. 70

3, 096. 40

21, 174. 31

37, 656. 64

64, 627. 59

876. 47

13, 157. 12

24,886.54

1, 986, 272

1, 761

103, 595 285

Sulphite writing 9, 781 Do - - 154, 284 Map and bond 46,206

43, 649 4,749

2, 644

5, 722

335, 000

307

159, 500 Cardboard 177

Bristol board 1, 991

667, 500 Miscellaneous 2,281

10, 549

418, 300 Envelopes

848, 583. 43 Other material and supplies: Miscellaneous supplies

" - •

191, 543. 68

21, 655, 24

7, 462. 92

9, 246. 42

1, 967. 21

Book cloth Ink ingredients _ Leather _ Ink (made in oflSice)-- Total material and supplies 231, 875. 47 Total material and supplies, paper and envelopes 1, 080, 458. 93 Machinery and equipment:

Machinery 3, 033, 492. 28 Equipment 38a 082. 33 Total, machinery and equipment 3, 413, 574. 61 Grand total. 4, 494, 033. 54

/
158 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table No. 9.

Publications, including annual reports and documents, printed

upon requisition during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1925, for departments

and independent Government establishments {Congress not included).

state Treasury. War

Navy

Interior Justice.. Post Office Agriculture Commerce

Labor.. Smithsonian Institution Library of Congress Executive Office. Pan American Union Supreme Comt, District of Columbia Supreme Court, United States Court of Claims Bureau of Efficiency... Federal Power Commission

Interstate Commerce Commission

Civil Service Commission

U. S. Geographic Board

General Accounting Office Alien Property Custodian

Commissioners, District of Columbia

Employees' Compensation Commission

Veterans' Bureau

Federal Board for Vocational Education

Federal Reserve Board

Federal Trade Commission

National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics Panama Canal

Railroad Administration Shipping Board

Tariff Commission

Railroad Labor Board

National Forest Reservation Commission War Finance Corporation Commission of Fine Arts

Federal Fuel Distributor Bureau of the Budget

Miscellaneous.

Copies,

1924

334, 689

564, 565

116, 699

028, 584

259, 478

25, 211

572, 704

335, 822

193, 194

749, 181

109, 079 116,430

37, 051

261, 65462

34, 497 1,330

3, 010

8,037

, 373, 391

331, 762

4, 600 8,431

862

10, 790 4,007

744, 216 73,404 564,928

45, 473

13, 202

2, 183

10, 225

232, 423

15,462 40,011

1,000

37, 983

1, 004

5,000

Copies,

1925

432, 701

3, 603, 319

11, 384, 690

1,766, 336

3, 350, 305

20, 867

1, 812, 161

26, 371, 901

3, 305, 141

1, 970, 268

155, 039

142, 895

26, 786

238, 104

2, 431

28, 500

6, 498

1,519

4, 516 1,917,211

180, 876

3, 700

10, 285

4, 014 31,219

15, 416

461, 575

65, 333

445, 109

43, 130

19, 110 2,355

8, 170

368, 483

14, 509

20, 001 5,000

3, 014

1, 005

Table No. 10.

Condemned machinery, material, etc., sold in fiscal year ended June 30, 1925

Sale of condemned material, machinery, etc...^ $6, 297. 54 Sale of waste wood 1, 293. 39 Sale of waste metal 4, 412. 93 Sale of waste paper 46, 051. 08 Sale of waste gold 4, 057. 62

62, 112. 56 O