GOVERNMENT IPRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON





UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

GEORGE H. CARTER, PubUc Printer ANNUAL REPORT

OF THE

PUBLIC PRINTER

1930

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1931
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

Public Printer.—George H. Carter, Iowa

Deputy Public Priwicr.—John Greene, Massachusetts.

Production Manager.—EhhwooD S. Moorhead, Pennsylvania.

Assistant to Public Printer.—Miss Mary A. Tate, Tennessee.

Chief Clerk.—B.-ENRY H. Wright, New York.

Assistant Chief C/er&.—Ernest C. Mellor, Maryland.

Superintendent of Accounts and Budget Officer.—James K, Wallace, Ohio.

Assistant Superintendent of Accounts.—J. Thomas Ford, Nevada.

Purchasing Agent.—Ernest E. Emerson, Maryland.

Assistant Purchasing Agent.—William J, Cassiday, District of Columbia.

Technical Director.—Byron L. Wehmhoff, Washington.

Disbursing Clerk.—'Edwaud J. Wilver, Pennsylvania. Deputy Disbursing Clerk.—J. Basil Perkins, Minnesota.

Medical and Sanitary Director .—'Dv. Daniel P. Bush, Nebraska.

Assistant Medical and Sanitary Director.—Dr. Arthur G. Hunt, Oklahoma.

Superintendent of Documents.—Alton 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.—Louis C. Vogt, Florida. Superintendent of Printing.—Hermann B. Barnhart, Indiana.

Assistant Superintendent of Printing.—Maurice H. Phillips, Ohio. Foreman Linotype Section.—WihUXM. D. Skeen, Pennsylvania. Foreman Monotype Section.—'Will H. Chase, Maryland. Foreman Proof Section.—Mkuion E. Bullock, Maryland. Foreman Patents Section.—Raymond H. Lecraw, Rhode Island. Foreman Hand Section.—Hugh Reid, Wisconsin. Foreman Job Section.—Allan C. Clough, New Hampshire. Foreman Library Printing Branch.—James H. Heslet, Kansas.

Chief Type Machinist.—'Dk.mmi. L. Liddle, Michigan.

Superintendent of Presswork.—BKRT E. Bair, Michigan.

Assistant Superintendent of Presswork.—T>AmEi. Eeckwith, New Hampshire. Foreman Main Press Seciion.—Daniel I. Leane, New York. Foreman Job Press Section.—Jawes E. Veatch, New York. Foreman Postal Card Section.—Joseph A. Fenton, Michigan. Foreman Money Order Section.—J on^ A. Massey, Jr., Georgia. Superintendent of Binding.—Martin R. Speelman, Missouri.

Assistant Superintendent of Binding (Book Section). —John A. Patterson, New York. Foreman Pamphlet Section.—Ralfr W. Howard, District of Columbia. Foreman Blank Section.—Walt:eu H. Oliver, Maine. Foreman Library Binding Branch.—Geokge R. Erler, Maryland.

Superintendent of Platemaking.—Edward G. Whall, Massachusetts.

Assistant Superintendent of Platemaking.—Edward A. Kerr, Massachusetts. Foreman Finishing Section.—Cb.arles H. Hanson, Pennsylvania. Foreman Molding Section. —Thomas H. Mumford, Jr., Pennsylvania. Foreman Photo-Engraving Section.—

J

Walter, Maryland.

Night Production Manager.—Edward A. Huse, Massachusetts.

Assistant Night Production Manager.—^John M. Wilson, Kansas.

Assistant Superintendent Presswork, night.—Cuarles C. Gastrock, Pennsylvania. Foreman Linotype Section, night.—Harry L. Murray, Pennsylvania. Foreman Monotype Section, night. —Willum A. Morris, Missouri. Foreman Proof Section, night.—B.arry B. Goodrell, Iowa. Foreman Hand Section, night. —George O. Atkinson, Massachusetts.

Assistant Foreman Pamphlet Section, night.—Albert Lindstrom, Missouri.

Assistant Foreman, Platemaking, night.—B.eruan C. Groth, Pennsylvania.

Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance.—Alfred E. Hanson, Massachusetts.

Chief Carpenter.—Abraau B. Batton, Maryland.

Chief Machinist.—MICB.AEL J. McInerney, New York.

Chief Electrician.—Edward H. Brian, District of Columbia.

Chief Engineer.—Walter A. Browne, New Hampshire.

Chief Pipefitter.—0\iLVP H. George, New York.

Construction Foreman.—Edward M. Lilley, Maryland. Foreman Sanitary Section.—J osEVn L. May, Virginia. Storekeeper and Traffic Manager.—Williau H. Kervin, New York.

Assistant Storekeeper —Jona F. Hysan, Maryland.

Chief Instructor 0*' Apprentices.—BvRR G. Williams, Iowa.

Assistant Chief Instructor.—Frank M. Roller, Pennsylvania.

Assistant Chief Instructor.—Nathaniel G. Watts, Missouri.

Congressional Record Clerk (Capitol) .—Wiluam A. Smith, District of Columbia.

Chief of Delivery.— ALTER G. Copp, Maryland.

Captain of Guards.—Charles H. Warner, Maryland.

II
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PURLIC PRINTER

United States Government Printing Office,

Office of the Public Printer,

Washington^ D. C.^ January 10^ 1931.

To the Congress of the United States:

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

report on the work of the Government Printing Office for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930, and also for the last half of the calendar

year 1930. This is the tenth of the annual reports, including the fiscal years

1921-1930, that have been submitted to Congress by the present

Public Printer, who took charge of the Government Printing Office on April 5, 1921, and has served for a longer consecutive period than

any of his 10 predecessors since its establishment on March 4, 1861. Only one other Public Printer, John D. Defrees, appointed by

President Lincoln on March 23, 1861, had a longer service—12 years,

5 months, and 4 days—which covered three different periods, under

Presidents Lincoln, Johnson, Hayes, Garfield, and Arthur.

The present Public Printer has held office under Presidents Harding, Coolidge, and Hoover, and was clerk of the congressional Joint

Committee on Printing during the administrations of Presidents

Taft and Wilson.

THANKS TO JOINT COMMITTEE ON PRINTING

In this connection the Public Printer desires to express his sincere

thanks to the former chairmen of the Joint Committee on Printing,

Senator Reed Smoot, of Utah, Senator Duncan U. Fletcher, of

Florida, the late Senator Marcus A. Smith, of Arizona, and to the

present chairman. Senator George H. Moses, of New Hampshire,

with whom in succession he has been highly privileged to associate as committee clerk and Public Printer during the last 20 years. To their able advice and cordial cooperation, along with the gener- ous support of every member of the joint committee, all of whom

have unhesitatingly placed public service above personal or political

opinions, is due the utmost credit for the high standard that has

been attained by the Government Printing Office in recent years as a model for the printing industry of the entire world and a notable

example of efficiency in Government service.

1
2 Annual Report of the Public Printer

CONGRATULATIONS ON NINTH ANNIVERSARY

On April 5, 1930, the ninth anniversary of service in his present

position, the Public Printer received numerous letters of congratulation on the progress made in the Government Printing Office during

the nine years. The following letter from Hon. Clarence Cannon,

a member of the subcommittee of the House Committed on Appropriations which considers and reports the annual appropriations

and legislation for the Government Printing Office, was especially

pleasing

House of Representatives,

Committee on Appropriations,

Washington, D. C, April 10, 1930. Hon. George H. Carter,

The Public Printer,

Oovernment Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Dear Mr. Carter : Permit me to extend warmest felicitations on the celebration of your ninth anniversary as Public Printer of the United States.

I regret that you could not have heard the warm commendation of your

administration and the economy and eflSciency of the Government Printing

Office under your jurisdiction as expressed by the members of the Committee

on Appropriations following your hearing before the subcommittee last week.

With heartiest congratulations and best wishes,

Your friend,

Clarence Cannon,

Another flRter on this occasion, which the Public Printer takes

pleasure in quoting, came from the Director General of the Pan

American Union, Dr. L. S. Rowe

Permit me to congratulate you on the completion of the ninth anniversary

of your service in the important post that you now occupy. You have every

reason to feel gratified in looking back upon the splendid record that you have

made.

Permit me on behalf of the Pan American Union to express to you not only

congratulations but also a deep sense of obligation for the splendid service which you have rendered to this institution. COMMENDATION BY TYPOTHET.Ii: OFl^ICIALS Several members of the administrative staff of the United Typothetse of America happened to make an extensive inspection of the

Government Printing Office about the time of the Public Printer's

ninth anniversary. Their opinion of its condition, as expressed in a

letter from Mr. John J. Deviny, secretary of the United Typothetse

of America, seems appropriate to quote in this report of the improvements that have been made during the present administration. Mr.

Deviny wrote as follows, under date of April 4, 1930

On behalf of Mr. Fred J. Hartman, director of our department of education, Mr. W. D. Hall, acting director of the department of production management,

and myself, I hereby express our appreciation of the courtesies and kindnesses
Annual Report of the Public Printer 3

shown us by yourself upon the occasion of our visit to the Governm(;nt plant on Wednesday.

We also were delighted with the evidence of progress indicated on every hand

in the practices and policies employed in handling the great volume of printing entrusted to the care of your department.

It is especially appropriate that the Government Printing OflSce should keep

in step with the great progress being made in the printing industry, and it is a

source of satisfaction to know that you are successfully guiding your institu- tion in that direction. TEN YEARS OF PROGRESS

During the 10 fiscal years 1921-1930 the Public Printer has been

responsible for the expenditure of $128,635,276.68, the available re- sources of the Government Printing Office for that period. Of this

amount $10,615,764.83 has been returned to the Treasury of the

United States as unobligated balances and miscellaneous receipts and

thus made available for other use by the Government.

In the expenditure of $118,019,511.85 during the 10 years the auditing disallowances have totaled less than $1,200, for which the Government has been fully reimbursed.

Expenditures for the 10 years 1921-1930 included $79,218,396.05

for compensation of employees, an increase of $26,293,404.35, or 50

per cent, over the preceding 10-year period 1911-1920.

The total compensation for an average of 13 per cent more employees in the fiscal year 1920 was 16 per cent less than for the

smaller force in the fiscal year 1930, as shown by the following comparison : 1920, average number of employees, 4,989, compensation,

$8,342,612.82; 1930, average number of employees, 4,356, compensation, $9,683,066.41. The leave and holiday pay of employees for

1920 amounted to $882,492.47, and for 1930, $1,277,696.68, an increase

of $395,204.21, or 45 per cent. BENEFITS OF WAGE NEGOTIATIONS

Due to the benefits of the Kiess Wage Act of 1924, which authorizes collective wage negotiations from time to time, the average earn- ings of employees have advanced from $1,672.20 for the fiscal year

1920 to $2,222.92 for 1930, an increase of $550.72, or 33 per cent in

the annual average.

Paper purchases during the 10 years 1921-1930 cost $31,654,825.14, or $8,819,576.37 (39 per cent) more than for the preceding 10 years

1911-192.0. Machinery purchases for 10 years, 1921-1930, totaled

$1,528,035.85. Although comparative figures are not available for

the entire 10 years 1911-1920, machinery purchases during that period were certainly much less, as indicated by the cost in 1920 of $97,572,

which was more than doubled in 1930 with a total machinery

expenditure of $199,771.55.
4 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The tremendous growth in the work of the Government Printing Office during the 10 years 1921-1930 is shown by the increase of

39 per cent in the computed value of its products, which totaled

$117,256,250.97 for the 10 years 1921-1930, as compared with

$84,262,580.79 for the 10 years 1911-1920.

The better efficiency of employees during the 10 years, 1921-1930,

aided greatly in surpassing the production of the preceding 10 years. For instance, the linotype machine operators increased their average

number of ems set per hour from 3,545 in the fiscal year 1920 to

5,118, or 44 per cent more, for the fiscal year 1930. Likewise, the

monotype keyboard operators increased their average number of ems

per hour from 4,528 in 1920 to 7,214 in 1930, a gain of 59 per cent. Similarly, nearly every bindery operation showed large increases for

the fiscal year 1930 over 1920. The production of postal cards nearly trebled, the output for

the fiscal year 1920 being 699,300,420, as compared with 1,731,266,760

cards printed during 1930. In the last 10 years a total of 15,177,-

108,412 postal cards have been printed. The vast increase in postal

service printing during the 10 years 1921-1930 is further shown

in the supply of 9,815,523 money-order books, each containing

200 forms. The number of money-order books produced in 1920 was 773,930, as compared with 1,055,312 books in 1930, an increase of

36 per cent. GREATER PRODUCTION FEWER EMPLOYEES

The greater production during the fiscal years 1921-1930 was

liccomplished with several hundred fewer employees than were on

the rolls throughout the preceding 10 years 1911-1920. The average

number of employees for the fiscal year 1920 was 633 more than the

average for 1930. The. maximum number on the rolls in 1920 was

5,214, or 747 more than the highest number employed at any one time in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930.

The larger number of employees in 1920 were required to work

335,480 hours on overtime, Sundays, and holidays, while in the fiscal year 1930, due principally to the emergencies of tariff printing, the

overtime, Sunday, and holiday work had to be increased to 478,557

hours. The extra pay thus earned by employees in 1930 amounted to $566,581.08, as compared with $303,473.83 paid for overtime, Sunday,

and holiday work in 1920. The granting of higher rates of pay for

overtime, Sunday, and holiday work, as authorized by the Kiess Wage

Act of 1924, accounts for the great increase of compensation for the extra hours of labor in 1930.
Annual Report of the Puilic Printer 5

E3IPL0YMEXT RECORD

In view of the general imemployment situation, a vigorous effort has been made since July 1. 1930. to reduce the amount of overtime

by employing a larger force to handle the constantly increasing work

of the office. This situation vras anticipated during the fiscal year

1930, when 232 employees were added to the rolls, bringing the total on July 1, 1930, up to 4,419. From July 1, 1930, to elate 563 more

persons, including 155 on call, have been given employment, making

an addition of 795 employees to the force since July 1, 1929. The

number of employees on the rolls on December. 31, 1930, was 4,827,

which is still 387 less than the peak number in 1920. With the

appointments pending, the total enrollment will be approximately

4,982, the maximimi nimiber that the present work will justify.

ASSISTANCE PLEASES THE PKESK)ENT

The efforts of the Public Printer to assist in providing work for

the unemployed was recently called to the attention of the President

of the United States, who expressed his commendation of this assist- ance in the following letter

The TVhite House,

WasJiinffton, Xovem'ber 4, 1930. Mr. Ge€EGE H. C-\eteb.

Government Printing Office, Wa^sJiington. D. C. My Dear ;Me. Caetee : I was delighted to have your letter to-day indicating the fine assistance your Bureau is contributing to the general situation. Yours faithfully,

Heebeet Hoovee, APPPvECTATED BY TYPOGRAPHICAL TTXION

Columbia Union Xo. 101. International Typographical Union, of

Washington, also expressed appreciation of the Public Printer's

effort to aid emplo}Tnent by adoption of the following resolution

at its regtilar meeting on December 21. 1930

Whereas the present session of Congress has been devoted chiefly to tlie general unemplojrment situation, which, now as the winter months are setting

in, makes the suffering among the millions out of work more distressing; and

Whereas Public Printer George H. Carter, by eliminating overtime to a minimum, has increased the force at the Government Printing Office by

approximately 800 ; and

Whereas to further relieve distress among the unemployed in Washington

the Public Printer has appealed to the Civil Service Commission to waive,

temporarily at least, the geographic provisions of the rules—in short, to cut

out some of the unnecessary red t-ape during these trying times in relieving

distress by putting men and women to work—which will enable him to use

local help rather than from far-distant localities ; and
6 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Whereas Columbia'Typographical Union has in the past been able to take care

of its unemployed members, but realizing the general " economic earthquake,"

has to-day made provision in its regular meeting to provide means to meet the present unusual unemployment condition affecting its own craft : Therefore

be it Resolved, That Columbia Typographical Union No. 101 in regular meeting

assembled does hereby heartily and unreservedly indorse the action of Public

Printer Carter in his efforts to relieve unemployment here in Washington;

and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be furnished the President of the United States, the Civil Service Commission, the Public Printer, and the local

press. REIKJCTION IN THE OVERTIME WORK

A result of the increased force since July 1, 1930, is shown by

the great reduction in the hours of overtime, Sunday, and holiday

work required of employees during the first six months of the

present fiscal year as contrasted with the extra hours of employment

in the first six months of the preceding fiscal year. Overtime, Sunday, and holiday work for the six months ending December 31, 1929,

totaled 280,174 hours, and for the six months ending December 31,

1930, 28,214 hours, a decrease of 251,960 hours.

Notwithstanding the great reduction in extra hours of work, the

larger force actually working during the first six months since July 1, 1930, produced printing and binding to the computed value of

$406,000 more than the computed products for the first six months of

the preceding fiscal year, based on the same scale of prices.

In addition to providing work for more employees in the Government Printing Office since July 1, 1929, the Public Printer has

also materially aided employment elsewhere by purchases of machinery, paper, materials, and supplies amounting to $8,288,684.23

in the period of business depression and unemployment from July

1, 1929, to December 31, 1930. During that time $5,175,157.09 was

spent for paper and envelopes alone. The manufacture of these

products gave employment to a large number of workmen throughout the country.

PURCHASES ALSO AIDED EMPLOYMENT

The increase of purchases to aid employment elsewhere and to meet

the growing needs of this office was especially timely and highly com- mended by several manufacturers who otherwise might have been

compelled to discharge many of their employees. One of the largest

paper mills in the country, in expressing appreciation of increased

orders for its products, replied:

We wish to thank you for the splendid cooperation you are giving us in trying

to hold together our organization and keep them employed.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 7

The president of a well-known printing-machinery company, in

acknowledging the receipt of a substantial order for a number of its machines, wrote to the Public Printer recently

The work of building tiiese machines contributed very largely to our being

able to keep our factory people employed during the past three very dull months, so that the Government Printing Office has made a very substantial contribution toward the prevention of unemployment.

The Government Printing Office has also rendered service to the

President's Emergency Committee for Employment by expediting numerous printing jobs required to carry on the urgent work of that

organization. Thanking the Public Printer for this assistance, the

Secretary of Commerce stated in a letter of November 11, 1930

We were very much pleased with the expeditious handling of this copy by your office. Your assistance will enable the President's Emergency Committee for Employment to make distribution of the volume promptly and

thereby increase its effectiveness at a time when it will do the most good. Your

assistance is greatly appreciated.

NEW EXTENSION HELPED EMPLOYMENT

Construction of the $1,250^000 extension to the main building of the

Government Printing Office, which was completed on November 29,

1930, likewise provided work for many more men in Washington

and elsewhere during the last two years. The new extension will be fully occupied by the entire Division of

Construction and Maintenance, including its machine, carpenter,

paint, electrical, pipe, sheet-metal, blacksmith, and buildings sec- tions; the Division of Tests and Technical Control, including its extensive laboratory, ink, glue, and press roller rooms ; the Apprentice

School; sections of the Platemaking, Presswork, Stores, Accounts (including its files), and the Document Division, including its library

and sales office; all of which heretofore had inadequate quarters,

either in the main or old building.

APPRENTICE SCHOOL IN NEW QUARTERS

The first unit to move into the extension was the Apprentice School,

which occupied its new quarters on August 8, 1930. Since then sev- eral other units have been transferred to the extension, and it is planned to have all the moving completed in a few months, when the

much needed 8-story extension and garage will be entirely occupied.

The equipment and occupation of the new quarters required much

extra work, giving additional employment to a large number of men,

both in Washington and wherever the new machines and extensive

equipment have been made.
8 Annual Report of the Public Printer

NEW BUILDING PROPOSED

A still further opportunity to provide work during the present

unfortunate situation is presented in the Public Printer's proposal

of a much needed new building to replace the old dilapidated structure, which has been a fire trap for more than half a century. With

the removal of all the construction shops and the clerical force of

the documents office to the new extension of the main building, the

old building, part of which was erected in 1856, must be used for

storage and warehouse purposes until replaced by a fireproof

structure. The fire menace of the old building, with its all-wooden interior

and inflammable contents, has been called to the attention of Congress repeatedly by preceding Public Printers, and it now seems

timely to renew their recommendations for the erection of a modern

fireproof structure in place of the old, ramshackle building.

The rapidly increasing work of the Government Printing Office requires additional space if it is desired to have this establishment

function with proper efficiency. It is equally vital that the vast

stores, representing an investment of millions of dollars, be adequatel}^ safeguarded and conveniently located. For several years

additional warehouse space has had to be rented in a remote place at a cost of $1,000 per month.

The urgent need of a new building to replace the ancient structure was reviewed in the Public Printer's report last year and was dis- cussed at that time with the legislative subcommittee of the House

Committee on Appropriations, although a formal estimate was not

submitted for its consideration.

BUDGET ESTIMATE FOR NEW BUILDING

The Budget for 1932, as recently transmitted to Congress by the

President, submits an authorization of $4,000,000 for a new building

for the Government Printing Office and provides an appropriation

of $1,000,000 to begin and carry on the work during the coming fiscal year. The Budget paragraph, as proposed for enactment in the

legislative appropriation bill of the present session of Congress,

reads as follows:

New building for the Government Printing Office

There is hereby authorized an appropriation of not to exceed $4,000,000 for demolishing and removing old buildings now owned by the United States and

occupied by the Government Printing Office on the site bounded on the north by

H Street Northwest, on the east by North Capitol Street, on the south by area formerly known as Jackson Alley, and extending west approximately three hundred and eighty-four feet from North Capitol Street, and for constructing on said site or a part thereof a suitable building for the use of the Government

Printing Office, connecting with the present main building and including eleva-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 9

tors, conveyors, steel shelving, and heating, lighting, plumbing, and other neces- sary fixtures : Provided, That the preparation of plans, advertisement for bids, and award of contracts therefor and the supervision and approval of the work

shall be under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, who is hereby

authorized and directed to enter into contracts for the undertaking and completing the entire work at not to exceed the specified limit of cost: Provided

further, That the demolition of the old buildings and the plans' and design of the new building shall be subject to approval by the Public Printer. To begin

and carry on the work according to the foregoing authorization the sum

of $1,000,000 is hereby appropriated, to remain available until expended

(submitted).

The Budget for 1932 also contains the following note in explanation of the foregoing appropriation

The old buildings, with wooden floors and supports and rambling interior construction, have been repeatedly condemned as a fire trap and serious fire hazard

to the entire plant, and Army engineers have placed the safe load limit at a very low point. The weakened condition prevents proper and efficient use of the old buildings ; constant and extensive repair is necessary, and lack of usable

space requires expensive outside rental for storage purposes. The rapidly in- creasing work of the Government Printing Office demands additional operating room, which only can be secured by erection of the new building herein esti- mated for. The urgent need of a new building was fully set forth in the Annual Report of the Public Printer, 1929. NEED or A NEW BUILDING EXPLAINED

To complete the statement in regard to the need for a new building, the following extract is quoted from the Public Printer's report

for 1929, pages 40 to 42, inclusive

With the removal of the shops and stores from the old 4-story building at the corner of North Capitol and H Streets, that ancient structure, erected in

1856, will be used as a warehouse for paper and other materials. Unfortunately,

owing to its age and weakened condition, the fioor-load limits are very re- stricted. Less than half of the space can be utilized with safety, according to load limits fixed by engineers many years ago. The old building, with its wooden floors and supports and its rambling

interior construction, has been repeatedly condemned as a fire trap and a serious hazard to the entire plant. It ought to be torn down and replaced as

soon as possible by a modern fireproof structure having a frontage of at least 384 feet on H Street and 175 feet on North Capitol Street, the space now

occupied by the old 4-story building and the documents office. An 8-story

building of that size would cost approximately $4,000,000.

A new building is urgently needed for adequate warehouse facilities and for safe storage of the immense stock of valuable publications which this office has

to maintain for sale and for use by other departments of the Government. With the rapidly increasing work of the Government Printing Office, additional room win also be needed soon for the bindery and printing divisions. They

are already badly crowded and have no other space available for necessary

expansion. In such a structure space could also be provided for storing and mailing the

vast number of documents printed for distribution by Members of Congress.
10 Annual Report of the Public Printet

These documents are now delivered to the Capitol for storage and subsequently

conveyed to the city post office, near the Government Printing Office, for trans- mission through the mails. Storage in a building adjacent to the Government Printing Office v^^ould make

it possible to carry all these publications only a short distance from the work- rooms to the new warehouse, from which an automatic conveyor could deliver them direct to the city post office in a few minutes. In the same way the

millions of publications mailed annually by the Superintendent of Documents

are now carried by a belt conveyor, with a capacity of 360 sacks of mail an

hour, running from the documents building through a tunnel to the city post

office. The plan here proposed would be far less expensive than the present slow and

cumbersome method of handling the many hundred thousand documents printed

annually for congressional distribution. But an even more important reason

for the storage of documents in a fireproof building at the Government Printing

Office is that there would no longer be need to use a large part of the Capitol as a warehouse for such inflammable materials. The recent fires which seri- ously threatened to destroy the Capitol and the Executive Office revealed again

the grave danger that lurks in the accumulation of old documents in places

unsuited for such storage. Therefore, the Public Printer suggests that it is timely to consider the erec- tion of another building at the Government Printing Office for the storage and

mailing of congressional documents, as well as to provide a fireproof warehouse

for its own great stores of documents, papers, and other valuable materials.

If Congress desires, it could continue control over its documents stored in the Government Printing Office and designate the personnel required for that work

in the same manner as the Senate and House supervise their respective folding rooms. Separate and exclusive space could be assigned the documents for Senators and Members with all the safeguards and service of the present folding rooms at the Capitol.

HARDING HALL

An important building activity of the Government Printing Office during the past year was the reconstruction of Harding Hall on the

eighth floor of the main building. The large auditorium for the use

of employees and the printing industry was completed for formal

dedication on May 23, 1930, when appropriate exercises were held in

the hall, both afternoon and evening. Each program was attended

by 1,800 employees, who expressed their appreciation with a profusion of beautiful flowers which filled the commodious stage and

overflowed on each side of the proscenium arch.

DISTINGUISHED GUESTS AT DEDICATION . The guests included many distinguished officials in Government,

labor, and commercial organizations. For the afternoon program,

the address was delivered by Maj. George L. Berry, president of the

International Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North

America, and the invocation was offered by Kev. Z^Barney T.

Phillips, D. D., Chaplain of the United States Senate.
Annual Report of the Pithlic Printer 11

The guest speaker for the evening program was Mr. Charles P. Howard, president of the International Typographical Union, and

the invocation on that occasion vras offered by Rev. Francis J. Hurney, pastor of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of

Washington, D. C. Music on both occasions was furnished by the United States Marine

Band Orchestra through the generosity of Major General Commandant Xeville of the Marine Corps.

In conducting the exercises, the Public Printer pronounced the

official dedication of the hall in the following words

By virtue of the autiiority vested in me as Public Printer, I hereby christen

this beautiful auditorium " Harding Hall " in honor of our first printer President, and formally dedicate it to the service and enjoyment of the employees

of the Government Printing Office and the art preservative of all the arts

" Printing, the Mother of Progress."

GREETIXGS FROM PRESIDENT HOO^'ER

Many letters of commendation were received from invited guests

who were unable to attend the exercises, kindly expressing their

approval of the purpose for which the auditorium was dedicated.

The honor of the following message from the President of the

United States, under date of May 19, 1930, was highly appreciated

The White House,

Washington, May 19, 1930. Mb. Geoege H. Caeteb,

Public Printer, Washington, D. G. My Dear Me. Caetek : I thank you and the employees of the Government

Printing Office most cordially for your kind invitation to the dedication of your new auditorium.

I would like very much to accept, but the pressure cf duties makes it impossible for me to take on another engagement at any time in the near future. Please extend my greetings to those present at the dedication and my congratulations upon this new facility which will add so much to the interest and

attractiveness of the Government Printing Office. Yours faithfully,

Heebeet Hoo\t:r,

MESSAGE FROM AMERICAN LABOR CHIEF

The president of the American Federation of Labor, Mr. William

Green, also sent the following greetings to the officials and the employees of the Govermnent Printing Office, who were greatly pleased

by bis cordial interest in the occasion

Most sincerely I regret my inability to be present at the happy event of the

dedication of the new Harding Hall. We all rejoice that a fitting assembly room has been provided for those who operate the largest printing plant in the

world.
12 Annual Report of the Public Printer

It is appropriate that the Government of the United States should be a model employer. Labor takes pride, therefore, in the good conditions that

prevail in our Federal printing industry. The benefits of these good conditions are reflected in the efficient work and the spirit of good vrill that characterize the activities of your huge printing plant.

It is important that the Government printing plant should be efficient, for It serves the needs of all branches of the Government. The good conditions that

prevail make it possible for the employees to feel a real partnership in Govern- ment printing work. Without this spirit the problem of supplying the varied

needs of different Government divisions would be much more expensive for taxpayers.

The officials and employees of the Government Printing Office are to be congratulated upon the high quality of their work and the splendid conditions under which they work. As in the past the cooperation of the American Federation of Labor is pledged to support of better and higher standards for your

office. LETTER FROM HEAD OF THE TYPOTHET^

Another letter which was also heartily applauded by the audience came from the president of the United Typothetse of America, Mr.

George R. Keller, of Detroit, Mich., who thus addressed the Public

Printer

I have received your invitation to be present at the dedication of Harding

Hall in the Government Printing Office on Friday, May 23. I regret exceedingly

that I can not be with you.

I know that the building of this hall has been a matter very close to your

heart for several years and you are to be congratulated on the consummation.

I wish that I could be there to tell those who will be present in what high

regard you are held by the employing printers throughout the world. The

presence of two outstanding men in union circles testifies as to the regard

held for you by your employees.

Extending my sincere congratulations, I am, sincerely yours. LIST OF GUESTS AT THE DEDICATION

x^mong the invited guests who honored the dedication with their

presence at either one or both of the exercises were

Hon. Edgar R. Kiess, vice chairman Joint Committee on Printing of Congress. Hon. Edward M. Beers, chairman Committee on Printing, House of Representatives. Hon. William F. Kopp, of Iowa, Member of Congress. Hon. Alvin W. Hall, Director Bureau of Engraving and Printing, Treasury

Department.

Dr. Herbert Putnam, Librarian of Congress. Rev. ZSBarney T. Phillips, D. D., Chaplain of the United States Senate. Rev. Father Francis J. Hurney, pastor of the Immaculate Conception Church,

Washington, D. C. Maj. George L. Berry, president International Printing Pressmen and

Assistants' Union of North America.

Charles P. Howard, president International Typographical Union.

Frank Morrison, secretary American Federation of Labor.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 13

John B, Haggerty, president International Association of Bookbinders.

Felix J. Belair, secretary-treasurer International Association of Bookbinders.

Luther C. Steward, president National Federation of Federal Employees.

Miss Gertrude McNally, secretary National Federation of Federal Employees.

L. M. Augustine, secretary International Association of Printing House

Craftsmen. Edwin M. McGrady, legislative representative American Federation of Labor. George B. Christian, Washington, D. C, secretary to the late President

Harding.

Maj. Thomas Defrees, Washington, D. C, son of the first Superintendent of the Government Printing Office, 1861. Norman Dodge, president Mergenthaler Linotype Co., New York City. T. Frank Morgan, vice president Lanston Monotype Machine Co., Philadelphia, Pa. Thomas R. Jones, vice president and general manager Harris-Seybold-Potter

Co.. Cleveland, Ohio. Frederic W. Goudy, type designer, Marlborough-on-the-Hudson, N. Y. Harry Hillman, editor United Typothetse of America Bulletin. William M, Leath, president Columbia Typographical Union, No. 101, Washington, D. C. Fred S. Walker, secretary Typographical Union, No. 101, Washington, D. C. Hyter H. Ruggles, president Printing Pressmen's Union, No. 1, Washington,

D. C. Carl Van White, secretary Printing Pressmen's Union, No. 1, Washington,

D. C. Joseph H. Van Overmeer, president Bookbinders' Union, Local No. 4, Washington, D. C. Virgil V. Hutchinson, secretary Bookbinders' Union, Local No. 4, Washington,

D. C. Charles F. Markey, president Electrotypers' Union, No. 17, Washington, D. C. John A. McLean, secretary Electrotypers' Union, No. 17, Washington, D. C. Mrs. Nora A. Bechtel, president Washington Pressfeeders' Union, No. 1, Washington, D. C. Miss Matilda F. Koester, secretary Washington Pressfeeders' Union, No. 1, Washington. D. C. Bert E. Bair, president Washington Club of Printing House Craftsmen.

L. K. Johnson, secretary Washington Club of Printing House Craftsmen. A HISTORY OF HARDING HALL

An artistic brochure, containing the programs, history of the hall,

and pictures of the auditorium and the first printer President,

in whose honor it was named, was printed as a souvenir of the

notable event and presented to all the participants. It seems fitting

here to reprint and record this interesting history of the successful

effort that has been made to better the conditions of employment in

the Government Printing Office during recent years, and therefore

the following history of Harding Hall is quoted from the dedication

program

Harding Hall, named in honor of the first printer President, is the development

of an ideal which has inspired progressive improvements in the Government

Printing OflBce during recent years.
14 Annual Report of the Public Printer

This beautiful auditorium and the adjoining cafeteria, electric kitchens, recreation rooms, and apprentice school were made possible by utilizing a huge garret that for many years had been the playroom for hordes of rats amid

heaps of rubbish. With no other place then available, employees had to eat cold lunches in the workrooms or rush out in all kinds of weather to near-by restaurants for their noon and midnight meals. The largest printing office in the world had no

place for the recreation or assemblage of employees other than cotridors and

stairways. Yet with all these handicaps the employees made notable effort from time to time to express their patriotism and good fellowship in simple

exercises which could be attended only by standing in the hallways. A dilapidated piano and later a primitive phonograph furnished the music for the impromptu programs. Those rare occasions were followed by the munching of lunches in the workrooms, augmented at times by pies and coffee brought in by various

peddlers. Workbenches had to be used as lunch tables, and when the hasty

bites were ended with the call of " time " the remaining food was pushed

aside for the enjoyment of the rats and roaches that ran rampant throughout

the office. Such were the good old days," typical not only of the Government

Printing Office but also of nearly every other industrial establishment at that

time. PROJECT OF THE PRESENT PUBLIC PRINTER Immediately on assuming office in 1921 the present Public Printer, the Hon,

George H. Carter, Realized the urgent need for a change in such wretched conditions. Under his direction Maj. W. R. Metz, then Superintendent of Buildings,

prepared plans for converting the garret, which extended over the entire main

building, into a full story, thus making available approximately 45,000 square

feet of unused floor space for the cafeteria, assembly hall, recreation rooms,

apprentice school, and photo-engraving section. The massive concrete roof was raised—a remarkable feat of engineering; new walls were built, with adequate windows, and the floor reinforced to support

the additional load. Broad stairways were installed, and the new top story was made accessible by the extension of several elevators. Even the roof was utilized for the enjoyment of employees, who can now rest there in the open air or under a long canopy and view the city and the surrounding country.

All of these improvements were made with the unanimous approval of the

Joint Committee on Printing, to whom the employees of the Government Print- ing Office are sincerely grateful for the privileges that have been thus provided

so liberally for their comfort and enjoyment.

The new cafeteria began to function on January 23, 1922, and has been in continuous and successful operation ever since, serving more than 2,600 meals

every work day and night to the employees of this office. Last year, 814,895 orders for food were served, the gross receipts amounting to $232,212.67. SPONSORED BY ASSOCIATION OF EMPLOYEES

The cafeteria and all the recreational activities of the Government Printing

Office are sponsored and operated by the Government Printing Office Cafeteria and Recreation Association, a voluntaiy organization of employees which was

formed at the suggestion of the Public Printer. The association maintains a

staff of about 60 employees, all the wages of whom are paid from its own re- ceipts, which also provide for the purchase of necessary foodstuffs and the replacement of equipment originally installed by the Government.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 15

In addition, the Cafeteria Association has earned sufficient funds to finance numerous entertainments, including an annual Christmas treat for more than

2,000 children of employees and an annual picnic at a near-by summer resort. The association also controls the funds of the baseball and bowling teams and

the orchestra, composed of employees. Recently it has contributed liberally to the purchase of furn shings for the new Harding Hall, including all the draperies and stage equipment.

Numerous delightful entertainments and meetings were held in the old Harding Hall, which was opened for its first informal program on Christmas

Eve of 1921. Since then many distinguished persons have delivered addresses

at the annual Memorial, Fourth of July, Armistice, and Thanksgiving Day

exercises. Notable among other gatherings in the old hall were the reception attended by more than 100 Members of Congress in 1922, the entertainment of 1,600 members and guests of the United Typothetse of America and the Employing Bookbinders of America at their annual meeting in 1923, the concert given

by the Hamilton Club Chorus of Chicago at the 1925 inauguration, the lunch- eon and entertainment tendered the First Pan American Congress of Journalists in 1926, the banquets and entertainments of the Fourth District of the United Typothetse of America, the Potomac District Clubs of the International Association of Printing House Craftsmen, and the Association of Government

Buildings Superintendents.

The old hall was also used for the permanent displays by the Government

Printing Office and exhibitions by the American Institute of Graphic Arts and the division of graphic arts of the Smithsonian Institution ; all of which

attracted many visitors and proved of much interest to employees. OLD HALL FOUND TO BE INADEQUATE

Although the old hall had a seating capacity of 1,200 it was found to be

inadequate for the 4,500 employees of the Government Printing Office, for whom double exercises had to be held on every special occasion like Memorial

and Thanksgiving Days. Even then only part of the force could be accom- modated. The hall, with its low ceiling, exposed girders, and center columns,

also had very poor acoustics and ventilation, which prevented proper enjoyment of the purpose for which it was constructed. The little stage in a corner

of the hall likewise proved wholly inadequate.

Notwithstanding all these handicaps, the old hall was a decided improvement

over former conditions, when none of the enjoyments which it afforded were

possible in the Government Printing Office. During eight years of use the hall proved of such benefit to employees and service to the printing industry that

its success seemed to justify the construction of an auditorium which would more adequately provide for the needs of the office and offer better facilities to others interested in the graphic arts. Accordingly, the Public Printer sub- mitted a proposal to the Joint Committee on Printing for the reconstruction

of Harding Hall, and the plan was heartily approved on June 13, 1929. The demolition of the old hall, largely a work of removing the concrete

roof, was begun in June, 1929, and the reconstruction has just been completed.

The structural work of the new roof and walls was done by contract, as was the ornamental plastering and painting. All the other work has been completed

by the Construction and Maintenance Division of the Government Printing

Office under the able direction of its Superintendent, Mr. Alfred E. Hanson. 30591—31—2
16 Annual Report of the Public Printer

SEATS FOR 1,800 IN THE NEW HALL The new auditorium occupies practically tlie same space as the old hall, with

a width of 68 feet, but the length has been increased to 112 feet. The total seating capacity is now approximately 1,800'. The chairs on the main floor are removable, so that the hall may be used for other purposes. A balcony has

been added at the rear, with 286 fixed seats and a fireproof projection room

containing two motion-picture machines and a powerful spot light. The ceiling, which has a height of 20 feet, is formed of acoustical plaster,

paneled and studded with bronzed grilles of the Adams period for the ventilat- ing and indirect lighting systems. The center light grille is surrounded by

a beautifully bronzed sunburst. Above the ceiling is an attic of sufficient size to provide space for the elaborate heating and ventilating systems, which

can furnish a complete change of warm or cool air every 10 minutes.

NEW AUDITORIUM IS FULLY FIREPROOFED The fireproof roof is supported by 70-foot steel trusses, which eliminate the

center columns that interfered so seriously with the view and acoustics in the

old hall. Every precaution has been taken to make the auditorium safe. Adequate exits, including one from the balcony to the roof, have been provided.

The stage is one of the most attractive and interesting features of the new

hall. It has an opening of approximately 30 feet, a depth of 18 feet, and a

height to the proscenium arch of 14 feet, affording suitable space for entertain- ment purposes. The main curtain is of handsome gold silk velour. The olio, or second curtain, and the tormentors are gray, of the same material. The

cyclorama is reversible—one side is gray, shot with blue, and the other black. The valance and borders are of the same material as the curtains, all of which

are fireproofed. Foot and border lights of the latest type can produce any

desired combinations of three colors—red, white, and blue. At one side of the stage is located the large switchboard from which every

light on the stage and in the auditorium, 1,429 in all, can be operated for the dimming and blending of colors. This modern board and other equipment were

obtained by courtesy of the Secretary of the Treasury from the President

Theater, now being demolished for a Government building site. At the other

side of the stage are two well-equipped dressing rooms, the lower one for women and the upper one for men. For formal programs the stage has been furnished with an imposing desk

for the use of speakers. The carving, a reproduction of the oflOlcial crest of the Government Printing Office, is a work of the highest art, the product of Mr.

Otto H. Gaede, of the Government Printing Office carpenter shop.

The equipment and arrangement of the stage were under the supervision of Mr. William D. Skeen, whose ability in theatrical matters is well known and

highly appreciated.

A small orchestra pit has been provided for use in connection with stage

presentations. Back of the beautiful semicircular grilles on each side of the

stage are elaborate sets of musical bells and chimes, which can be played by

operating a keyboard in the orchestra pit or on the stage. A fine upright

piano and a concert grand piano are also part of the musical features, which

regularly include an excellent orchestra consisting of 24 talented employees.

ARTISTIC ORNAMENTATION OF THE HALL The walls of the main auditorium are ornamented by stately bronzed pilasters

with capitals and decorations of the Adams period. Between the pilasters on

one side are 10 cathedral-type windows reaching almost to the ceiling and
Annual Report of the Public Printer 17

draped full length with gold silk velour curtains. On the other side of the hall the pilasters are separated by the imposing entrance doors and attractive wall

panels, producing altogether a most pleasing and restful effect. Above the

pilasters are coves which extend the full length of each side of the hall and

across the front, containing approximately 1,000 electric lights which can be

blended in various colors or dimmed at the will of the switchboard operator.

Paneled wainscoting and grilles conceal the radiators below the windows.

Effective decoration has also been made on the broad facia of the balcony

with the artistic use of ornamental urns and festoons. An excellent plaque of President Harding, modeled under the direction of Mr. Edgarde Simone, the well-known Italian sculptor, forms the appropriate centerpiece of the balcony

decorations. The balcony is supported at the center by two mirrored columns. Underneath at the rear is a charming niche with a scored mirror background

in which is set a handsome terra-cotta drinking fountain supported by statuettes

in bronze.

It is impossible to portray the beauty of the architectural treatment of the new hall with its wonderful ornamentation of the Adams period. Harmonious

shades of bronze and gold prevail everywhere from the floor to the ceiling and

are carried out in the draperies, rugs, and other decorations. The color scheme was the gracious suggestion of Mr. S. L. Rothafel, of the Roxy Theater, New

York City, and was applied under the personal supervision of the Public Printer. Credit for working out the complete ornamental design for the plastering

and woodwork is due to Mr. J. A. Weber, architect, who was kindly assigned to

this intricate task by Mr. G. O. Von Nerta, technical officer of the Supervising

Architect's Office in the Treasury Department. Mr. Weber gave much personal

attention to the proper execution of his designs, for which he is entitled to the

highest praise. Mr. Victor Figallo, of Lenzner & Figallo, sculptors, modeled the plaster deco- rations in a most artistic manner. The plastering was admirably well done by

the Kraft-Murphy Co., also of Washington.

The decorative painting was executed under the personal supervision of Mr. Joseph Brunori, who has every reason to feel proud of his beautiful accomplishment.

The excellent woodwork was made and installed by the carpenter shop of the Government Printing Office under the direction of its skilled chief, Mr. Abraam B. Batton, who also assisted in general supervision. PRAISE FOR EXCELLENT WORKMANSHIP

The entire personnel of the Construction and Maintenance Division rendered

skillful and whole-hearted service in various other ways, and all are to be con- gratulated upon their splendid workmanship. In addition to those already

mentioned special credit is due to the following for the good work done under

their direction : Capt. Edward H. Brian and Mr. George B. Clum, of the elec- trical section ; Mr. Ovilup H. George, of the pipe and sheet-metal section, which

installed all the heating, ventilating, and plumbing systems ; Mr. Michael J. Mclnerney, of the machine-shop section; Mr. Daniel W. Bruce and Mr. Joseph

L. May, for the general helpfulness of their sections. In all the purchases and contracts for the work Mr. Ernest E. Emerson,

Purchasing Agent of the Government Printing Office, and his division rendered

excellent service. Praise is also to be accorded Mr. Edward G. Molander, formerly assistant structural engineer of the Government Printing Office and now of the construction division of the Veterans' Bureau, for preparing the preliminary plans for
18 Annual Report of the Public Printer

the remodeling of the hall; to Mr. Charles W. Barber, structural engineer of the Supervising Architect's Office, Treasury Department, for careful and competent checking of the structural design ; and to Mr. Edward F. Webb, associate

structural engineer of the Government Printing Office, for completing the plans, for assisting in the general supervision of contract construction work, and for numerous special features of the hall. The general contract for the demolition

and new construction, including the steel, masonry, and concrete work, was

executed by Mr. H. H. Herfurth, jr. Thanks are likewise due to Dr. Paul R. Heyl and Mr. V. L. Chrisler, of

the sound section of the Bureau of Standards, for acoustical analysis and recom- mendations ; to Mr. William Y. Brady, construction engineer, Supervising Architect's Office, Treasury Department, for construction advice; to Mr. F. R. Zinn,

of the United States Gypsum Co., for supervision of the acoustical plaster work

;

to Mr. H. V. Russell, of Barber & Ross, for the steel fabrication ; to Mr. John A. Hendricks, of Havre de Grace, Md., for the steel erection; to Mr. T. J. Vandorn,

of David Lupton's Sons Co., for advice concerning the cathedral windows; to Mr. K. K. Fritz, of W. B. Moses & Sons, for supervision and advice in regard to draperies; to Mr. Warren Ferris, printing designer of the Government Printing

Office, for the monogram design on the proscenium cartouche ; and to Mr. Nat

Glasser, of the Metropolitan Theater, Mr. Albert Waters, of the Savoy Theater,

and Mr. W. H. Colmer and associates, of the Earle Theater, for special advice

and courtesies. As a result of such efficient planning, expert advice, competent construction,

and careful supervision, Harding Hall has been completed for formal dedication to the art preservative of all the arts. May its beauty and charm of

to-day always endure—a glorious tribute to the first printer President of the United States. VARIOUS USES MADE OF THE HALL

Since the dedication exercises on May 23, 1930, Harding Hall has

been used on various occasions befitting the purposes of its construction. The first memorial service in the new auditorium was held on May 29, 1930, when the speaker was Gen. Charles P. Summerall,

Chief of Staff, United States Army, and the music was furnished by

the United States Arm}^ Band Orchestra.

Armistice Day was observed by a large audience, which enjoyed an

address by Judge Robert E. Mattingly of the Washington Municipal

Court, followed by an entertainment under the auspices of the Government Printing Office Units of the United Veterans of American

Wars.

For the Thanksgiving service of November 26, 1930, the auditorium was filled with 1,800 employees, who greatly appreciated an address

by Rev. Joseph Richard Sizoo, D. D., pastor of the New York Avenue

Presbyterian Church, Washington, D. C. The Thanksgiving audi- ence also enjoyed the initial appearance of the Government Printing

Office chorus of 40 voices, under the direction of Mr. Gerald L.

Whelan, accompanied by the Government Printing Office orchestra

of 30 members, under the leadership of Mr. William C. Buckingham.
Annual Beport of the Public Printer 19

The orchestra also entertains employees with a concert in Harding

Hall every Friday noon during the lunch period.

Other uses of Harding Hall in recent months include banquets and

entertainments by the Association of Government Buildings Superintendents, the Washington Club of Printing House Craftsmen, and

the Amateur Championship Baseball Series of the District of Columbia; the graduation exercises of the Government Printing Office school of apprentices on June 4, 1930; address to printers and

apprentices by Mr. Frederick W. Goudy, a noted type designer, on June 5, 1930; educational motion pictures; three evenings of enter- tainment and dancing provided by the Cafeteria and Recreation

Association for the employees of the Government Printing Office; and assemblies in honor of several retiring employees and to bid bon

voyage to Miss Kathryn M. McCaffrey, of the Bindery Division, who

was chosen by a Washington committee as the " typical Washington

girl " for a trip to Paris under the auspices of the Hearst newspapers.

ENTERTAINMENT OF NEWSPAPER BOYS

On December 23, 1930, the Government Printing Office enjoyed a

visit from 200 newspaper boys of America making their first annual

patriotic pilgrimage to the National Capital. The visit concluded

with a banquet in Harding Hall under the auspices of the American

Newspaper Boys Association and the Washington Times and Herald.

The year's activities in Harding Hall came to a happy conclusion on the afternoons of December 29 and 30, 1930, with the annual

Christmas entertainments and treats for 2,000 children of employees,

who greatly enjoyed the generous hospitality of the Cafeteria and

Recreation Association on those merry occasions.

It is the earnest hope of the Public Printer that Harding Hall will

be of continuing benefit and enjoyment to the employees of the Government Printing Office and the entire printing industry and that

their organizations may avail themselves of its privileges throughout

the coming years with all the enthusiasm that so auspiciously marked

the dedication of this attractive auditorium. Already invitations

have been extended to the International Association of Printing

House Craftsmen and the International Typographical Union to hold their meetings here during the celebration of the George Washington Bicentennial Anniversary in 1932. A similar welcome will be

accorded to any other organizations of the graphic arts whenever

they may meet in Washington.

APPRECIATION BY PRINTING HOUSE CRAFTSMEN

In appreciation of the Public Printer's dedication of Harding Hall

to the printing industry, the Washington Club of Printing House
20 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Craftsmen adopted the following resolution at its regular meeting

on June 9, 1930

Whereas the Hon. George Henry Carter, Public Printer of the United States

of America, and esteemed member of the Washington Club of Printing House

Craftsmen, has on numerous occasions in the past fostered and effected mechanical and humanitarian benefits to the printing industry, and

Whereas the said George Henry Carter has recently dedicated beautiful Harding Hall of the Government Printing OflSce to the employees of that department and to the art preservative of all arts, for the service, advancement, and

enjoyment of the industry: Therefore be it Resolved, That the congratulations, felicitations, and sincere thanks of this club be, and they are hereby, extended to the Hon. George Henry Carter

as an outstanding exemplar of the motto of this organization " Share your

knowledge."

The general committee of the Government Printing Office Cafeteria

and Recreation Association also gave a vote of thanks to the Public

Printer at its meeting on October 20, 1930, for providing Harding

Hall for the use of the employees of the Printing Office. COMMENDATOKY LETTERS FROM EMPLOYEES

Appreciation of the improvements that have been made for their

comfort, health, and enjoyment has also been expressed in many let- ters that the Public Printer has received during the year from pres- ent and former emploj^ees. The following extracts from a few of

the more recent letters are typical of the numerous commendatory

messages that individual employees have written of their own

accord

I served in the office 37 years and can truthfully say that you have wonderfully improved the office and shown more kindness and consideration for the employees than any preceding Public Printer, for which I thank you.

* * * I gratefully acknowledge the many years of employment given me—nearly

83—and regret that the span of human life does not permit me to continue

that number of years longer, especially under the greatly improved conditions that now exist, most of which have come since you have been Public Printer.

* * *

I also want to say that the conditions under which we have been working

since the beginning of your administration have been such as to make the eight

hours we spend in the office a pleasure.

* * * Assuring you of my hearty good will and that I will always have a kindly

feeling toward all those with whom I have been associated in the office and

that I will have nothing but praise for the Government Printing Office at all times, I have the honor to remain.

* * * In closing my connection with the Government Printing Office I wish to thank you and those under whom I have served for the many courtesies and considera-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 21

tions shown me, and to wish your administration of the Government Printing

Office the same success it has enjoyed in the past under your able leadership.

^ iti ^ You are to be congratulated for all the wonderful things you have accomplished.

4: 4: I congratulate you on your successful administration and know the employees

appreciate the numerous betterments of conditions in the office. * * * I wish to express my appreciation of the fair and impartial treatment I have

received at all times.

* * * On this glad Thanksgiving Day, when everyone is filled with the holiday

spirit, we are apt to forget the great blessings we have received during the year. There is always one outstanding thing or event tliat overshadows all others in our lives, and the one that I am most thankful for to the Giver of all good

things is that He has given us one who has added one blessing after another to the employees of the office, not the least of which are three raises of wages,

enabling us to live better and have more comforts than kings enjoyed a few

hundred years ago.

* * * August 1, 1882, I began work as an apprentice at the Government Printing

Office at North Capitol and H Streets. The Government Printing Office was a

comparatively small institution then, employing only a few hundred people.

The number varied, as there were frequent discharges, furloughs, etc. Since then I have been employed in the office at various times under various administrations and have seen the establishment gradually expand until it has

reached its present stupendous proportions.

I have witnessed the installment of intricate and wonderful mechanical equipment, which has eventually enabled the present numerous and highly efficient employees to produce a volume of finished product little dreamed of in the days

of the eighties.

I think we all should feel a sense of pride in the fact that we have been

permitted to participate in the operation of such a grand institution and

should strive to keep up the useful work that it is engaged in and thus contribute to the success of Uncle Sam.

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CAFETERIA

For the further benefit of employees, extensive improvements have

been under way for several months in the fireproofing and renovation of the cafeteria adjoining Harding Hall. The capable management of the cafeteria by the employees' association for the last nine

years has given assurance of its continued success and justified more

permanent improvements which have been approved by the Joint

Committee on Printing of Congress.

Accordingly, all the wooden walls and fixtures have been replaced

with brick and fireproof materials, the kitchen walls lined to the ceil- ing with white glazed tiles, and a 4-foot wainscoting of white tiles added to the walls and columns in the main dining hall. Large elec-
22 Annual Report of the Public Printer

trie refrigerators of white tile construction have been installed for

the better preservation of food supplies.

A fifth serving counter will provide more prompt accommodation

for the 2,200 employees who patronize the cafeteria at noon every

working day. Meals are also served at other periods through the

day and night, including breakfast and dinner for several hundred

employees.

The cafeteria has an average of 3,600 patrons every 24 hours and

has been a financial success for the employees' association as well as a beneficial service to the Government ever since its establishment by

the Public Printer in 1922. The gross receipts of the Cafeteria and

Recreation Association for its fiscal year ended October 20, 1930,

amounted to $266,292.20, which netted a fair surplus for safe

financing, although the cafeteria was operated on substantially a cost

basis. NEW RECREATION ROOM FOR EMPLOYEES

The increasing popularity of the cafeteria and auditorium has

prompted the Public Printer to provide a recreation hall for the use of employees during their leisure time. A space of 3,100 square

feet on the eighth floor of the main building was made available for

that purpose by the removal of the Apprentice School to the new

extension. This room, which connects with the cafeteria, Harding

Hall, and the bowling alleys, will be suitably furnished as a rest and

recreation place for employees. It can also be used as an exhibition

hall and conference room from time to time as occasion may require.

In recognition of its suggestion by Deputy Public Printer Greene,

the room has been christened " The Green Room," and its color scheme

will be in harmony with its name.

Reallocation of the space for this new service to employees also gave additional room to the bowling alley section, where two more

alleys have been installed at their own expense, thus providing six

alleys, which are operated and maintained by the association and

greatly enjoyed by employees. Various sections of the day force

have organized a bowling league, which holds its contests in the

evening, and the night force has similar league games in the daytime.

During the year a total of 65,387 games were played on the four

original alleys.

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE HON. EDGAR R. KIESS

Reviewing the comforts that have been enjoyed by employees of

the Government Printing Office through higher wages, better working

conditions, and greater privileges in recent years, it seems fitting to pay tribute in this report to a good and loyal friend, the late Hon.

Edgar R. Kiess, of Pennsylvania, whose steadfast and whole-hearted
Annual Report of the Public Printer 23

assistance during the IT years of his service as a member and vice

chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing made possible many

of these accomplishments.

In announcing the death of Vice Chairman Kiess, the Public

Printer posted the following statement on all the bulletin boards in

the Government Printing Office, July 21, 1930:

To the Officers and Employees of the Govenmient Printing Office: With heartfelt sorrow I regret to announce the death of Hon. Edgar R. Kiess,

vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, which occurred at Eagles

Mere, Pa., on Sunday, July 20. Mr. Kiess was a most faithful and helpful friend of the Government Print- ing Office. During his distinguished service on the printing committees of Congress he was enthusiastic and whole-hearted in always promoting the

best interests of this office. We are especially indebted to him for the Kiess

Wage Act, which has been so beneficial to the employees of the Government

Printing Office. That legislation alone will stand as an eternal monument to him. His deep interest in the welfare of the Government Printing Office was

again manifested recently by a special trip to Washington to participate as

acting chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing in the dedication of Harding Hall. Mr. Kiess's kindly greetings and assurances on that occasion have now become a fond farewell and an inspiration for the future. As an expression of our sorrow, the flag on the Government Printing Office will be at half-mast until after the funeral ; and, as a further mark of respect,

it is suggested that silence prevail throughout the office for a period of five minutes during the funeral services, beginning at 11 o'clock, Wednesday

morning, July 23. May God bless and preserve the memory of our dear friend, Edgar R, Kiess. George H. Cartee,

Public Printer. Following this sad message, a delegation of officials and employees

attended the funeral services at Williamsport, Pa., bearing beautiful

floral tributes from their fellow workers.

EMPLOYEES EXPRESS THEIR SORROAV As a further expression of their sorrow, the employees of the Government Printing Office adopted and had suitably engrossed and

bound these resolutions in appreciation of Mr. Kiess's friendship

Whereas the employees of the United States Government Printing Office have

learned with deep sorrow of the death of their true friend, Hon. Edgar Raymond

Kiess, late a Representative in the Congress of the United States from the

sixteenth congressional district of Pennsylvania; and

Whereas Representative ^iess, as chairman of the House Committee on

Printing and as vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, rendered

valuable aid to the employees of the Government Printing Office in many ways,

particularly in securing passage of the Kiess Wage Act, which has resulted in improving the condition of every employee of the Government Printing Office

;

and

Whereas we realize the loss of a stanch supporter who was always most

earnest in his efforts for the welfare of all : Therefore be it
24 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Resolved, That we, the employees of the Government Printing Office, being

deeply moved by his untimely demise, extend to the family of our late benefactor

sincere sympathy in their hour of bereavement ; and be it further

Resolved, That these resolutions be printed and a copy forwarded to the family

of our deceased friend.PRODUCTION FOR THE YEAR

As to the productive activities of the office during the fiscal year

ended June 30, 1930, it is gratifying to report that the output broke

all records, surpassing the banner fiscal year of 1929, which in turn

had excelled the war-peak fiscal year, 1918-19. The total computed

product for the fiscal year 1930 amounted to $14,096,520.25, an in- crease of $1,381,189.45, or 11 per cent over the computed product for

the preceding fiscal year, based on substantially the same scale of

charges. The estimated value of uncompleted work on hand July 1, 1930, which was not charged to the departments, was approximately

$2,270,000, the normal carry-over from one year to another.

The computed charges for the year exceeded the production costs, including every item of expenditures, by 1% per cent. Inasmuch

as the Public Printer is restricted by law not to create a deficit nor

to make a profit on the work of the Government Printing Office, the narrow margin of 134 per cent is as near a balance of receipts

and expenditures as is possible in a business exceeding $14,000,000

annually.

The unobligated balance of the funds available on June 30, 1930,

amounted to $125,134.15, which can no longer be used by the Public

Printer except in minor readjustments of outstanding orders. In- cluded in the unexpended balance is the sum of $63,000 in fulfillment

of a reserve pledge to the Bureau of the Budget.

In addition to the unexpended balance, the Public Printer deposited in the Treasury to the credit of miscellaneous receipts for the

fiscal year 1930 the sum of $412,874.23 from the sale of public documents and waste materials, a gain of $242,484.39 from these resources over the preceding year. UNEXPENDED BALANCES FOR 10 YEARS

The total returns that the Public Printer has made to the Treasury

from unexpended balances and miscellaneous receipts for the 10

fiscal years 1921-1930, inclusive, amount to $10,615,764.83, a net saving of this entire sum for the Government.

The vast expenditures for the fiscal year 1930 were reviewed by

the Comptroller General and passed his audit with a disallowance of

only $5.81 for an error which was corrected without loss to the

Government. This remarkably accurate record in accounting in- cluded the handling of approximately 106,000 semimonthly pay-roll
Annual Report of the Public Printer 25

accounts, totaling $9,683,066.41, and 7,774 purchase orders, amounting

to $4,700,000.

Substantial gains were made during the fiscal year 1930 in all the

operations of the productive divisions—printing, platemaking,

binding, and presswork—over their output for the preceding year. The total number of ems of type set in 1930 was 2,473,567,100, an

increase of 246,826,100, or 11 per cent more than in 1929. Linotype

operators increased their average number of ems set per hour from

4,992 to 5,118, and monotype keyboard operators from 7,148 to 7,214.

The Platemaking Division increased its output of electrotype and

stereotype plates to a total of 12,448,269 square inches, or 1,627,818

square inches more than were made in 1929.

The Presswork Division produced 586,530,941 actual impressions, an increase of 74,092,171 over the printed sheets for the fiscal year

1929. By combination or repetition of jobs on the same sheet, the

number of chargeable impressions reached a total of 2,364,948,413, an increase of 139,627,583 for the fiscal year 1930. During the year

173,742 forms were sent to press, an increase of 20,315, or 13 per cent more than for 1929. BIG INCREASE IN BINDERY OPERATIONS

The various bindery operations show increases of from 4 to 60 per

cent, including 452,673,407 sheets machine folded, an increase of

74,312,353 sheets; 159,676,789 signatures gathered, an increase

of 5,486,712 signatures; 51,738,999 copies wire stitched, an increase

of 6,721,243 copies; 56,041,685 books and pamphlets trimmed, an

increase of 11,048,795 copies ; 66,015,602 signatures sewed, an increase

of 7,414,887 signatures; 2,143,025 books cased in (cloth covered), an

increase of 474,321 books ; 3,424,186 book covers stamped, an increase

of 681,102 stamping impressions; 12,638,296 books and pamphlets

(paper covered), an increase of 2,090,792 copies; 34,997,757 sheets

machine ruled, an increase of 8,128,315 sheets; 161,098,129 copies

punched and drilled, an increase of 12,104,194 copies; and 3,972,821

tablets, an increase of 399,770 tablets. A total of 3,903,932,177 copies of all kinds of printed matter was

produced in the fiscal year 1930, an increase of 501,800,591 copies over the output for 1929. The largest item of printing included

blanks, notices, schedules, and cards, which totaled 3,652,174,274

copies for the year, an increase of 485,073,029.

Printed letterheads, noteheads, and envelopes reached a total of

118,052,666 copies, 3,422,849 more than in 1929. The number of

embossed letterheads, noteheads, and envelopes increased 861,689,

with a total of 1,618,850 for the year, which more than doubled the

amount of embossing done in 1929.
26 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The large increase of embossed stationery was due to more extensive departmental use authorized by the Permanent Conference on

Printing and approved by the Director of the Bureau of the Budget

during the year. Members of Congress personally pay for whatever embossed sta- tionery they order, amounting to only $694.35 for the fiscal year

1930.

VAST NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS

Books and pamphlets, exclusive of the Congressional Eecord,

bills, and patent publications, were printed in the fiscal year 1930 to the number of 106,117,777 copies, an increase of 6,846,845 over the

output for 1929. These publications contained 1,943,151 type pages,

a decrease of 41,213 from the number of pages printed in the pre- ceding year. The number of bound publications also fell off slightly,

with a total of 1,014,349 copies, a decrease of 51,467.

Annual reports for the fiscal year 1929, which were printed during

the fiscal year 1930, contained 20,877 type pages, a reduction of

38,063 from the total number of pages in the reports for the fiscal year 1920. The total cost of printing the annual reports for the

fiscal year 1929 was $233,902.99, or $126,533.66 less than was ex- pended for printing the 1920 reports and $23,271.89 more than for

the 1928 reports. The total number of copies of the 1929 reports was 469,829, or 11,879 less than were printed of the 1920 reports and

32,832 more copies than of the 1928 reports.

The largest annual report for the fiscal year 1929 was, as usual,

that of the Chief of Engineers, War Department, which contained

3,209 pages and cost $29,754.47 for 3,822 copies of the two volumes.

The Annual Report of the Public Printer for the fiscal year 1929

contained 125 pages and cost $1,087.07 as compared with the 716-page

report for 1920, which cost $7,057.25. The reduction in the Public

Printer's report has been due to the elimination of a large number

of statistical tables, which, according to law, are now kept on file instead of being printed. The cost of printing the Public Printer's

reports for the last 10 fiscal years has thus been reduced $40,681.19

from the expenditures for that purpose during the 10 fiscal years

1911-1920.

authors' alterations are costly

Charges for authors' alterations on printed proofs of their manuscripts amounted to $216,607.21 for the fiscal j^ear 1930, bringing the

total charge for the 10-year period, 1921-1930, up to $2,042,393.30.

The yearly charges for authors' alterations have ranged from

$228,597.30 in 1921 to $164,567.19 in 1923. The Department of Commerce leads in the 10-year expenditures

for authors' alterations with a total of $267,733.72. During the
Ammal Report of the Public Printer 27

same period, $246,142.19 was charged to Congress for alterations in

the proofs of its publications. The Department of Agriculture

ranked third with a total charge of $178,858.99 for authors'

alterations during the 10 years, 1921-1930.

Blank-book production continued to increase, with a total of

3,248,618 books for the fiscal year 1930, or 294,051 more than the out- put in 1929 and 786,386 more than in 1928. Three years ago this office began making most of the Government

blank books in accordance with decisions of the Joint Committee on

Printing and the Comptroller General requiring departments to comply with the law that blank-book work shall be done at the

Government Printing Office. This action brought about a radical

reduction in the sizes and styles of blank books and stenographers'

notebooks.

Of the 19 standard blank books now in use by all branches of the

Government service, approximately 500,000 copies were produced

by the bindery during the fiscal year 1930. Of stenographers' note- books, in four standard styles, 300,000 were made. Stock tablets,

in 25 sizes, totaled 720,000 for the year. The annual catalogue of blank books and supplies furnished by

this office contains 184 items that are now standardized and kept in

stock for departmental use. ECONOMY IN STANDARD BLANK BOOKS

Considerable economy was effected by producing these standard

blank books and tablets in larger quantities and placing them in stock

to fill orders from time to time from various establishments of the Government. By utilizing improved machinery and methods for quantity production, the Public Printer was enabled to reduce the cost, better the quality, and render more prompt service than had been

possible under the former contract system of procuring blank books.

The supplying of blank paper and envelopes to other departments

and establishments of the Government under the act of June 7, 1924,

has also developed into a large business, the receipts from which in

1930 amounted to $622,341.35, including cost of stock and charges

for cutting and packing, an increase of $86,923.46 over the preceding

year. All of the blank paper and envelopes are bought on specifications

and contracts approved by the Joint Committee on Printing, and

deliveries are inspected at the Government Printing Office the same

as all other materials for the public printing and binding. It has

been estimated that during the six years in which the Government

Printing Office has been supplying blank paper and envelopes in this manner a saving of approximately $250,000 has been effected, owing

to the lower prices obt*ained by purchases in larger quantities under
28 Annual Report of the Public Printer

contracts awarded by the Joint Committee on Printing. At the same

time better and more uniform quality of paper has been obtained.

TABULATING CARD PRINTING INCREASES

Statistical tabulating cards were printed during the fiscal year 1930

to the number of 29,044,500 for all the Government departments and

establishments using tabulating machines in Washington except for

the General Accounting Office and the Bureau of the Census. Since

July 1, 1930, the production has greatly increased and for the six

months ending December 31, 1930, reached a total of 23,425,200

cards. The rejections have been comparatively few, due to the

satisfactory paper stock which has been furnished.

Six new card presses have recently been installed, making a total

of 11 special presses now available for that work. These presses are equipped to print colored stripes on the cards, and several of them

have dating and numbering attachments, so that the office is now

able to meet any requirement in the printing of cards for tabulating

machines. An electrical device has been designed to test the thickness

of paper on the slitting machine so as to assure even greater uniformity in the thickness of the cards. A special attachment has also

been developed for the detection of spots and perforations, which

will likewise aid in the production of more satisfactory cards at all times.

All of the tabulating-card equipment has been moved to a more

suitable location in the new extension, where every facility has been

provided for the proper handling of this important work.

With the increased facilities and equipment for producing tabulating cards, the Government Printing Office has started to print

the General Accounting Office cards, but those for the present census

will be obtained from the tabulating machine company as requested

by the Director of the Census. During the last year the Public

Printer procured by contract approximately 75,000,000 tabulating

cards for the General Accounting Office and 380,000,000 for the

Bureau of the Census.

COST ACCOUNTING SYSTEM IS ACCURATE

Printing and binding for the fiscal year 1930 required the preparation of 62,303 work jackets containing specifications for paper, typesetting, stereotyping or electrotyping, photo-engraving, presswork,

various bindery operations, and delivery of the finished product.

A large number of the jackets covered more than one job each; in

fact, many single jackets were used to carry on throughout the year

such routine work as the printing of thousands of bills, reports,

documents, committee hearings, and patent specifications, each of

which was really a separate job.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 29

In all, 155,250 separate jobs of printing and binding were pro- duced during the fiscal year 1930, an increase of about 16,000 over

the jobs finished in 1929. There were 3,443 more jack<^ls written than in 1929, and the number on hand June 30, 1930, was 5,243, which was 924 less than the

number on hand at the beginning of the fiscal year. In connection with the writing of the work jackets, 55,033 esti- mates were prepared for the information of the ordering departments

and the guidance of this office. Bills, however, are computed on a definite scale of prices, based on the actual cost of similar classes of work. The computed bills for 1930 number 78,999, an increase of 3,080 over the preceding year. The fact that the total computed charges for the year, amounting

to approximately $14,100,000, came within less than 2 per cent of the

total expenditures for the same period is a high tribute to the effi- ciency of the estimators and computers and a definite assurance of

the accuracy of the system of cost accounting.

PLANNING AND DESIGNING OF THE WOKK

To further improve the planning of work in a more uniform manner and simplify production methods, a separate " lay-out " sec- tion was organized in the Planning Division during the past year. The duty of this section is to plan and lay out the more important

work before it is forwarded to the mechanical divisions. It is believed that the new procedure will effect worth-while economies

in a more systematic use of the proper equipment for a particular

job, as well as improve the standard of the work.

Two printing designers have been added to the staff of the Planning Division to aid in the creative motif of the art of printing.

Other artists will be employed for this work as the requirements may

justify to keep pace with the progress that is being made elsewhere

in the graphic arts. Already a number of special title pages and

other artistic printing have been designed for use in distinctive

publications.

The drive which began on October 14, 1929, to complete work

that had been on hand for at least 60 days has attained its goal and

the office is now on practically a current working basis. Owing to several unusual circumstances the number of 60-day-old jobs on hand

October 14, 1929, had reached a total of 2,133. According to the

weekly report for December 29, 1930, by continued and strenuous

efforts throughout the year, this overload of work has been reduced

to a normal condition, there being only 100 so-called 60-day jobs in

the office. Of these jobs 49 were out on proof, reducing the number

in the office to 51. It is intended to keep up this prompt service.
30 Annual Report of the Public Printer

MEASURES FOR EXPEDITING THE SERVICE

To assist in expediting the work the Government departments

have been required during the year tlpireturn proofs within 30 days

or else issue another requisition, if the work is to be continued, as a new job. In compliance with this rule 150 requisitions have been

canceled up to this time. Of the canceled requisitions, 99 were

revived later, but had to take their place in the order of new work.

An extra charge of 50 per cent is made for current work that is done on a "rush" order requiring it to be put ahead of other cur- rent jobs and handled in an extraordinary manner. The total extra charges for " rush " jobs in 1930 was only $38,268.21, indicating

that the great volume of work is being completed regularly in suffi- cient time to meet the needs of the Government service.

The Department of Justice continued to lead in the extra ex- penditure of $12,689.44 for the "rush" work which it required

during the year. Attorneys' briefs are frequently received late at night, with insistent demand for deliveries of printed copies the

next morning. The Printing Office thus bears the brunt of the final rush of attorneys whose time limit for court filings has about expired. In recognition of this service the following letter of thanks was received from Mr. Claude R. Branch, assistant to the Solicitor

General of the United States

All of our briefs were finished, so that we were able to file them in the Supreme Court to-day. I realize that we imposed a great burden upon you, and I appreciate the speed and accuracy with which you had the work done. Please accept the thanks of this department for your assistance in a time

which was very trying for us. HANDLING OF MATERIALS AND PRODUCTS

The shipments of materials and products to and from the Government Printing Office during the fiscal year 1930 weighed approximately 100,000,000 pounds, practically all of which tonnage was

handled in Washington by the motor trucks of this office. Shipments

of paper amounted to 58,434,973 pounds, which were received in 1,347 car lots, and 143 less-than-car lots. Other materials came in 1,111

less-than-car lots and 85 car-lot shipments.

Outgoing shipments included 10,130,425 pounds of postal cards,

requiring daily deliveries to mail trains.

Deliveries of office products to Government departments and

establishments in Washington totaled 129,397 for the year, a daily

average of 414 deliveries, 58 more per day than for the preceding

year. The Stores Division and delivery section did an excellent job in

handling the immense tonnage with due care and promptness,

notwithstanding their present inadequate quarters and equipment.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 31

Plans are in progress, however, to provide the Stores Division with

additional space and to enlarge the facilities of the delivery section,

which is already making good use of its new garage.

With the new 16-ton elevator, loaded motor trucks can be lowered

to the level of the basement floor, where a tractor and train of 12

trailers are used to convey the heavy shipments of paper to all parts

of the immense storage spaces. This handling is now done in half

the time and with a minimum of manual labor. By an inclined

driveway, motor trucks can also descend to another part of the basement for delivering and receiving goods which are handled by a continuous conveyor system. Electric tiering machines are used

throughout the storerooms for piling rolls and cases of paper, and

a tram-rail electric hoist facilitates the handling of the vast stock

of heavy postal-card paper rolls. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE HEADS LIST For the first time, the Department of Commerce has become the

largest customer of the Government Printing Office, with a total expenditure of $2,572,597.16 for its printing in the fiscal year 1930.

This sum includes charges of $1,191,228.24 for the Patent Office and

$1,381,368.92 for all other organizations under the Department of

Commerce. Heretofore Congress and the Post Office Department

have been yearly rivals for first place in the amount of work done

by this office. In number of publications printed during the year, the Department of Commerce easily held third place, with the Departments of

Agriculture and War far in the lead. Commerce publications for

the year totaled 8,360,570 copies, an increase of 2,368,198 over the

number printed in 1929. PRINTING FOR THE PATENT OFFICE

Work for the Patent Office consisted principally of printing 66,094

specifications of inventions, trade-marks, and designs, containing

176,047 type pages, an increase of 22,731 pages over the 1929 total. The copies for the year 1930 totaled 6,268,248, an increase of 578,840.

Patent specifications printing for the fiscal year 1930 cost $950,424.01, an increase of $159,408.49.

The weekly Official Gazette of the Patent Office totaled 294,372

copies for the fiscal year 1930 and contained 15,756 type pages. The

printing of the issues of the Gazette for 1930 cost $237,883.32, an

increase of $25,548 over cost of 1929. Type set for all issues of patent specifications and the Official Gazette in 1930 totaled 482,565,000 ems, which kept at least 64 linotype machines busy eight hours every workday throughout the year. 30591—31 3
32 Annual Report of the Public Printer

LARGEST ISSUE OF PATENT SPECIFICATIONS

The largest weekly issue of patent specifications ever printed was

the issue of June 24, 1930, which included 3,174 patents, being four

times the normal number. The extraordinary issue of that date was due to the rush of patentees to escape the increase of fees that

became effective by law on June 1, 1930, and to the requirement of

the Patent Office that the specifications shall be printed the fourth

week after the closing of each issue. No advance notice was given to the Public Printer to prepare for

such an emergency, but, notwithstanding the suddenness of the tre- mendous task, the Government Printing Office was able to deliver

the printed specifications and Gazette within the required time limit.

Ninety-five linotype machines had to be kept busy on this work

12 hours a day for 5 consecutive days. In addition, 58 machines

worked overtime at night to set the immense amount of type required

for the printing of the specifications within the arbitrary time limit

set by the Patent Office. This almost unbearable hardship on the

operators and proofreaders was unavoidable under the circumstances, but the Public Printer has informed the Patent Office that

he would not feel justified again in imposing such a strain upon

them.

PUBLIC PRINTER APPEALS TO DEPARTMENT

To avoid a recurrence of the difficulty, the Public Printer advised the Secretary of Commerce of the facts in the following letter,

dated July 16, 1930, and suggested a modification of the Patent

Office rules so as to provide for the printing of a reasonable number

of patent specifications within the 3-month period allowed by law

In view of the recent tremendous increase in printing patent specifications

which almost overwhelmed this office, I respectfully request that rule 167 of the Rules of Practice in the United States Patent Office be amended so as to restrict the issue of patents on any particular date to a reasonable number which can be

printed by this office within the time specified.

The rule now provides that the issue shall close weekly on Thursday and that the patents bear the date as of the fourth Tuesday thereafter, which allows the Government Printing Office less than four weeks in which to print and make

available the patents on or before the date arbitrarily set by the Commissioner

of Patents. The law (U. S. Code, title 35, sec. 41) provides that "every patent

shall issue within a period of three months from the date of the payment of the

final fee." It is thus possible for the Commissioner of Patents to date patents

ahead for printing within a period of three months instead of a period of less than four weeks as now required by rule 167. If the Commissioner of Patents so desired, he could under the law date a

limited and reasonable number of patents as of the fourth Tuesday after the

close of the weekly issue and prorate the remainder of that issue for the suc- ceeding Tuesdays within a period of three months.

This request is the result of the tremendous task which the Government

Printing Office successfully undertook in the printing of 3,174 patent specifica- tions and the Gazette for the issue of June 24, which followed an issue of
Annual Report of the PiMic Printer 33

1,723 patents for the preceding week of June 17. The issue of June 24 was

nearly four times the normal issue, and it could not have been printed in time

if extraordinary measures had not been adopted by this oflSce. BUEDEN PLACED ON THE PRINTING OFFICE

It was necessary to use 95 linotype machines in setting the vast amount of type required for the issue of June 2-1, and the operators of these machines

had to be kept at work 12 hours a day for 5 consecutive days. In addition,

approximately 58 linotype machines were used for the available time remaining on the 12-hour shift of the night force, which was employed on patent

printing after completing the urgent congressional work of the night. These

long hours of service proved to be an almost unbearable strain on the workmen

and resulted in a great hardship, which I do not feel justified in again imposing on them. However, they responded splendidly to the emergency, of which we had no waniing from the Commissioner of Patents, and succeeded in completing the issue on time, which I do not believe the commissioner himself

thought was at all possible. I have not received any expression of appreciation

from him, but felt that it was my duty to congratulate the employees for the wonderful service they had rendered, as shown by the inclosed communication

[not printed] to them which was printed and posted throughout the oflSce. STATEMENT OF WEEKLY PATENT ISSUES The following statement shows the unusual burden placed upon this oflBce by the issues of June 17 and 24, in comparison with the more normal issues for several weeks preceding and following those dates

Jan. 7-Apr. 29 (average) May 6 May 13 May 20 May 27 June 3 June 10- June 17.. Juneii..

July 1 Julys

July 15 July 22 July 29 (estimated)

Patents

i Designs

j

1

Trade- marks

865 40 i 175

1, 020 40 1 304

965 53 j 308 912 44 167 1,036 50 240

1,276 48 1 166 L 497 51 1 136 1,723 61 I S3S s,m m 1, 379 if.| 240

461 53 392 522 44 ' 331 494 68 i 200

575 58! 110

I invite your attention particularly to the great decrease in the issues for July 8, 15, 22, and 29. These small issues indicate that if the Commissioner

of Patents had restricted the issue of June 24 to a reasonable number which

this office could handle under normal conditions—approximately 1.200—the remainder of that abnormal issue could have been absorbed in the issues of the

following weeks without imposing any undue burden on this office. As a matter of fact, it was necessary to charge the Patent Office $9,770.52 for the overtime work required on the issue of June 24. This additional charge

would not have been necessary if the issue on that date had been limited to a

reasonable number of patents. PROPOSED REGULATION OF WEEKLY ISSUE Although the issue of patents has dropped below the normal number since that time, I have been informed that when the additional force of the Patent
34 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Office gets in full operation there will again be a very decided increase in the weekly issue of patents. I can assure you that this oflSce will do everything

in its power to meet the situation, but we ought not to be required to print more than approximately 1,200 patents for each issue. This number would be an

increase of about a third over the former normal issues, and I believe it will safely meet the requirements of the increased force of the Patent OflSce. I therefore respectfully urge that immediate consideration be given to the- amendment of rule 167 of the Rules of Practice so that a limit may be placed on

the number of patents to be printed as of the fourth Tuesday after the closingi of the issue at approximately 1,200 patents and that the excess number of any

specific issue be prorated to bear the dates as of the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, or whatever Tuesdays may occur thereafter within the period of three months

as provided by law. Thanking you for whatever consideration you may feel disposed to give to this suggestion and assuring you that the Government Printing Oflace will continue

to do its utmost to give satisfactory service, I beg to remain, respectfully yours. COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS OBJECTS

The Commissioner of Patents, in replying to the Public Printer's

proposal, admitted that the rule could be changed to comply with the

suggestion but claimed that there would be grave danger of invalidating some patents by a longer delay in their publication. If this

is true, then the practice of delaying each issue for nearly a month,

which the commissioner states has continued for over half a century,

likewise endangers the validity of many patents during the four

weeks he has allowed between the date of issue and publication of

patents. As a matter of fact, the law authorizes the commissioner

to issue a patent any time within three months from the date of

payment of the final fee, and the limitation of issue within that

period as proposed by the Public Printer complies fully with the

law.

However, the matter appears to have been adjusted satisfactorily

by a statement from the Acting Secretary of Commerce, Hon. E. F.

Morgan, under date of August 21, 1930, that it does not appear likely

any further weekly issue of the Patent Office, even with the in- creased personnel, will exceed 1,200 patents, the number suggested

by the Public Printer as a fair limit for a single issue. SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENT, SAYS SECRETARY

In his reply the Acting Secretary of Commerce kindly expressed

his appreciation of the timely printing of the record-breaking issue

of patents for June 24, as follows

The department regrets that no formal acknowledgment was transmitted of

its appreciation of the hearty cooperation of the Government Printing Office in the printing of the patents and Gazette for the issue of June 24. It was a splendid achievement and reflects great credit on your organization.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 35

The Acting Secretary of Commerce transmitted with his letter a memorandum from the Commissioner of Patents, which contains

the following appreciative comments concerning the work of the

Government Printing Office

Our issue division is on very cordial terms with those in the patent section of the Government Printing Office and certainly expressed to them appreciation of the work done in getting out on time the unusual issues in June. We also appreciate the fact that getting out our weekly issue of patents and the

Official Gazette, with its 1,200 original cuts each week, is probably the biggest piece

of printing in any department of the Government, and we rejoice in the fact that through the cooperation of the Government Printing Office it has not been late for a number of years, whereas before the appointment of the present Public Printer and the present commissioner the Official Gazette was frequently late—sometimes as much as 10 days—and therefore had to bear two dates, one the date of issue of the patents and trade-marks and the other the date of delivery.

SUR\TEY BY THE BUREAU OF EFFICIENCY

Evidently acting upon the statement in the Public Printer's annual

report for 1929 that cop}^ for patent specifications presents the most

difficult task in Government printing owing to its lack of proper

preparation by the Patent Office, the Department of Commerce re- quested the Bureau of Efficiency to make an extensive study of the

subject. Dr. George C. Havenner, an able authority on Government

printing, was assigned to this survey by the Bureau of Efficiency and

submitted a report several months ago, which substantially sus- tains the recommendations in the Public Printer's annual report for

1929. Transmitting Doctor Havenner's report for consideration by the

Public Printer, the administrative assistant to the Secretary of

Commerce wrote under date of August 4, 1930

At the request of this department the United States Bureau of Efficiency detailed Dr. George C. Havenner to make a study of the printing work performed

by the Government Printing Office for the Patent Office. Doctor Havenner con- ducted an extensive survey and recently submitted a comprehensive report with

several recommendations looking towards a more economical handling of the work. Attached is a copy of that part of the report wherein recommendations

are made which have a bearing on the work performed by your office. It is believed that arrangements may be readily effected to adopt these rec- ommendations, which it is hoped will result in economies in your office as well

as in this department. However, before giving instructions as to the adoption

of the recommendations, the Secretary of Commerce would be pleased to receive your comments as to their merits from the standpoint of the Government

Printing Office. Particular attention is called to the first recommendation, which provides

for the setting up in the Patent Office of a section of copy editors to prepare

printer's copy of patent specifications. Subsequent to the survey of Doctor Havenner the examining corps of the Patent Office w^as considerably increased,

and it will undoubtedly be necessary to increase to some extent the personnel
36 Annual Report of the Public Printer

of the proposed unit. The Patent Office will have to request additional funds

from Congress for this new force, and it will be of valuable assistance to us

if you could estimate how much savings could be expected in the charges of your office if the specifications were properly edited and in good shape when

forwarded to you. Briefly, Congress will expect us to reduce our printing

appropriation by even a greater amount than will be required for the new unit, and we would appreciate your observations as to whether this would be

possible.

Will you kindly let the Secretary have your views on the recommendations

as well as the proposed agreements? If there are any other points which

present themselves to you in this connection and you would like to incorporate

them in your letter, they will receive careful consideration, as the department

is quite anxious to adjust all of these related questions at the same time. RECOMMENDATIONS OF EmCIENCy EXPERT

The recommendations and suggestions of Doctor Havenner, the

Bureau of Efficiency expert, so far as they affect the preparation of

printer's copy of patent specifications, are as follows

1. That there &e estaMished in the Patent Office a division or section of copy

editors and typists to prepare satisfactory printer's copy of patent specifications.

It is believed that a corps of seven expert copy editors and three typists can do this work. This would save the Patent Office and the Federal Government

many thousands of dollars each year over and above the cost of the pro- posed division or section, and relieve the employees ' of the Government

Printing Office from doing work that should be done by the Patent Office.

2. That all inserts in patent specifications of 15 words or less de v)ritten by

the Patent Office in their proper places in the copy. Amendments of one or two words are written by the Patent Office examiners

in their proper places in the copy, but amendments making one or two lines are seldom written by Patent Office employees in their proper places in the

specification.

From January 1 to April 30, 1930, the copy editors of the Government Print- ing Office edited the copy for 15,315 patents. The Government Printing Office reports that in this number of patents there were 5,558 short amendments

making 8,745 lines that should have been written by the Patent Office in their proper places. I examined many of these cases and found that a large number

of the amendments consisted of less than 15 words which should have been

written by the Patent Office in their proper places in the copy. To avoid

passing copy from one linotype operator to another operator the copy editors

in tlie Government Printing Office copied many of these amendments on slips of paper and pinned them to the sheet of copy in which the amendment was

to be inserted.

S. That when the same amendment is to de inserted in two or more places

in a specification on different sheets of copy, extra Copies of the amendment

he prepared hy carhon process and a copy pinned to each sheet of the specifi- cation copy ichere it is to be inserted.

It frequently occurs that the same amendment is to be inserted in two or more places in the specification on different sheets of copy. In some cases of

this kind it is now necessary to pass the same amendment or sheet of copy to two or more linotype operators. This results in considerable loss of time when-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 37

ever one or more operators are required to wait on some other operator who

is setting the amendment for insertion in his " take " of copy. Extra copies of amendments of this nature should be made by the Patent OflSce and a copy of the amendment attached to each sheet of copy where it is to be inserted.

4. That greater care 6e o'bserved "by the employees of the Patent OMce in indi- cating on the patent jacket the numter of claims made for the invention.

It frequently occurs that there are more claims for the patent than is shown

by the jacket. This sometimes results in the renumbering of the claims by the

printer and the sending of proof to the Patent Office for checking.

5. That greater care he o'bserved lyy the employees of the Patent Office in recording the name of the inmentor on the jacket, to avoid the necessity of sending proof to the Patent Office to have the name of the inventor as recorded on the jacket checked loith his signature to the specification.

It is frequently necessary to send proof to the Patent Office solely for the purpose of having the name of the inventor as written on the jacket checked

against the inventor's signature to the specification to determine the correctness

of the spelling or some other point that is not entirely clear. This check should be made before the copy is sent to the Government Printing Office, thus avoiding

the special submission of proof to the Patent Office to have this one item in the

printed patent verified.

6. That the copy of the argument in support of the patentee's claims for the invention be removed from page 2 and attached to page 3 of the jacket along

vyith all other papers which form no part of the printer's copy. At the present time the patentee's argument in support of his invention is left attached to page 2 of the jacket along with the printer's copy for the

specification of and claims for the invention, thus requiring the copy editors, linotype operators, and proofreaders in the Government Printing Office to handle much material that is not to be included in the printed patent.

7. That the Patent Office put on the face of the jackets for puUished trade- marks all matter that is to be printed as a part of the published trade-mark

section of the Official Gazette and as a separate. The jacket is the printer's copy for the heading and text matter that accompanies the illustration of the mark. To set the few lines of type for each published trade-mark the linotype operator is required to turn each

jacket four times in his copyholder. If all of the matter to be set were shown on the face of the jacket it would expedite this work and result in some economy. ACCEPTANCE TO SAVE $50,000 ANNUALLY

In accepting the foregoing recommendations, the Public Printer

advised the Secretary of Commerce on October 9, 1930:

A careful study has been made by all concerned in this office of Doctor

Havenner's report as submitted by you, and I am pleased to advise you that

his recommendations and suggestions are acceptable to the Government Print- ing Office with a few minor modifications. As a matter of fact, the recommendations are in accord with numerous suggestions which this office has presented

to the Patent Office from time to time.

If the recommendations are fully complied with by the Patent Office, the Public Printer believes that a substantial economy can be effected in printing for the Patent Office and is willing to make a reduction of 15 cents per thousand ems
38 Annual Report of the Public Printer

in composition charges to the Patent Office as soon as the recommendations and

suggestions are put into effect. Based on the amount of composition charged to the Patent Office for the past three years, this will effect a reduction of approximately $50,000 a year in the charges to that office. It is to be understood, of course, that this reduction could be made only if the copy for patent specifications is properly prepared in the Patent Office so that it can be handled by our typesetting-machine operators and proofreaders

in the same manner as other copy which is correctly prepared for printing.

The following reply was received from the administrative assist- ant to the Secretary of Commerce under date of October 10, 1930

I am acknowledging receipt of your letter of October 9, with reference to the proposed changes in the miethod of submitting copy to the Printing Office for patent specifications and will be glad to see that your suggestions are given

consideration at once. We have included in our estimates for the next fiscal year provisions for

setting up a unit of copy editors and typists to prepare the specifications at the Patent Office. * * * of course, it will not be possible to set up the unit

prior to the appropriation becoming available but you have our assurance that everything necessary will be taken care of as soon as possible.

EMERGENCY JOB FOR THE CENSUS BUREAU

Another emergency job which the Government Printing Office was

required to do for the Department of Commerce during the year was the making of 126,622 portfolios for the 1930 census enumerators. After delaying the order for months, the Census Bureau

submitted its requisition for the portfolios on December 10, 1929,

and 12 days later approved the sample prepared by this office. Delivery as speedily as possible was requested, owing to the limited

time left for distributing the portfolios to the census enumerators

throughout the United States. The first delivery of 10,000 was made

on January 22, and the completed delivery on February 19, 1930.

This remarkable production was possible only by the adoption

of numerous innovations in the various bindery operations and the

special use of machines instead of the usual handwork, which saved

$26,000 in the cost of the job as originally planned by the Census

Bureau. The entire job required 3 carloads of binders' board, 13,000

yards of buckram, 56,000 yards of tape, and other materials in

proportion.

In preparation for the printing of the 1930 census reports and

statistics, the Public Printer has recently replaced 34 old monotype

casters with an equal number of new and faster machines and has

added 10 monotype keyboards to the already large battery of similar machines. However, very little copy has been received as yet

for the printing of the 1930 census reports and statistics.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 39

CONGRESSIONAL WORK

Congress stands next to the Department of Commerce in the vol- ume of printing and binding. Congressional printing and binding

for the fiscal year 1930 cost $2,499,510.50 and almost exhausted the

annual working capital of the Government Printing Office available

for that purpose.

The largest item in the printing bill for Congress is the Congressional Record, which cost $758,693.94 for the fiscal year 1930, an in- crease of $178,404.63 over the preceding year. The Record printing

charges for the fiscal year 1930 included the daily issues of the first session of the Seventy-first Congress, the entire bound edition for

that session, and the daily issues for the second session. The cost of

the daily and bound Records for the first session of the Seventy-first

Congress was $374,710.52, and for the second session, $766,616.07.

DISTRIBUTION AND SALE OF THE RECORD

The daily Record averages about 36,000 copies, including 88 copies

allotted to each Senator and 60 to each Representative for free dis- tribution. Paid subscribers to the daily Record for the present

session number 520, which is about the average number of subscriptions each session.

If a Member of Congress does not exhaust his quota of daily

Records, he is allowed to have a limited number of bound sets of the

permanent Record of each session. In all, 3,000 sets of the permanent Record of each session are bound for distribution by Members

of Congress.

The permanent Record for the second session of the Seventy-first

Congress from December 2, 1929, to July 3, 1930, filled 12 volumes

containing 13,366 pages. Although Members were allowed until

July 21 to submit withheld speeches, the final volume, including the

index, was completed on October 13, 84 days after the last issue of

the daily Record.

For the second session of the Seventy-first Congress, 166 numbers

of the daily Record were issued, with an average of 80 pages each,

the highest average ever maintained for a long session of Congress.

The largest Record of the session contained 144 pages, and there were 34 issues ranging from 100 to 135 pages each. Approximately

2,300,000 pounds of newsprint paper were used in printing the daily

Record for the second session of the Seventy-first Congress.

IMPROVEMENTS IN PRINTING DAILY RECORD

A number of improvements have been made in the printing and

delivery of the daily Record in recent years, the latest change being

the use of an entirely new and more legible type face beginning with
40 Annual Report of the Public Printer

the first number for the third session of the Seventy-first Congress on December 1, 1930. The new dress of type, which was approved by

the Joint Committee on Printing, will increase the number of

pages about 15 per cent on account of the more open letters and

wider spacing between lines, but it is thought that the greater

legibility and better typographic appearance of the Record will

fully justify the additional expense. There had been no change

in the Record type since the replacement of hand composition by

typesetting machines over 25 years ago. Even then only minor

changes were made in the original face which had been used from

the beginning of the Congressional Record in its present form

in 1873.

During recent years a complete equipment of new and more

efiicient machines has been installed to improve every operation

in the printing and binding of the Record. Seventy-two of the

latest model linotype machines are now available to set the type

required to complete the publication of the Record on scheduled

time every day that Congress is in session.

BETTER EQUIPMENT FOR THE WORK

In addition to the new typesetting machines, which were

especially designed for Congressional Record work although useful

at other times for various publications, the Platemaking Division has

been equipped for better and faster production of stereotype plates

with a 5-ton metal pot, electrically heated and pump-operated, and

an hydraulic molding machine which molds and dries the mats for

eight Record pages at one operation.

The presswork, bindery, and mailing operations for the Record

have been removed from separate locations on several floors and

united for straight-line service at a central place where two new

64-page Record presses were installed several years ago. With an

additional press of the same size to be installed soon, the office will

then be equipped to meet any emergency in printing the Record and

will be enabled to produce additional copies whenever Congress may

decide to increase its distribution.

Regular delivery of copy for the printing of the daily proceedings

does not begin until 7 o'clock in the evening, and Members are allowed until midnight to withhold their remarks for revision or

correction. If there is a night session of either House, copy may

be received after midnight, but the Record is printed on time the

next morning regardless of its size. RECORD ISSUED ON SCHEDULED TIME

A newspaper time-schedule was established by the Public Printer

several years ago for the various operations in connection with the
Annual Report of the Public Printer 41

printing and delivery of the daily Eecord. Since then there have

been very few delays. The schedule provides that the city delivery

shall begin not later than 5 a. m. and the mailing of out-of-town

copies completed not later than 8 a. m. The city deliveries are completed before 8 o'clock each morning.

During the last session every issue but one was mailed before 8 o'clock in the morning. This prompt service enables the post office to place the Record mail sacks on early-morning trains and speeds

up their delivery to distant points one or two days sooner than was

• possible under the old practice of completing the mailing whenever

convenient on the day following the proceedings in Congress.

A typical example of the ability of this office to complete the

printing and delivery of the daily Record on time, regardless of its size or the late hour of adjournment, occasioned the following com- ment in the Washington Herald of July 5, 1930

A 150,000-worcl issue of the Congressional Record brought to Senators and

Representatives yesterday the whole cold-type story of the fever and flurry of Thursday's closing session of Congress.

Although the Senate did not adjourn until 10.37 p. m., the Record was out on time this morning. The Record covered 127 deep double-column pages. SPEED IN PRINTING AND DELIVERY

Even greater speed was shown recently in the printing and delivery

of the 160-page Record of December 20, 1930, when both Houses of

Congress remained in session until midnight. The last copy for

printing the Senate proceedings of that day was not received until 2.15 a. m., and the linotype section was not able to lock up the last form for plating until 4.25 a. m. The presses started at 5.10 a. m. and completed the edition of 36,500 copies in time for the city delivery to begin at 6.30 and for the entire mailing to be finished by

8.30 the same morning.

Many compliments have been received from Members of Congress

for the promptness and accuracy with which the daily Record is printed, notwithstanding the numerous requirements over which this

office has no control, such as the withholding of speech copy until

midnight, late night sessions, and the uncertain number of pages

until all the manuscript for the day's proceedings has been received.

Typical of these comments are the following quotations from letters of appreciation which the Public Printer received during the year

From Congressman Cannon of Missouri

Unquestionably your force in charge of the Congressional Record is the most efficient corps of men in the world. From Congressman Kvale of Minnesota

I may say that I have nothing but admiration for the manner in which your

offices are conducted.
42 Annual Report of the Public Printer

COST OF CONGRESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS

Congressional publications, other than the Kecord and bills, cost $1,040,203.33 for printing and binding 4,910,630 copies, including

hearings, reports, documents, and various papers, in the fiscal year

1930. The expenditure was $228,262 less than for the preceding

3^ear, although the number of copies increased 501,936. Of bills,

resolutions, and amendments for various stages of their consideration

by the Senate and the House, 8,859,918 copies were printed, an in- crease of 1,688,901 over the preceding year. The cost, $451,334.27,. was $58,962.34 more than for the fiscal year 1929. During the second

session of the Seventy-first Congress covered by this report, 11,078

bills and resolutions were introduced in both Houses of Congress and

printed in various forms for legislative consideration.

The printing of bills, Beginning with the present session of Congress, has been greatly facilitated by the installation of new molds

on the 20 linotype machines regularly used for bill work. The new

molds produce recessed slugs, thus eliminating the slow and more

expensive hand slugging (spacing between the lines) and reducing

the metal weight of each bill page by approximately 4% pounds.

Based on the number of bill pages for the preceding session of

Congress, the new method of casting recessed slugs will effect a saving in the type metal of approximately 300,000 pounds, valued at $30,000 annually. The handling of the lighter forms is also a great

relief to the workmen, who formerly had to lift approximately

1.800,000 more pounds of type annually than will be required in the

production of the recessed slugs.

INVENTIONS BY OFFICE EMPLOYEES

The mold was invented several years ago by Mr. John P. Murray,

whose outstanding ability as a printer had also distinguished his long

service in the Government Printing Office. Mr. Murray was unable

to perfect the device before his death, but it was subsequently improved and completed by Mr. Luther L. Browning, assistant linotype

machinist in charg'e, to whom chief credit is due for the recent

successful construction and operation of the new molds.

It is gratifying to record the fact that the Government Printing

Office has among its employees other capable men like Murray and

Browning who have devoted themselves to solving many perplexing

mechanical problems for the benefit of this office. Among those who

are deserving of special mention in this connection are Machinists

Eussell Tyree and E. Edmond Smith for numerous improvements

of bindery machines. Chief Type Machinist Liddle for his invention

of a linotype matrix-washing machine. Type Machinist Gustave A.

Anderson for inventing the oilers used on all monotype casting'
Annual Report of the Public Printer 43

machines. Chief Pipe Fitter Ovilup H. George for developing a form-washing machine, and Machinists William H. Thaler and John

F. Nesline for special attachments on tabulating-card presses. In

no other printing works have so many improvements of machinery

been developed by its own employees as there have been by those of

whom the Government Printing Office is justly proud.

COST OF PRINTING FOR COMMITTEES

Printing for committees of Congress in 1930 cost $349,601.25,

which was $210,240.72 less than in 1929. The committees appointed

for the special tarijff session submitted 68 reports for printing, as compared with 3,161 committee reports printed during the second

session of the Seventy-first Congress, but the tariff hearings and

reports were far more voluminous in 1929. Committee hearings printed in the fiscal year 1930 cost $177,064.66,

a decrease of $229,487.99 from the preceding year which included the

extensive tariff hearings. The 1930 hearings totaled 92,541 copies,

while in 1929 the number was 211,950. Likewise the number of type

pages of hearings was reduced from 86,358 for 1929 to 43,599

for 1930. Appropriation Committee hearings in 1930 contained 13,456 pages,

only 90 less than the record number. Other large hearings printed

during the year were the Lobby Investigation, Senatorial Campaign Expenditures, Communist Activities, and Rivers and Harbors.

House committees had 279 hearings printed and Senate committees

105.Most of the hearings must be printed overnight for delivery the

morning after receipt of copy. This is especially true of the voluminous appropriation hearings, which have the right of way along

with the Congressional Record in the work of the night force. TARIFF PRINTING A STRENUOUS TASK

Tariff printing, which began in the fiscal jqslt 1929 and continued

through the fiscal year 1930, reached a total cost of $430,616.15 for

the vast number of publications, including bills, hearings, reports,

and documents required for the enactment of the new tariff law.

Tariff hearings alone totaled 20,033 type pages, most of which were

printed several times as separates and in consolidated form. It has

been estimated that in addition to these publications, the tariff debates in the House and Senate filled 2,800 pages of the Congressional

Record, the printing cost of which was approximately $151,000.

Final proofs for printing the completed tariff bill with 1,253 numbered Senate amendments were not received until 6.50 Monday

evening, March 24, 1930. Presswork on the 535-page bill began

immediately thereafter, and by working the pressroom and bindery
44 Annual Report of the Public Printer

forces through the night it was possible to start delivery of the

printed bills to the Capitol at 7.30 the next morning, when 1,500

copies were made available. The entire Capitol order of 10,742

copies was filled by 11 o'clock the same morning. Thus a new record was established for the Government Printing Office which no other

printing works in the world could have equaled.

Another particularly strenuous tariff job was the printing of a Comparison of Eates of Duty in the Pending Tariff Bill (Senate

Doc. 119), which consisted of 111 pages of tabular composition, each

20 inches in length. Copy was received on March 25, 1930, proof

sent out two days later and returned the second night following,

when a staff of 16 experts from the Tariff Commission worked until

7 o'clock the next morning on page revisions. Part of the night

printing force worked until 8 o'clock that morning on the make-up

and returned 10 hours later to complete the job. One thousand

copies of the complicated document were ready for delivery to the

Capitol at 8 o'clock the next morning.

THANKS OF TARIFF COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

This comparison print of House and Senate tariff rates was submitted to the Senate the same morning (March 25, 1930) by Senator

Smoot, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who placed the

following expression of thanks in the Congressional Record of that

date

I want to take this occasion to extend my sincere thanks to the Legislative

Counsel and to the Public Printer for the splendid work they have done in the preparation of the bill so that it could be presented to each Senator this morning in the way I have just stated. They worked all day Sunday and Sunday

night to enable me to have this done. I desire to say further that from the beginning they have all done everything it was possible to do to hasten the

presentation of information so that it could be placed in the hands of each

Senator promptly.

Upon completion of the tariff printing, the Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House, Hon, W. C. Hawley, sent

to the Public Printer the following letter of appreciation, dated

June 25, 1930

Now that the work of writing the tariff act of 1930 has been completed, I desire to express to you, on behalf of the committee, my sincere appreciation of the fine spirit of cooperation given the committee—and the Congress—in the

long period of its pendency.

I am informed that this bill required the greatest amount of printing in the

history of legislation, and when we consider the thousands of pages of copy re- quired and the speed and accuracy with which it was handled by the Printing

OflSce, the highest commendation and praise are due the men who accomplished

this task.

I congratulate you on your splendid organization and its high state of effi- ciency and workmanship.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 45

Another phase of the service rendered by the Government Printing Office, in connection with the printing and distribution of tariff publications during the long period of revision, is shown by the

following letter addressed to the Superintendent of Documents by

the National Council of American Importers and Traders

Again, may we take this opportunity of thanking you for your courtesy and

for the eflBcient manner in which the sending out of these tariff acts was handled by your oflBce. It was a source of great satisfaction to us here, and favor- able comment has been received from merchants throughout the country.

COMMITTEE CALENDARS GROW IN SIZE Committee calendars of pending bills and their legislative status have developed into pretentious publications in recent years. They

are among the most difficult jobs to handle, owing to hurried preparation of copy and the requirements for immediate delivery.

About 30 committees maintain active calendars in addition to the

business calendars of the Senate and the House. The final printing of the House calendar last session contained 208 pages with

the index. The House Committee on Military Affairs had a calendar of 263 pages; the Judiciary Committee, 103 pages; and the

Committee on Naval Affairs, 98 pages. At the close of the session,

the Government Printing Office was required to hold 1,280 type

pages of committee calendars in 160 forms for further use during

the present session.

Pamphlet copies of congressional speeches were printed during

the fiscal year 1930 to the number of 16,843,850, costing $67,368.88,

all of which was paid by Members from their personal funds. Although this amount includes speech printing up to July 1 for the

congressional campaign of 1930, it exceeded the preceding off-year

expenditures by less than a thousand dollars. Speech envelopes

printed in 1930 totaled 22,610,800 and cost $50,312.79, which by law

is charged to Congress.

Farmers' Bulletins, distributed largely by Members of Congress,

attained a total of 15,157,200 copies for the fiscal year 1930 and cost $206,919.37. The growing popularity of these publications is shown

by an increase of 3,796,624 copies for the year. AGRICULTURE YEARBOOK NOW UP-TO-DATE

Another publication of the Department of Agriculture that is widely distributed by Members of Congress is the Agriculture Yearbook. The Yearbook for 1928, which was printed in the calendar

year 1929, had an issue of 400,576 cloth-bound copies of 1,149 pages

each, costing $281,879.99.

No Agriculture Yearbook was issued for 1929, but the text for

its publication was included in the Yearbook for 1930, in accordance
46 Annual Report of the Public Printer

with the Public Printer's suggestion that the Yearbook ought to be designated by the year of its publication in order to avoid the

appearance of being out of date when printed. Thus, hereafter,

Agriculture Yearbooks will correspond to the year in which they

are printed and no longer be dated back to the Secretary's report for

the preceding fiscal year. The change makes the Yearbook a current

publication like the yearbooks of other Government departments.

The Agriculture Yearbook for 1930 contains the following an- nouncement of this change of dates

Beginning with this 1930 issue, the Yearbook of Agriculture, in conformity

with the practice generally followed in the publication of yearbooks, is designated by the year in which it is printed rather than by the year surveyed. Thus

the present volume surveys agricultural conditions in 1929. The new system

of dating more truly indicates the strictly up-to-date character of the volume.

This procedure does not break the continuity of the statistical and other material published, nor does it involve any omission in the Yearbook series. The Yearbook for 1930 was O. K'd by the Department of Agriculture for press on March 15, 1930,' and the first delivery of 1,260

bound copies for congressional distribution was made on April 4,

1930. By July 1, 198,901 copies were available for distribution.

BOOK FOR WAR MOTHERS' PILGRIMAGE

Congress authorized the printing of a number of other important

publications during the fiscal year 1930, conspicuous among which was The List of Mothers and Widows of American Soldiers, Sailors,

and Marines Entitled to Make a Pilgrimage to the War Cemeteries

in Europe.

This memorial volume of 354 pages was suitably bound in blue

cloth, with a special hand-lettered cover design. The edition called

for 11,184 copies. Manuscript was submitted on December 23, 1929,

and the delivery completed on February 11, 1930, in ample time to be available before the first group of war mothers sailed for Europe.

The vice chairman of the Joint Committee on Printing, Hon.

Edgar R. Kiess, took a special interest in the publication, and on

receipt of the first copy, wrote the Public Printer a letter of con- gratulations " on the attractive and satisfactory form in which this

document has been printed."

Another publication of outstanding artistic as well as historic

value which Congress sanctioned during the year was The Development of the National Capital, profusely illustrated with views of

the new public-buildings projects now under way in Washington. A

limited edition was printed, bound in green silk cloth and attractively

ornamented.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 47

SEMiRAL IMPORTANT LAW PUBLICATIONS

Several valuable law publications were also printed by order of

Congress during the year, including the Interstate Commerce Acts. Annotated, in five volumes of 4,462 pages, bound in buckram; the

Code of Laws of the District of Columbia, in a volume of 824 pages

;

the Codification of the Internal Revenue Laws; Indian Laws and

Treaties, a volume of 1,411 pages ; and the Annual Supplement to the

United States Code of Laws.

Interstate Commerce Commissioner Aitchison, under whose direction the annotated edition of the Interstate Commerce Acts was

prepared, in writing an appreciation of the skill and helpfulness of

the Government Printing Office staff who assisted him, stated, " the

ability of the Printing Office to handle an enormous job of this sort in

such an easy manner has been a real revelation."

On behalf of the compilers of the District of Columbia Code,

Mr. Edwin A. Mooers wrote the Public Printer as follows

I am writing, on behalf of my associate and myself, to express to you our

sincere appreciation of the uniform courtesies that those officials have always

extended to us and particularly of the close cooperation and helpful suggestions

of Mr. Barnhart and Mr. Phillips.

We also feel that the editors in your office, the proofreaders, and the printers should be commended for the admirable accuracy witli which their work was done. Chairman Hawley, of the Joint Committee on Internal Revenue

Taxation, wrote, in regard to the Codification of Internal Revenue

Laws, recently printed, the following appreciation:

I \\lsh to express the sincere appreciation of this committee for the prompt

and efficient manner in which the printing of this document has been handled. THE WRITINGS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON

By authority of Congress, a monumental publication has been

undertaken in the printing of all the writings of Washington from

original manuscript sources under the direction of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission. The definitive edition will consist of 25 volumes, more or less, and include all the written and

printed words of Washington, except his famous diary already in

print, together with all of his General Orders during the Revolutionary War, which latter are now to be printed for the first time.

The principal source of material for the publication will be the

original Washington Papers which have been preserved by the Government for many years and are now in the possession of the Library

of Congress. These manuscripts contain about 98 per cent of the

writings of Washington that have survived and constitute 75,000

30591—31 4
48 Annual Report of the Public Printer

folios of written records bound in 400 large volumes. The printed

edition will contain all these papers as well as every other writing

of Washington that a world-wide search may reveal. Congress has ordered that 3,000 sets of the edition of the Writings

of Washington be printed and bound at the Government Printing

Office, of which 2,000 sets shall be sold by the Superintendent of

Documents and 1,000 sets reserved for designated official distribution

upon completion of the entire edition. Depository libraries are ex- cluded by law from the distribution and will be required to purchase

whatever sets they may desire.

For the preparatory work and the printing and binding of the

edition. Congress has appropriated the sum of $157,975. The sales price of each set of approximately 25 volumes will be announced

as soon as the expenditures from this appropriation may be

determined.

rOUR VOLUMES ARE ALREADY IN PROGRESS

Volume 1, including the writings of Washington during the years

1745 to 1756, inclusive, has already been printed and contains 585

pages. The binding of this volume will be completed soon after

January 1, 1931. The type has also been set for volumes 2, 3, and

4, and they will be completed at an early date. Several years will oe required to finish the series, as the commission plans to print

about four volumes annually until the edition is completed.

A new and distinctive face of 12-point type was procured for

printing the text of the entire edition and the utmost care will be

exercised to have it set in the best typographic manner conforming

to the original style of Washington's writing. The title page was

especially designed by the Government Printing Office also in the

spirit of Washington's time, and a facsimile of Washington's book

plate will be pasted inside the front cover of each book. Paper

selected for the edition is 100 per cent rag stock of excellent printing

qualities. Each book will be bound in specially embossed blue buck- ram with appropriate back titles in gold lettering.

The first volume contains, in addition to the writings of Washington during the years 1745 to 1756, inclusive, a foreword written and

signed by the President of the United States who is also chairman

of the George Washington Bicentennial Commission, and an introductory historical note by its editor. Dr. John C. Fitzpatrick. The

frontispiece of the first volume is a half-tone reproduction of the

Houden bust of Washington modeled from life at Mount Vernon in

1 785, and underneath is a facsimile of Washington's signature. The

first volume also contains several reproductions of original drawings

and maps made by Washington and concludes with an elaborate

index.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 49

DEPARTMENTAL PRINTING

Printing for the Post Office Department ranked third in the products of the Government Printing Office for the fiscal year 1930 with

a total of $2,114,610.44, being only $1,548.49 less than the charges

for 1929. As usual, the largest item was the printing of postal cards,

of which 1,731,266,760 cards were produced, a decrease of 88,914,468

from the total for the preceding year. The total charge for postal

cards printed in 1930 was $894,936.

There has been a decrease in the requirements for Govermnent

postal cards during the last three years due to the restoration of the

1-cent rate for commercial cards. However, the production of Government cards has nearly trebled in the last 10 years, the total output in 1920 being 699,300,420 cards.

Another big job of printing for the Postal Service is the production of money-order forms and application blanks. In the fiscal year 1930 there were printed 211,062,400 money-order forms for

approximately 60,000 post offices throughout the United States, each

form bearing the name and consecutive number of the respective

post office. The increase over the number printed in 1929 was

2,901,000 and indicated that, notwithstanding other depression,

money-order business had a fair growth for the year. The total for

1930 was 36 per cent greater than for 1920. Money-order printing

in 1930 cost the Post Office Department $171,293.28.

In addition, the department had printed 275,804,000 application

blanks for domestic orders, an increase of 70,889,000 over the preceding year. During the year, the department also obtained from this

office more than 300,000,000 other printed blanks and cards for the

use of the Postal Service.

PRINTING FOR DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE

Fourth and last among the million-dollar class of Government

Printing Office patrons is the Department of Agriculture with a

total printing expenditure in 1930 of $1,014,610.10, an increase of

$210,781.22 over the charges for its w^ork in 1929. The Department

of Agriculture topped the list in number of publications, totaling

36,734,846 copies, which were considerably more than three times

the number issued by any other department, and 12,584,787 copies more than its total for 1929. The drought that devastated large sections of the country last summer caused a contrary result in the Government Printing Office,

which reaped the benefit of the work required by the Department of

Agriculture to aid in handling the distressing situation. Every

possible effort was made to expedite printing needed in gathering

information as to the extent of the drought and the relief of suf-
50 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ferers. In recognition of this service, the Secretary of Agriculture

addressed a letter of thanks to the Public Printer for " the splendid

service" which the Government Printing Office rendered, saying

" this type of service is a tribute to the fine organization which you

are directing."

The Department of Agriculture, through its Bureau of Public

Roads, was also interested in printing done for the American

Organizing Committee of the Sixth Congress of the Permanent

International Association of Road Congresses that was held in

Washington from October 6 to 11, 1930. For the sessions of the

Road Congress, a daily bulletin was published in four languages^

each issue containing from 66 to 146 pages with illustrations. Copy

of the proceedings was submitted between 3 and 10 p. m. each day,

and 2,200 bulletins were printed at night for delivery by 8 o'clock

the following morning.

INTERNATIONAL ROAD CONGRESS PLEASED

In appreciation of this service, the secretary-general of the congress. Dr. Thomas H. MacDonald, who is also Chief of the United

States Bureau of Public Roads, wrote the Public Printer under date

of November 26, 1930

On behalf of the American Organizing Commission of the Sixth International Road Congress, I wish to express our appreciation of the work done by your

organization in printing the Daily Bulletin during the week of the congress from October 6 to 11. This bulletin was an important feature of our arrangements for guiding the work of the congress, which was attended by delegates from over 50 nations and at which four languages were spoken. All of the delegates used the Daily

Bulletin and many of them expressed surprise at the possibility of issuing such

a publication daily. The work done at the Government Printing Office has

undoubtedly contributed to the favorable impression of American organization

and methods which hundreds of foreign delegates carried home with them. We feel that you are to be congratulated upon the efficiency of your

organization.

For the Inter-American Conference on Agriculture, Forestry, and

Animal Industry, which was held in Washington from September

8 to 20, 1930, a book of more than 400 pages of technical papers was

printed in English and Spanish. Dr. Leon M. Estabrook, secretary

to the organizing committee of the conference, expressed his appreciation of expediting and completing the book in time for use notwithstanding the delay in submitting the manuscript. " This

effective cooperation of the Government Printing Office," said Doctor

Estabrook, " was greatly appreciated by the organizing committee

and by the delegates from the 21 countries represented at the

conference."
Annual Report of the Puhlic Printer 51

FIXE JOB FOR THE FEDERAL FARM BOARD

The Federal Farm Board, which issued 924,620 copies of its publications ill the fiscal year 1930, commended the \York done for it by the following letter from its secretary, Mr. Chris L. Christensen,

under date of April 1, 1930 : We just want to tell you tliat we appreciate very much the trouble you went

to in turning out the fine job you did on the first bound volume of our Federal Farm Board Minutes. Also we were more than gratified that you were able

to handle the job so expeditiously.

We know that you are besieged by all the Government departments for

priority in service and that it must keep you busy to satisfy every demand.

You can be assured that your fine cooperation with us is heartily appreciated.

Income-tax blanks to the number of 63,007,024 were printed for

the Treasury Department in the fiscal year 1930. The principal ones required approximately 600.000 pounds of paper and were completed

in record time by use of 18 high-speed presses and 8 folding

machines.

The Treasury Department had 3,254,695 copies of its publications printed during the year. The total printing charged to the

department was $891,427.02.

For the Bureau of Industrial x4.1cohol, a number of monographs

were printed in attractive form and occasioned the following: letter of thanks from Commissioner Doran on July 22, 1930

I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks and appreciation for the splendid work done by the Government Printing Office in connection with our publication program during the past fiscal year. The character of the work was of a high grade and the expeditious manner

in which the various monographs were handled for us reflected credit upon

your organization. The cordial cooperation given us in prompt printing and

delivery in a number of instances greatly facilitated the task of distribution. Satisfactory printing service to the United States Coast Guard

prompted its commandant, Rear Admiral Billarcl, to write:

This office desires to express to you its appreciation for the expeditious and

efficient manner in which the various requests for printing from Coast Guard

headquarters have been handled, and for the courtesies extended by personnel attached to your office. PRINTING OF THE BIG ANNUAL BUDGET

The printing of the annual Budget of the United States is one

of the biggest and most hurried single jobs that the Government

Printing Office has to handle every year. The Budget for 1932,

printed just prior to the present session of Congress, contains 930

pages, nearly all tabular matter, a decrease of 758 pages from the

Budget for 1931, which had 1,688 pages. The decrease in pages was

due largely to a change in style from broad measure of 90 ems
52 Annual Report of the Public Printer

(6-point) to double columns of 44 ems each, which condensed the

tabular matter so that it could be printed in about half the former

width through the elimination of a great amount of blank space. The first cop}^ for the Budget was received in this office on September 18, 1930, and the last copy on November 26, 1930. In all, there were 8,333 folios of copy, requiring the setting of approximately

17,500,000 ems of type. The greatest number of folios of copy re- ceived at one time was 1,029, on November 3, the printed proof of

which was forwarded to the Bureau of the Budget the next morning.

Practically all of the type on this publication was set by the night

force. Completed copies were delivered to the Bureau of the Budget

for transmission to Congress in time for the opening of the present

session, and delivery of the entire edition of 1,748 copies was completed on December 9, 1930.

In appreciation of the " admirable manner " m which this office handled the printing of the Budget for 1932 the Director of the

Bureau, Col. J. Clawson Roop, wrote the Public Printer the

following letter of thanks under date of December 8, 1930

I want to express to you, and through you to your force of able assistants,, my appreciation of the manner in which the printing of the 1932 Budget was

handled by the Government Printing Office. This printing work was handled with dispatch, accuracy, and smoothness of

action. It is a testimonial of the efficiency of your establishment. WORK FOR DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Printing for various branches of the Department of the Interior^

which issued 1,995,614 copies of its publications during the fiscal year 1930, cost $395,805.57, an increase of $66,899.55 over 1929.

A monograph printed for the Geological Survey under the title " The Titanotheres of Ancient Wyoming, Dakota, and Nebraska "

received the following high tribute from the president of the American Museum of Natural History, Dr. Henry Fairfield Osborn, in a letter to the Public Printer, dated March 14, 1930

I find it difficult to express my appreciation of the splendid manner in which

this monograph was handled in the Government Printing Office under your

direction, so that when it was finally turned out and the first copy was re- ceived December 31, 1929, I found it to be most admirable in every respect, in point of superb typography, of finely printed text and illustrations, of permanent paper so that it may last for centuries, and finally of new and permanent

form of binding. In this thoroughly artistic as well as practical and permanent form, I believe,

it will reflect the greatest credit on the science of our Government, and by all the investigators and students of this subject in various parts of the world

it will redound to American skill, thoroughness, and educational idealism. Familiar as I am with the similar publications issued by various other gov- ernments, I believe this monograph will more than hold its own and will con- tinue to sustain the already high reputation of our United States Geological

Survey.
Annual Report of the PuUic Printer 53

ser\t:ce to commissioner of education

The Commissioner of Education, Hon. William John Cooper, like- wise expressed appreciation of the cooperation of the Government

Printing Office in supplying advance copies of the Survey of LandGrant Colleges and Universities in time for the meeting of 300 representatives of those institutions in Washington last November. "I

want you to know,'* wrote the Commissioner of Education, " how

useful was this service provided by your office." Another letter of appreciation came from the Director of the

National Park Service, Hon. Horace M. Albright, who wrote under

date of May 7, 1930

I want you to know how deeply tlie officials of the National Park Service appreciate the personal interest you have shown in pushing through our 1930

circulars of general information for the various national parks.

This is the first time that practically all of our circulars have been available

for distribution this early in the year. It facilitates tremendously our work of furnishing the traveling public with data regarding trips to the parks.

Thanking you for your excellent cooperation in this connection, and with warm personal regards, * * * PRIXTIXG FOR OTHER EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

Three other executive departments, Navy, Justice, and Labor, in- creased their printing during the fiscal year 1930 as compared with

1929. Charges for Navy work amounted to $792,405.44, an increase

of $117,340.33. Navy publications totaled 2,338,925 copies. The

Department of Justice expended for printing by this office in 1930

the sum of $264,647.18. Department of Labor printing amounted

to $279,013.84, and its publications totaled 1,815,450 copies.

Decreases in printing appear in the charges to the Departments

of State and War, with a total for the former of $233,045.67, and

for the latter $634,224.53. These charges do not include considerable

additional expenditures which those departments made elsewhere

for field printing. The AYar Department had 10,182,750 copies of its publications printed by the Government Printing Office during the

year, a decrease of 3,670,461 copies.

"Work for the Library of Congress, including that by the printing

and bindery branches which this office maintains in the Library

building, cost $384,841.42 in 1930, an increase of $50,339.09 over the

preceding year. The principal item of printing for the Library of Congress consists of catalogue cards for its own use and for the sale of duplicates to other libraries. The production of these cards during the

fiscal year 1930 broke all records, totaling 21,860,000 cards, an

increase of 1,432,000 over the preceding year.
54 Annual Report of the Public Printer

For several years the reproduction of the exhausted catalogue

cards has been done by offset printing in the main office, thus eliminating the resetting of a large amount of type. During the year,

2,676,000 cards were reprinted in this manner.

LIBRARY CARDS ARE IN MANY LANGUAGES

Catalogue cards are printed in more than 50 foreign languages

and dialects, for which nearly 60,000 linotype matrices of accented

letters and characters are used in addition to a large number of the

standard letters. During the fiscal year 1930 a total of 91,091

titles were set in the numerous languages for new catalogue entries, an increase of 13,562 over the titles for the preceding year. The main office had to assist the Library branch in handling the

great increase of composition for the year, and to take care of

future growth of this work two additional linotypes have been

placed in the Library branch, which now has eight in daily operation.

The branch bindery at the Library of Congress is largely engaged

in the rebinding and repairing of books and manuscripts. During

the year 31,088 books were rebound, 5,195 repaired, and 2,208

volumes of newspapers bound. Manuscript repair jobs totaled

63,595, and 21,665 plates, prints, and photographs were mounted for

Library use. The most important work of the branch bindery is the repair and

preservation of the treasured books and manuscripts in the Library

of Congress, such as the Washington Papers, the records of the

Presidents, and other valuable historic documents. Even the original manuscript of the Declaration of Independence was intrusted to the branch bindery for some preservative touches before it was rever- ently placed in the beautiful marble shrine of the Library which has

become the mecca for all Americans.

EXCELLENT WORK OF BINDERY CRAFTSMEN

The Government Printing Office is justly proud of the ability of

its bindery craftsmen to render such distinguished service. Others

of its skilled bookbinders have also done excellent work recently in

repairing and preserving many of the valuable Government papers,

treaties, and records in the files of the State Department.

The largest amount of printing done for any independent establishment was that for the Interstate Commerce Commission, at a total cost of $230,5Y1.10. The commission's publications for the year numbered 1,665,826 copies and consisted mostly of decisions in pamphlet

form.

Veterans' Bureau printing for the year cost $173,635.93, an increase

of $30,195.62 over 1929.
Anmial Report of the PtMic Printer 55

DISTEICT OF COLUMBIA ORDERS INCREASE

Begiiming with the fiscal year 1928, the government of the District

of Columbia has been ordering practically all of its printing, binding, and blank paper from the Government Printing Office. The total charges for District work in the fiscal year 1930 was $106,270.65, an

increase of $30,321.34 over 1929. During the fiscal year 1927 District

printing ordered of the Government Printing Office amounted to only $8,189.36. Comparison of typical items of printing indicates

that Government charges for District work are approximately 40

per cent less than was formerly paid private contractors for work

of lower quality.

Included in the work of the year for the District of Columbia were

27,788,601 copies of blanks, notices, schedules, and cards, largely for

the use of the public schools in the District.

The diplomas of the Washington schools have also been printed

by the Government Printing Office since January, 1929, to the number

of 25,680 copies in nine different forms. The new diplomas, in

Roman Forum type, printed on parchment paper of the same quality

as is used for enrolling the acts of Congress, have been highly com- mended as notable examples of appropriately artistic printing.

The Smithsonian Institution and the National Museum, although

expending a comparatively small amount for printing annually,

always require work of the highest quality. Heretofore their publications have been delayed by the tedious composition, much of

which is set in various Indian languages. However, the drive during the past year to finish up such long-standing jobs has expedited

the completion of many of these publications. In a letter of March

15. 1930, Doctor Benjamin, editor of the National Museum publications, comments on '* the wonderful speed with which the Government

Printing Office has hastened our publications during the year."

GOOD PRINTING IS HIGHLY COMMENDED

It is also gratifying to knoAv that scientists of the Smithsonian

Institution are pleased with the printing of their publications, which

are among the most difficult this office has to produce owing to their

highly technical character and detailed illustrations. In this regard

the following coiomendatory statement was made by Dr. Walter K.

Fisher concerning one of the Smithsonian bulletins printed in 1930

I am more than satisfied with its appearance. It is a beautiful piece of book- making, plates, printing, and editing. Tbe plates (concerning which an author

is always finicky) are splendid. I think the Government Printing Office has

" done itself proud," In this world, where so much falls short of expectations,

it is a fine experience to have one's expectations exceeded.
56 Annual Report of the Public Printer

I shall always recall with pleasure meeting several gentlemen at the Govern- ment Printing OflSce. The fine spirit of cooperation which I experienced, and the

esprit de corps which was clearly evident, impressed me greatly. It is a great

organization.

Commendation of the work of the Government Printing Office has

not been confined to its patrons in the Government service. The Public Printer recently received a letter in appreciation of the good work

of the Government Printing Office from one of the foremost master

printers in America, Mr. John Henry Nash, of San Francisco, whose

beautiful books and rare typographic treasures have been accorded

the highest honors throughout the world. In a letter under date

of November 24, 1930, Mr. Nash thus praised the work of the

Government Printing Office: Please allow me to say here that it has always been a source of wonder to me how the Government Printing Office manages to turn out so much good work.

I have received a great number of pamphlets and booklets from your office, which

have been helpful to me, and I have marveled at the good quality of the work,

when you have such a tremendous production to consider. The work is clean and well done—in fact, very much better than the average small job printing

office turns out. SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS

The sale and distribution of Government publications by the Superintendent of Documents continue to grow apace with the increase of

printing and the greater public information concerning this activity

of the Government Printing Office. During the fiscal year 1930 the

Division of Public Documents, under the direction of the Superintendent of Documents, distributed 68,808,109 copies of Government

publications, an increase of 12,527,614 over the number distributed in

1929.

Free copies sent out on the orders of various Government departments and establishments reached a total of 56,940,242, an increase of

12,541,759 over the preceding year, and established a new mark for

departmental distribution. The large increase in 1930, however, is attributable to the greater distribution of Farmers' Bulletins printed

by the Department of xA^griculture on orders from Members of

Congress.

Sales copies for the fiscal year 1930 totaled 8,578,592, a decrease

of 629,556 from the number sold in 1929. Cash orders during the

year numbered 508,400, an increase of 18,086, and in addition 193,452

letters of inquiry regarding publications were received and answered.

Owing to the general business depression and resulting fewer copies

sold, the 1930 receipts increased only $3,170.05 over the sales receipts

for the preceding year. Notwithstanding this handicap, the total
Annual Report of the Public Printer 57

receipts from sales amounted to $708,972.46, which was $477,440.25 more than the receipts from the sale of publications in 1920.

PUBLICATIONS FOR DEPOSITORY LIBRARIES

The distribution of publications to the 500 designated depository

libraries throughout the country totaled 1,935,159 copies for the fiscal year 1930, an increase of 739,011.

The mailing of all these publications required the filling and handling of 143,773 sacks containing 23,084,888 pieces of mail, each

individually addressed.

Although the Superintendent of Docmnents maintains 1,914 mailing lists for departmental publications, an increasing number of

other copies are being mailed by the various departments and establishments notwithstanding the act of August 23, 1912, requiring

all this work to be done at the Government Printing Office. Several

departments have been reequipped with extensive facilities for addressing, wrapping, and otherwise dispatching their publications.

To meet the immense requirements for the sale and free distribution of Government publications, the Superintendent of Documents

received a total of 74,191,608 copies during the fiscal year 1930, an

increase of 19,061,913 over the preceding year. The stock on hand

July 1, 1930, totaled 38,781,447 copies, which represents the normal

carry-over from one fiscal year to another.

The regular stock contains approximately . 74,000 different titles of publications, presenting a vast range of subjects for selection by

those who desire to purchase Government publications. The items

of merchandise carried in stock by the largest mail-order houses

average about half the items of publications that the Superintendent

of Documents continually carries in stock for the service of his customers. The procedure of handling the sales business was greatly improved during the year by fixing definite time schedules for this

work, with the result that approximately 80 per cent of the cash

orders are in the mails the same day they are received. Where the

publications are not immediately available to fill these orders, notice

is at once sent to the customers. LETTER OF APPRECIATION TO UNCLE SAM " Satisfaction with this service has been frequently expressed by

the public generally. An outstanding letter of appreciation was

received recently from Mr. Henry L. Bullen, a noted authority on

printing and librarian of the world-famed typographic library and

museum of the American Type Founders Co., Jersey City, N. J.,
58 Annual Report of the Public Printer

who addressed the following unusual communication to " Uncle

Sam "

Jersey City, N. J., August 21, 1930. Dear Uncle Sam,

Care of Superintendent of Documents,

Government Printing Office, Washington, D. G. Dear Uncle : As an income-tax payer I feel impelled to send you a letter of appreciation. You give me value for my money more than is derived from

any other expenditure. I am a printer and typefounder, who appreciates the

assistance you afford through your various departments, via your great Printing

Office and your Superintendent of Documents, in every angle of my business

materials, production, foreign and domestic trade, as well as in good citizen- ship. We, your citizens, I am afraid, are apt to receive your activities on our

behalf in every industry and in every occupation with the indifference with

which, from year to year, we receive the bounty of Heaven in the form of life- giving rain. Who gives rain a friendly thought until we run short of it? The weekly list of your inexpensive helpful publications issued by your

Superintendent of Documents, available to every citizen, is a marvelous con- spectus of the helpful activities of your departments. You are the most active and greatest publisher of helpful scientific information in the world. From the printed documents you issue applicable to my own business I derive knowledge

nowhere else obtainable, of great practical value, and worth many dollars a year to the industries with which I am connected. So it must be in other

industries. No other government than yours, dear Uncle Sam, is doing nearly

so much for its citizens as you do. Your best, ceaseless, and most important

work is, in my opinion, that which rarely gets space on the front pages of our newspapers. Yours loyally, Henry L. Bullen.

SPECIAL METHODS OF HANDLING ORDERS

In order to give the public the best service possible in conducting a cash business, as required by law, the Superintendent of Documents

has adopted the following special methods for the placing of orders

for Government publications:

C. 0. D.—Inaugurated to serve the public where publications are wanted immediately and price is unknown, which obviates necessity of remitting with order. Deposits.—At the present time we have approximately 3,000 deposit accounts, which are very satisfactory to those who frequently order publications, as they

eliminate the necessity of remitting with each order, and besides prevent delays

in first obtaining prices. ContinucDtion orders.—A number of institutions, firms, and individuals want cer- tain classes of publications as issued, and orders of this character are scheduled

either for notification or shipment to be charged to deposit account. Notice of publications.—Frequently, inquiries are made for publications not yet issued and it is our practice to prepare quotation cards which are sent out when

publications are received. The financial complications involved in accounting for the remittances from half a million customers annually may be appreciated by

the fact that 148,961 checks were received during the year in payment

of $578,715,43, and 221 checks for $711.74 were returned by the Treas-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 59

ury as uncollectible. Subsequently the full amount, excepting $1, Avas recovered by the Superintendent of Documents.

Another troublesome matter is the refunding of excessive remittances and unfilled orders. During the year the refunds amounted

to $49,467.60. The audited accounts for these transactions, including

several thousand dollars of remittances in stamps, balanced to a penny.

The Public Printer charges the Superintendent of Documents with

the cost of paper, presswork, and binding for all copies of publications printed for sale. To this charge the Superintendent of Documents is required by law to add 10 per cent in fixing his sale prices.

During the fiscal year the Superintendent of Documents paid to the

Public Printer the sum of $520,759.25 for 8,467,506 copies of publications ordered printed for sale. The sales receipts during the year were sufficient to reimburse the Superintendent of Document for

the charges of the Public Printer and leave a surplus of $215,745.67,

which was deposited in the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.

PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS' CATALOGUES

Good progress has been made by the Superintendent of Documents'

staff in the preparation of the catalogues and indexes of Government

publications. The documents' catalogue of all Government publications issued during the Sixty-seventh Congress has been printed and

is now being distributed. Copy for the documents' catalogue of the

Sixty-eighth Congress will be completed about February 1, 1931, and

the catalogue for the Sixty-ninth Congress will be ready for printing

about July 1, 1931. A continuance of the program for speeding up the publication of

these voluminous catalogues will assure completion of those for the

Seventieth and Seventy-first Congresses before it is possible to start work on the catalogue for the Seventy-second Congress.

Some idea of the immense amount of work involved in the preparation of one of these catalogues may be had from the 2,403 pages

prepared from 52,955 cards, each containing from 1 to 4 entries, for

the catalogue of the Sixty-seventh Congress.

In addition to the big biennial catalogues, the Documents Division

also publishes 12 monthly catalogues, an annual index, and a session

index of congressional documents. The consolidated index for the

first and second sessions of the Seventy-first Congress is now being

printed.

WEEKLY LIST OF UNITED STATES PUBLICATIONS

Another publication of increasing interest is the Weekly List of

United States Government Publications, which was started July 11,

1928, by direction of the Public Printer. The popularity of the
60 Annual Report of the Public Printer

weekly list is attested by the requests for copies which now total

7,931, going to all parts of the country and abroad.

The weekly lists have been found to be of special interest and

value to librarians, many of whom clip the entries and paste them

on cards for immediate use in their reference files. Commenting on

the use of the weekly lists, the reference librarian of the Youngstown

(Ohio) Public Library wrote in the Library Journal for November,

1930:

The Weekly List of United States Government Publications is the basis of a

card file of statistical information, statistics being much in demand and often

elusive. This file gives condensed information and sources for statistics of

all sorts. The annotations in the Weekly List also contain much useful infor- mation, other than statistical, which we file by subject in our " ready refer- ence " file. The following commendation was received recently from Dr.

George S. Godard, librarian of the Connecticut State Library at Hartford

I think the Connecticut State Library with practically all of the other depository libraries appreciate the wonderful work which you and those associated with you have been doing in connection with the printing, binding, distribution,

and making accessible of the official publications of our country. I do not

think, however, that one out of ten thousand of those who use them appreciates

the magnitude, the intricacies, and difficulties which are found in the several departments of the Government Printing Office, and are made so efficient by

those in authority over the same. NEW PLAN FOR DEPOSITORY DISTRIBUTION

To aid depository libraries in the selection of Government publications suitable for their communities the Superintendent of Documents is preparing a new classified list, which will contain only

annual and periodical publications, with brief descriptions of their

contents. It is proposed that the privilege of selecting publications

in advance of printing will apply only to classes of publications

where each issue is similar in character and for which the mailing

list will be revised annually. Publications not included in the classi- fied list will be made available to depository libraries by a weekly list for selection after they are printed.

The larger and more important libraries that have facilities to make all Government publications available for public use will not be

required to submit selections if requests for the full number are approved by the Superintendent of Documents.

The proposed regulation of the selective privilege accords with the

provision in the act of Congress approved June 6, 1930 (Public No.

311, Tlst Cong., p. 19), that requests from depository libraries for

Government publications " shall be subject to approval by the Superintendent of Documents." The law furthermore provides that no part
Annual Report of the Public Printer 61

of the appropriation for depository library publications shall be

used to supply them with any copies that are not requested by such

libraries. This legislation was brought about by the tremendous waste for

years in sending copies of every Government publication to all depository libraries, regardless of their needs or facilities to store and make

available for public use the increasing avalanche of Government

publications that now fill at least 150 feet of shelf space annually.

CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE

The Division of Construction and Maintenance had the busiest year on record, carrying on a large increase of routine maintenance work

in addition to extensive construction operations in the new building

extension, the new Harding Hall, and the improvement in the

cafeteria and recreation rooms. The carpenter, electrical, machine, pipe-fitting, sheet metal, blacksmith, and buildings shops all rendered excellent service in this work,

which is evidenced everywhere throughout the big building. A group

of painters has also been kept busy with necessary repainting of

the interior of the entire building. All these activities and the

additional space intrusted to its care greatly increased the work of

the sanitary section and its force of cleaners and laborers had to be

enlarged.

The entire division now has 419 employees on its rolls in the

various sections, including 71 whose services are temporary on

account of the unusual amount of work in progress at present. A

permanent increase of the force will be necessary, however, owing to the additional work in connection with the maintenance of the new

building extension and plans for further improvements during the

coming year. The division at the present time has 108 more employees than were on its roll at the beginning of the fiscal year 1930.

The carpenter and paint shop, with 34 employees in the fiscal year

1930, completed 15.679 repair jobs as well as having had a large

amount of new work to do. Practically all of the woodwork in the

building, including considerable cabinet and furniture construction,

is done by the carpenter section. It deserves special praise for fine craftsmanship whenever called upon to render such service. NEARLY 1,0 0 0 MACHINES IN OPERATION

In a manufacturing plant like the Government Printing Office,

which operates nearly a thousand production machines, a competent

and well-equipped machine shop is of vital importance.

The chief machinist reports a total of 60,479 jobs completed by

his section during the year, including repairs, inspections, adjust-
62 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ments, and new work. The extensive moving of machines and

installation of new equipment to improve the efficiency of the production divisions have also added to the work of the machinists

throughout the year. The office is also indebted to the machine section for the development and installation of many devices for the improvement of

machines and equipment in the production divisions.

The electrical section shared the burden of the extensive moving

and installation of equipment during the year and handled 28,750

repairs, 6,100 inspection, and 230 new jobs. The section also ren- dered excellent service in the installation of the complicated lighting

system in Harding Hall. Included in the work of the electrical section is the operation of 29 freight and passenger elevators.

The pipe and sheet-metal section, including plumbers, steam

fitters, and sheet-metal workers, had a wide range of work during

the year, especially in the maintenance and extension of the elaborate

water, steam, air, ammonia, and gas lines throughout the plant,

v>-hich united in a single line would extend a distance of approximately 115 miles.

The section has done a large amount of new construction work

during the year. Mention has already been made of an especially

commendable job in the construction of a form-washing machine

for the pressroom, which was designed and built under the direction

of the chief of the section.

Another duty of the chief pipe fitter is that of fire marshal in

charge of fire-extinguishing apparatus which employees throughout

the building are regularly drilled to operate for the protection

of lives and property. During the year, 19 minor fires were

extinguished by this service, and on only one occasion was it neces- sary to call the city department to stop a fire in the new extension.

Little damage was done.

MANY IMPROVEMENTS IN PO^VER PLANT

The power section, which is a part of the Division of Construction

and Maintenance, operates one of the best equipped and most efficient power plants in the Government service. All the electric current and

steam for the operation of the Government Printing Office and the

city post office is transmitted from the Capitol power plant through a reinforced concrete tunnel 7,014 feet in length.

The electric current is changed from alternating to direct by three

1,500-kilowatt synchronous converters in the Government Printing

Office plant for the 1,600 direct-current motors which operate the production and other equipment. An additional synchronous converter

of 500 kilowatts was transferred to this office from the Bureau of
Annual Report of the Public Printer 63

Engraving and Printing to supplement the 1,500 kilowatt synchro- nous converters and also by inverted operation, to change a part of

the direct current generated by the Diesel units to alternating current

for equipment requiring such current. The maximum load of electric current transmitted from the Capitol power plant during the fiscal year was 32,800 kilowatt-hours on

October 30, 1929; and the maximum load used by the Government

Printing Office was 24,592 kilowatt-hours on November 8, 1929. The

minimum load was 1,219 kilowatt-hours on May 30, 1930, a holiday.

The unusually large production work of the office during the fiscal year 1930 is reflected in the increased use of electric current and

steam. The total electric load for the year was 6,306,401 kilowatthours, an increase of nearly 15 per cent. Steam consumption

amounted to 69,235,298 pounds, an increase of 14 per cent. On the

other hand, gas consumption decreased slightly, with a total use of

8,489,600 cubic feet. SUBMARINE ENGINES TO RENDER SER^TiCE Due to unavoidable causes the operation of the two Diesel engines

obtained from the Navy Department for stand-by service has been

delayed, but it is expected to have one of these engines ready for

service in a short time and the other soon after March 1, 1931.

The conversion of these engines from submarine to power-plant

service has been a novel and unusual undertaking, and the success of the innovation will be due to the untiring efforts of Chief Engineer W. A. Browne of the Government Printing Office power section,

under whose successful supervision that plant has been completely

reequipped in recent years. The two Diesel engines originally cost the Navy Department

approximately $300,000 but were not needed for further submarine service when the Public Printer secured their transfer to the

Government Printing Office in September, 1928. The reconditioning

and additional equipment of the engines, including many new parts,

two 3,000-gallon fuel-oil tanks, and auxiliary air compressor, oil purifier, and pumps, have cost about $40,000. In the reconditioning

of the engines, city water pressure has .been substituted for a power

system of circulation, and the submarine equipment for the use of

sea water has been eliminated. The engines, as reconstructed, will

have a combined capacity of 800 kilowatts, which is deemed sufficient to provide Sunday, holiday, and emergency service for the Government Printing Office. As the initial charge proposed by a commercial company for

similar service at the time the engines were procured was approximately $10,000 annually, it was estimated that the expenditure for

30591—31 5
64 Annual Report of the Public Printer

reequipping and installing the two Diesel engines would be fully

compensated for in a few years. The Government Printing Office is also protected in event of a shutdown of the Capitol power plant by a connection through that

plant with the big power plant of the Navy Yard. During the fiscal year 1930 there were only four minor shutdowns of electric service,

the maximum being for 13 minutes, due to trouble in the Capitol

power plant.

COMPLETION OF MAIN BUILDING EXTENSION

The annual report of the Superintendent of Construction and

Maintenance contains the following detailed information concerning

the new extension to the main building of the Government Printing

Office, which was recently completed at a cost of $1,250,000 by allot- ment of that sum by the Public Buildings Commission

The G Street extension to the main building contains 173,500 square feet of

floor space. Tlie main extension has eight stories and a basement ; and the

adjoining garage, a ground floor and basement for automobile storage and

repair.

The front is a continuation of the main building and necessarily matches it in external design. The sides and back are of improved design providing larger

and better windows.

The floors of the old main building and the new extension are at the same

level and have communicating doors at all floors as w^ell as bridge connections

for the second, fourth, and fifth floors on the alley side. The extension differs from the main building in the following respects : Bays

between columns in the new extension are longet and wider, making the actual

floor space per bay more than 25 per cent greater. Because of the large bays,

heavy floor loads, and height of the building, it was necessary to use what is said to be the heaviest H-columns in the steel structure which had been pro- duced by any steel mill up to the time of the design of this building.

Air and pipe shafts, toilets, and corridors in the new extension were ar- ranged at both ends of the building so as to allow the largest possible continuous

floor areas, whereas in the main building, shafts are scattered throughout the

structure and halls, elevators, and toilets cut the floor areas into small units. The floor plan of the new extension therefore offe"rs a decided improvement for

the supervision and handling of work.

NOTEWORTHY INSTALLATION OF ELE^'ATORS Elevators in the extension ha^^e several noteworthy features, the two h"ghspeed passenger elevators having microleveling and automatically opening

doors, which are a vast improvement over elevators in the main building. As

compared with isolated elevators, the grouping together of three freight elevators improves service. One of the three freight elevators will carry loads up to 20,000 pounds. In

the old main building the greatest capacity available is 10,000 pounds. While

the new extension has been in use only a few months, there has already been

occasion to carry up one machine weighing 18,000 pounds and two machines

weighing 16,000 pounds each.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 65

Another elevator operating between the ground floor and the basement of the garage has a capacity of 32,000 pounds and is used to carry auto trucks loaded with paper to the basement for storage. It is the largest elevator in Washington.

An unusual conveyor system is being installed to carry books, small packages,

and ofiice papers in trays between the extension, the main building, and the old documents building. The trays are carried on vertical lifts and horizontal belts and are switched automatically to the designated station. Communication by means of this system will be possible between the following

points : Superintendent of Documents salesroom on the first floor of the new G Street extension and the stock rooms in the old building; also between the Superintendent of Accounts on the third floor of the main building and the eighth floor computing section and file room in the new extension. BETTER LIGHT AND VENTILATION The windows are of the awning type, pivoted at the top, swing outward at

the bottom, and operate by means of a crank fot each window. The operating

mechanism is concealed in the window frames. The bottom section of each window is pivoted at the bottom, swings inward, and operates independently

of the crank-operated sections. This window design is neat in appearance, is ideal for ventilation and for admitting light, and furthermore makes cleaning

of both inside and outside of the windows possible by working from the inside

of the building.

The floor slabs are concrete with 2-way reinforcement and are designed to carry uniformly distributed loads of 300 pounds per square foot. Wood-block

flooring, 2% inches thick, forms the wearing surface for main areas. Toilets and front hall have terrazzo flooring and division offices have standard maple

flooring.

Excavation for the building was begun November 22, 1928, and the building turned over to the Public Printer by the Supervising Architect of the Treasury

Department on August 20, 1930. The elevator installation and painting were

not included in the original construction contracts, but were awarded to other

firms in separate contracts. Elevators were completed September 29, 1930, and

painting November 29, 1930. BEGIN OCCUPANCY OF THE NEW EXTENSION The following activities were in operation in the new extension on the dates

indicated

Apprentice section, August 8, 1930. Fourth floor. Offset section, August 22. 1930. Fourth floor. Computing section, September 15, 1930. Eighth floor. Garage, October 4, 1930. Basement and first floor. Pipe and sheet-metal section, October 28, 1930. Second floor. Building section, October 29, 1930. Basement.

Photo-engraving section, November 15, 1930. Eighth floor. The following additional units are to occupy the new building

Basement—Buildings section and storage ; occupied. First floor—Maintenance stores and blacksmith shop (waiting for equipment).

Second floor—Office Superintendent of Construction and Maintenance

(waiting for equipment now on order) ; carpenter shop (some new

equipment required) ; Congressional Record press, under construction.
66 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Third floor—Electrical shop (waiting for moving of fire-alarm and guard

equipment now under contract) ; machine shop (some new equipment

required).

Fourth floor—Offset and tabulating card presses and apprentice school; now occupied. Fifth floor—Division of Tests and Technical Control, including ink, glue,

and roller making (most of the equipment has already been installed).

Sixth floor—Superintendent of Documents (all desks delivered; waiting on filing equipment) ; Platemaking Division extension (machinery to be

moved from main building).

Seventh floor—Superintendent of Documents library (awaiting installa- tion of library stacks now under contract) ; Platemaking Division

extension (new electrotyping generators and tanks now being installed)

.

Eighth floor—Computing and files section (new filing equipment re- quired) ; photo-engraving camera room, now occupied.

COMMENDATION OF BUILDING SUPERVISION

The detailed work of preparing plans and specifications for the new extension and supervising the construction was done by the Office

of the Supervising Architect of the Treasury Department under contracts awarded by the Secretary of the Treasury. The cooperation

of the Supervising Architect and his staff is highly commendable.

Special credit is due to Mr. William Y. Brady, Construction Engineer

of the Supervising Architect's Office, who had supervision of the work

from the breaking of ground to the completion of the building operation. His careful supervision and constant effort to serve the best

interests of the Government Printing Office is greatly appreciated.

The satisfactory completion of the big undertaking is a credit to all concerned.

The Public Printer is also pleased to conmiend the services in this

connection of Mr. Alfred E. Hanson, Superintendent of Construction

and Maintenance of the Government Printing Office, who ably

assisted in preparing the plans for the extension and advised in its construction.

The new extension, with the addition of space by constructing

balconies and bridging court-ways of the main building in recent

years, has increased the floor space of the Government Printing Office to a total of 953,936 square feet and makes it the largest plant of its kind in the world.

On the recommendation of the Public Printer, Congress increased

the authorization for machine purchases from $200,000 to $300,000 for

the fiscal year beginning July 1, 1930, thus providing the Government

Printing Office with funds for the procurement of a number of new

and more efficient machines to replace obsolete equipment and to meet

the requirements of increasing work.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 67

NEW MACHINEEY AND EQUIPMENT INSTALLED

Among the new machines and equipment thus purchased during

the year are the following:

Pvessworh Division.—One 64-page web press for printing the Congressional Eecord and like classes of work to be installed in April,

1931, making 3 of this size replacing one 64-page and two 32-page

obsolete presses ; one 64-page web press for stereotype bookwork, now

in operation; one 32-page web press for printing congressional

speeches and similar classes of work, now in operation ; 7 horizontal

high-speed presses, 21 by 28 inches, making 9 of this design now in

operation; 2 vertical high-speed presses for job work, 13 by 19

inches, making 6 of this design now in operation ; 6 high-speed tabulating card presses, making 11 now in operation ; 1 perfecting offset press, 38 by 52 inches, under construction; 1 perfecting press for

Patent Office Gazette and bookwork, 43 by 56 inches, making 3 of this

design now in operation ; 2 cylinder presses, 29 by 42 inches, now in

operation ; 1 high-speed automatic envelope press, 6% by 9^^ inches,

making 3 of this design now in operation; 18 automatic feeders for

new presses and replacements, making a total of 108 automatic

feeders now in operation.

Printing Division.—Thirty-four monotype casters, including 22

composing machines, 10 display machines, 1 material-making machine,

and 1 supercaster, to replace old machines, making 130 of these

machines now in operation, all with automatic metal feeders and

electrically heated pots ; ten 90-em monotype keyboards, making 100

keyboards now in operation ; 2 proof presses for use with dry paper,

designed by this office, now in operation ; 1 portable router. Bindery Division.—Four automatic paper cutters, making 55 cutters now in operation; 1 electrically heated and air-cooled gumming machine with 45-foot conveyor, now in operation; 1 continuous book

trimmer, under construction; 1 index cutting machine; one 30-inch

trimmer ; 3 continuous wire stitchers, for replacement, now in operation; 1 book back-gluing machine, making 3 now in operation; one 42-inch slitting and rewinding machine, under construction; 1 stripping machine, under construction; 1 cloth-cutting machine,

under construction; 1 self-adjusting roller book-backing machine.

Platemahing Division.—One automatic matrix molding and drying

press, electrically heated, to produce 8 Eecord or 14 document pages

at one operation; 3 combination roughing and shaving machines,

replacing 8 obsolete machines; 2 automatic matrix-drying presses, pneumatically operated and electrically heated ; 3 routers ; 2 combination shaving, beveling, and trimming machines for Congressional

Record and speeches, replacing 4 obsolete machines; 1 plate solid-
68 Annual Report of the Public Printer

ifying and straightening press, under construction; 3 beveling and

trimming machines; 1 combination saw and trimmer; 2 rubber-lined

semiautomatic copper-depositing tanks, each 20 feet in length; 2

rubber-lined steel tanks for nickeling, each 62 inches in length;

1 starting tank for copper plates, 62 inches in length; 2 generators

with 100 horsepower motors, 7,500 amperes; 2 centrifugal air compressors : 1 block trimmer ; 1 cabinet saw ; 1 planer ; 1 etching machine

;

1 squaring and stripping machine.

TECHNICAL TESTS AND RESEARCH

The Division of Tests and Technical Control, which was created

eight years ago, continues to render excellent service in the routine

testing of all materials used by this office to insure compliance with

standard specifications. In the last fiscal year, 8,418 samples were

tested, resulting in 383 rejections. Of these tests, 5,583 were paper

samples selected from deliveries of approximately 52,000,000 pounds.

Slightly over 5 per cent of the paper deliveries were rejected for

noncompliance with specifications.

Another function of the division is the technical control of various

materials and methods used for productive work and the manufacture by this office of printing and writing inks, press rollers, type

and plate metals, bindery glues and paste. During the year this

supervision was extended to include research into the materials and

methods of stereotyping, electrotyping, and photo-engraving with a view to better standardization and efficiency in that work.

The Technical Director's detailed statement of the work of his

division during the fiscal year 1930 is appended to this report.

COOPERATIVE W^ORK IN RESEARCH

Cooperative research work with the Employing Bookbinders of

America and the American jSTewspaper Publishers' Association has

progressed satisfactorily during the year. Each of these organizations employs a research associate to assist the Technical Director of

the Government Printing Office in working out research problems of

mutual interest.

Other branches of the printing industry have also consulted the

Technical Director from time to time with special inquiries regarding

research and have been given helpful assistance in accord with the

Public Printer's policy to aid the industry in securing the benefits of

the scientific research that the Government Printing Office has undertaken in recent years. With the completion of its new laboratory, the Government

Printing Office will have the best and most complete facilities available anywhere for printing research work. The laboratory and

offices of the Technical Division, together with the ink and roller-
Annual Report of the Public Printer 69

making sections under its supervision, will occupy an entire floor in

the new building extension. Its present laboratory staff consists of

21 employees, including 14 chemists and chemist aides.

The national association of the Employing Bookbinders of America

is issuing regular reports to members concerning the progress of its cooperative research work with the Government Printing Office. As a result of this work, the association of its own accord has

adopted a special certificate for manufacturers of bindery materials

who agree to label their goods in such manner that the quality of

the goods is stated definitely. The manufacturers are permitted to use the association's approval label on all goods so marked. Certificates have already been issued to several manufacturers of genuine

gold leaf and imitation gold or bronze leaf. Certificates will also be issued to manufacturers of book cloth, binders' board, and other

bindery materials.

Among the problems under consideration with the national bookbinders' association are those relating to the warping of binders'

boards, fading of inks, flexibility of glues, and the durability of

brass dies. The Government Printing Office specifications for bindery glues were adopted by the association and published in its first research bulletin.

EMPLOTIXG BOOKBINDERS EXPRESS THANKS

In appreciation of this service, the Employing Bookbinders of

America at their annual convention in Detroit last September

unanimously adopted the following resolution

Whereas Hon. George H. Carter, United States Public Printer, has, since the

inception of our research work, evidenced a deep interest and enthusiasm in its progress; and

Whereas Mr. Carter's aid and assistance, which has been so generously

offered and so frequently accepted, has been of immeasurable value to the research division and to the association : Therefore, be it Resolved, That the Employing Bookbinders of America, in eleventh annual

convention assembled, extends its sincere thanks to Mr. Carter for his interest, encouragement, and assistance ; and be it further Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Mr. Carter. Research work with the American Newspaper Publishers' Association, through its mechanical department, has related thus far to newsprint paper and news ink with a view to determining the qualities

which should be specified and controlled to obtain the best and

most economical results in newspaper printing. A progress report

covering this work was presented by the Technical Director at the

annual meeting of the mechanical division in West Baden, Ind.,

last June.

Among the subjects that are to be investigated later in co- operation with the mechanical division of the American Newspaper
70 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Publishers' Association and others are those relating to type metals,

stereotype mats, electrotyping and photo-engraving processes, ink

rollers, press lubricants and blankets, wiping cloths, and the standardization of machinery and other equipment, all of which are of

interest not only to printers and newspaper publishers but also to the

Government Printing Office. Some of these subjects are to be discussed at the next meeting of

the mechanical department of the American Newspaper Publishers'

Association, which has accepted an invitation of the Public Printer

to hold its June, 1931, session in Harding Hall of the Government

Printing Office. MECHANICAL ENGINEERS AID PRINTING RESEARCH

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has a printing

industries division which is also taking an active part in coordinating

printing research and standardization work. The Public Printer,

a member of the Society, is cooperating with the printing industries

division as a member of its executive and survey committees. The

Technical Director of the Government Printing Office is a member

of the subcommittee on paper and pulp of the printing industries

division.

The printing industries division of the American Society of

Mechanical Engineers will hold its second conference of technical

experts in the printing industry in Harding Hall on March 16 and

17, 1931, under the auspices of the United Typothetse of America

and the Government Printing Office. The first conference was held

at Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pittsburgh, Pa., in November

of 1929, and was attended by more than 200 engineers and printing

experts of the United States and several other countries.

In line with the research work that has been undertaken by the

Government Printing Office, the annual meeting of the American

Society of Mechanical Engineers in New York on December 5, 1930,

adopted the following resolution

Whereas no standards for various types of equipment used iii the many

branches of the graphic arts have ever been adopted ; and

Whereas the lack of concrete information as to the requirements of the industry has caused endless confusion and the creation of many equipment

units for which there is little or no justification, as well as tremendous ex- pense to manufacturers who have to service such equipment; and

Whereas it is obvious that better printing will result when all branches

of the industry can cooperate in observing certain recognized standards: Therefore be it Resolved, That we request the American Society of Mechanical Engineers to appoint a committee to investigate and report upon the need for standardization in the printing Industry.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 71

COOPERATH^ WORK OF TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Cooperative research work is also being done by the Technical

Director of the Government Printing Office with the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry, of which he is a member, and

with the Lithographic Technical Foundation. The Technical Director is a member of the paper-testing committee of the Technical Association and chairman of its subcommittee on ink resistance of printing

papers. He is also a member of the advisory committee on standardization of papers for the Lithographic Foundation.

In furtherance of its standardization work, the Government Printing Office has accepted an invitation to become a member of the

American Standards Association composed of 43 national technical

societies, trade associations, and governmental bodies, including the

several departments of the United States Government. The major

function of the American Standards Association is to provide means

for arriving at na^tional industrial standards. The Government

Printing Office, of course, has a material interest in that endeavor

arid appreciates the privilege of cooperating with the Association

in its projects for standardization through organized scientific research.

The United Typothetse of America has expressed renewed interest

in scientific research on behalf of the printing industry. Following

a talk on this subject by the Public Printer at the fourth district Typothetse federation meeting in Richmond, Va., on March 22, 1930,

the federation adopted the following resolution recommending that

consideration be given to the further development of research

Whereas the Hon. George H. Carter, Public Printer, in his address before this convention, pointed out the need of research in the printing industry and emphasized the lost opportunities as a result thereof : Therefore be it Resolved, That it is the sense of this convention that we recommend to the board of directors of the United Typothetse of America that special consideration be given to the further development of research. UNITED TYPOTHET^ RECOMMENDS RESEARCH

The annual meeting of the United Typothetee of America in Boston on October IT, 1930, adopted the following resolution recommending

that prompt action be taken by its board of directors to carry on the

work of scientific research under the direction of its committee on

production engineering

Whereas the need for increased eflacioncy in the conduct of the printing busi- ness is becoming more and more evident ; and

Whereas the elements of eflacient management include production engineering

and scientific research, as well as sales, cost accounting and finance: Therefore be it Resolved, That in accordance with a resolution passed on October 14, 1930, by the committee on production engineering, this forty-fourth annual conven-
72 Annual Report of the Public Printer

tion recommends to the board of directors of the United Typothetse of America

that prompt action be taken as follows

1. That the scope of the committee on production engineering be increased

to include scientific research and the compiling and publishing of such data on these subjects as may be of interest to our members, and for that purpose

all data in every department at headquarters is hereby made available.

2. That the personnel of the production engineering department be increased

to enable it appropriately to carry on this work under the direction of the committee on production engineering.

3. That for its scientific research the committee on production engineering be empowered to use all facilities at headquarters that are now or may become

available.

4. That in the preparation of the budget covering the activities of the coming

year provision be made in the production engineering committee's quota suflfi- cient to carry out the purposes of this resolution. In accordance with the foregoing resolution, the board of direc- tors of the United Typothetse of America recently authorized its committee on production engineering to further investigate and

report recommendations on the question of research.

TO CONTINUE STANDARDIZATION OF PAPER

The Boston meeting of the United Typothetse of America revived

interest in the standardization of paper grades, which it undertook

several years ago in cooperation with the Government Printing

Office. A resolution was adopted directing the U. T. A. standardization

committee, of which the Public Printer is a member, to continue its work. The action was taken notwithstanding a report of the committee on simplification and standardization of the American Pulp

and Paper Association on February 17, 1930, that " standardization

of grade of paper is impractical at this time." A^ a matter of fact,

the Government Printing Office has successfully purchased all of its paper on standard specifications for many years. The resolution of the United Typothetse of America reads as follows

Whereas the standardization committee of the United Typothetse of America

has expended much effort to accomplish the standardization of paper grades

used in the printing and publishing industry : Therefore be it Resolved, That the standardization committee of the United Typothetse of America is hereby directed to continue its efforts respecting the standardization

of paper grades used in the printing and publishing industry ; and be it further Resolved, That consideration be given to the subject of the standardization of paper samples to the end that the existing numerous sizes and shapes of such

material be eliminated. BRITISH PRINTING RESEARCH ASSOCIATION

The printing industries in other countries have shown keen interest

in the application of science to their problems by organized research
Anmial Eeport of the Public Printer 73

work. Great Britain has set a timely example by the recent organization of the Printing Industry Research Association. The objects

and membership of the British association as stated in a summary of

its formal articles are as follows

OBJECTS

(a) To arrange organized research toward the solution of problems en- countered in the printing and allied industries.

(6) To undertake appropriate technical investigations in matters submitted

by members of the Association.

(c) To collate and distribute amongst members information relating to development in processes, machinery, and materials applicable to the trades represented within the Association.

{d) To form a library of scientific reports on matters of interest to the membership.

(e) To arrange conferences and lectures to discuss technical matters of Interest to the printing industry.

MEMBERSHIP

1. Ordinary members

(a) Companies, firms, and individuals engaged in the printing and allied industries or in producing cr dealing in requisites or accessories thereof. (&) Trade associations of the printing and allied industries. Membership of a trade association, and also of a firm, is to be by a representative nominated

by it. A company also to nominate a person as its representative. Ordinary

members must, if individuals, be British subjects, or, if companies, incorporated

in British Dominions and having a majority of their issued capital held by

British subjects.

2. Honorary members, i. e., persons nominated for membership by the

council for special cause, and elected at a general meeting : Honorary members

have such privileges as may be determined by the council. They have no right of voting.

The articles of the British association have been drafted to meet

the possibility of its taking advantage of the assistance that is given

to research associations by the Department of Science and Industrial

Research of the British Government and have been framed so as to follow the plan approved by that department and to meet the

requirements made by it. MEMBERSHIP OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION

The business of the Printing Industry Research Association is to be managed by a council with members nominated by the following

trade associations:

The Worshipful Company of Stationers. Newspaper Proprietors' Association (Ltd.). The Federation of Master Printers and Allied Trades of Great Britain and

Ireland. The Periodical, Trade Press, and Weekly Newspaper Proprietors' Association (Ltd.). The Master Bookbinders' Association.
74 Annual Report of the Public Printer

The Electrotyping and Stereotyping Employers' Federation. The Newspaper Society.

The Society of British Printing Ink Makers.

Paper Makers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland 1912 (Inc.). The Printing and Kindred Trades Federation. The Federation of Master Process Engravers.

The Right Hon. Lord Riddell, a foremost English publisher, was

the chief promoter of the association, ably supported by Mr. J. R.

Riddell, principal of the London School of Printing, and the latter's son. Dr. George L. Riddell, both of whom made an intensive study

of the research work of the Government Printing Office during their

visits to the United States in 1929 and 1930. Doctor Riddell, an

outstanding authority on printing research in England, has been appointed technical director of the new association.

LORD RIDDELL SENDS HIS CONGRATULATIONS

Lord Riddell has likewise taken a great interest in the research

work of the United States Government Printing Office and prior to the organization of the British association requested a number of

copies of the Public Printer's reports for distribution among his

associate publishers in England. In thanking the Public Printer

for the reports. Lord Riddell expressed the following appreciation

May I congratulate you on the report—extremely well done. I am writing an

article more or less on the subject, copy of which I will send you in a few days.

Meanwhile, again allow me to thank you for your kindness. This is the sort of parity which tends to real friendship between Britain and America.

During a visit to London last summer, the Public Printer was

invited to attend a meeting of the committee which proposed the

Printing Industry Research Association and was privileged to hear

the final discussion on the adoption of its articles of organization. It was gratifying to hear the kindly references which members of

the committee made to the research work of the United States

Government Printing Office. The London Master Bookbinders' Association also invited the

Public Printer to a round-table talk on the subject of research as it affects the bookbinding industry in the United States and England.

Other conferences were held with officers of the Federation of Master Printers of Great Britain and Ireland, who are taking an active

part in the Printing Industry Research Association.

REPORT OF THE BRITISH LIBRARY ASSOCIATION

A special committee of the British Library Association has re- cently made a thorough study of the durability of book papers in

consultation with other interested bodies, including the United States
Annual Report of the Public Printer 75

Government Printing Office, with a view to formulating specifications for paper of absolute and relative permanence. In its valuable

report, the committee makes the following reference to a conference

which the Public Printer and the former Technical Director of the

United States Government Printing Office had with its members,

while in London last year

A particularly fruitful interchange of views took place in regard to practice

in America. The Hon. George H. Carter and Mr. E. O. Reed, both of the United States Government Printing Oflace, Washington, met the committee on May 13, 1929, when the committee understood that the United States Govern- ment possessed statutory authority to formulate standards of quality for the

benefit of manufacturers and the public, as well as to examine and appraise

submissions purporting to conform to such standards. The Government Print- ing Office was working in close collaboration with the United Typothetse of America and other organizations ; a laboratory had been established eight years

ago. Specifications had been in use for some years for 100 per cent rag book

paper for Government publications, where maximum serviceability and permanence were essential, and within the last two years these requirements had

become much more rigid, both as to rag furnished and as to rosin sizing and

acidity. The rag bond and ledger papers purchased by the Government had

to be watermarked with a symbol indicating the grades of paper. There were

four grades of bond and ledger papers each watermarked with the American

eagle, together with four stars (*) for 100 per cent rag, three (***) for 75 per cent rag, two (**) for 50 per cent rag, and one (*) for 30 per cent rag

furnish. The specifications were in harmony with good commercial practice.

The foregoing comments of the British committee in regard to the

paper specifications of the United States Government Printing Office are quite accurate except as to the " statutory authority of the United

States Government to formulate standards of quality for the benefit

of manufacturers and the public." The authority to formulate

standards relates only to paper for the United States Government

and does not apply to the grading or testing of paper for commercial

or public use. However, a number of American paper manufacturers

have adopted the Government Printing Office standards for several

grades of their products and their use is becoming more general.

It is interesting to note that the British committee recommends a system of watermarks for its three proposed grades of durable paper

somewhat on the American pattern as cited above. The report of

the committee also concludes that it is of fundamental importance to establish a recognized testing station with a laboratory to determine

the absolute or relative permanence of commercial papers.

STANDARDS COMMITTEE ORGANIZED IN GERMANY

In Germany, a Standards Committee for the Graphic Arts (Normenausschuss fiir das Graphische Gewerbe, briefly called " Nagra ")

has been organized to standardize paper, printing inks, type, and
76 Annual Report of the Public Printer

machinery for the printing industry of that country. This standardization, of course, will be based on scientific research as a

necessary preliminary.

Standards of paper sizes (" normals ") have already been adopted

in Germany and are being used by a number of other countries. The

master printers of Holland have established " normal " (standard)

sizes for their products.

Standard testing methods for printing inks have been set up by

the German committee, which aims to standardize printing inks,

particularly for color work, on the basis of these testing methods,

talring into consideration the ingredients and shades of colors. Other German standards include type cabinets and cases, proofreaders' marks, composing sticks, galleys, chases, locking-up devices,

press-roller diameters, and cylinder packing. It is proposed also to develop a German standard printing press. INTERNATIONAL BUREAU OF MASTER PRINTERS

Another organization to recognize the importance of scientific re- search and standardization is the International Bureau of Federations of Master Printers. The bureau was organized during the

past year in compliance with a resolution adopted by the Inter- national Congress of Master Printers at its London meeting, which

the Public Printer attended in 1929. Its membership at present

includes the federations of master printers of Great Britain, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, and Switzerland, whose representatives

constitute the council of administration.

One of the main objects of the international bureau, according to

its by-laws, is the standardization of type, paper, machinery, and

inks, and the investigation of new printing materials, inventions, and

technical processes. On account of mutual interest in research and standardization

for the printing industry, the United States Government Printing

Office has established friendly relations with the International

Bureau through a visit which the Public Printer made last summer

to its headquarters in Berlin and conferences with its representatives

in Germany, England, and Sweden.

CONFERENCES WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT PRINTERS

Conferences were also held with the Government printers in Great

Britain, Germany, Sweden, Finland, Poland, and other European

countries for the consideration of problems of common interest to Government printing works. The information thus obtained has
Annual Report of the Public Printer 77

been especially helpful in the improvement of the United States Government Printing Office, and it is hoped that some benefit has

also been derived by the printers to other countries. In any event,

all expressed appreciation of the research work which this office is doing and of its offer to cooperate with them in further efforts to secure standardization of printing materials and equipment.

CONTACT WITH PKINTEKS IN MANY COUNTRIES

The United States Government Printing Office has maintained

other contacts by correspondence with prominent representatives of

the printing industries in many countries. During the year, letters of inquiry concerning the work of the United States Government Printing Office have been received from South Africa, India,

Japan, China, Germany, Sweden, Holland, France, England, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and the Soviet Republics.

The following are typical examples of the letters received during

the year

From Maj. J. J. Kruger, Government Printer of the Union of

South Africa, Pretoria

Allow me to congratulate you on your excellent and instructive annual report. I have read the document with keen interest and propose to study it in detail

in the near future.

I am making every effort to follow in your footsteps and hope soon to inaugurate a small research section in this office. Again congratulations on your efforts in behalf of our industry and with

kindest regards.

From Mr. Philip H. Prior, of the Aylesford Paper Mills, England

Now, I have returned, I should like to thank you for the courtesy extended to me by yourself and your staff while at Washington. I think your organization

is a splendid argument against the usual statement that the state-run institu- tions can not be run as efficiently as ordinary commercial ones. CONGRATULATIONS ON PROGRESS IN RESEARCH

In this connection, the following quotation from a letter of Mr.

J. Homer Winkler, formerly a research associate at the Bureau of

Standards for the International Association of Electrotypers of

America and now with the Ace Electrotype Co. of Cleveland, is of

interest

The annual report of the Public Printer for the year 1929 is a very creditable document. The Public Printer is to be congratulated for the progress he has

achieved in the Government Printing Office through the application of scientific principles and technical control. Since this report contains so much information of general interest to any- one engaged in the printing industry, I would appreciate very much receiving a copy of it.
78 Annual Report of the Public Printer

APPRENTICE SCHOOL

The Apprentice School completed the eighth year of its training

courses in the Government Printing Office with the graduation of

a class of 60 members on June 4, 1930. Several hundred guests of

the graduates attended the formal exercises in Harding Hall and

enjoyed the program, which had all the features of a college

commencement.

The address was delivered by Hon. Merlin Hull, a Member of

Congress from Wisconsin and a former printer-employee of the

Government Printing Office. Mr. Hull was presented by the Deputy

Public Printer, Mr. John Greene, who as " dean " of the school acted

as chairman for the evening. Rev. James Shera Montgomery, D. D.,

Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives, offered the

invocation. The musical part of the program was the contribution

of the Government Printing Office orchestra.

At the conclusion of the exercises, a diploma certifying his qualifications for appointment as journeyman in the Government Printing

Office was presented to each graduate with the congratulations of the

Public Printer.

All the members of the class of 1930 remained in the service of the

Government Printing Office, and 30 of the 60 graduates are now holding responsible positions at preferred rates of pay.

In commemoration of the occasion, the class of 1930 printed an

unusually attractive brochure, "Apprentice Ships," which reproduced

the mural lunettes in the Library of Congress depicting the evolution

of the graphic arts from the stone age to the invention of printing,

together with a reprinted page of the Gutenberg Bible. The souvenir

also contained pictures of each member of the class with his office record, a list of class officers, and the commencement program.

Copies of the brochure have been much treasured as notable examples

of artistic printing.

APPRENTICE POSTERS ARE ACCORDED HONOR

Another highly creditable job of printing executed by the Apprentice School during the year was the preparation of a group of posters

for the Nation-wide School of Printing Exhibition by the National

Education Association. Twenty-seven apprentices submitted posters

of their own design and printing for the exhibition.

The Government school was accorded the honor of being included

among the five selected as the best of the many printing schools

throughout the country that participated in the contest. The poster designed by Robert W. Pearson of the Government

Printing Office school received the special honor of being reproduced

in the Journal of the National Education Association as one of the

six posters selected for the highest excellence.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 79

Mr. Joy Elmer Morgan, editor of the Journal of the National

Education Association, expressed the following tribute to the Government Printing Office school for its fine poster work

Kindly accept our heartiest congratulations upon these examples of splendid

workmanship under your direction. Will you also convey to the apprentices themselves our appreciation of their interest and cooperation? I believe this

is one of the very best sets of posters, and certainly the most varied, that we

have received from any institution. * * * These posters are an expression

of fine school ideals and spirit. The Government School of Apprentices also received special mention for the excellence of the posters which it submitted in the 1929

nation-wide printing project of the National Education Association.

ROUTINE WORK OF APPRENTICE SCHOOL

Routine work accredited to apprentices during the year in connection with their schoolroom training and assistance in the various pro- duction divisions included the setting of 123,106,900 ems of type,

168,946 hours of service in other operations of the Printing Division.

62,286 hours in the Bindery Division, 28,652 hours in the Presswork

Division, 13,205 hours in the Platemaking Division, and 1,615 hours

in the machine section. This work was done by a daily average of

166 apprentices on the rolls during the year. In addition to their technical training, apprentices are required to pursue studies that will be of benefit to them in their vocation.

Many apprentices attended night public schools during the year. To teach apprentices how to spell, special lessons were given throughout the year in that almost lost art. As a result, the school has

developed a number of remarkably good spellers. During the year, 38 apprentices maintained an average of between 90 and 94 per

cent and 24 had an average of between 95 and 99. Several obtained

perfect marks in their weekly lessons for a period of more than three

months.

The increasing popularity of the Apprentice School is shown by

the fact that 1,687 applications were filed with the Civil Service

Cormnission for the entrance examination during the summer of

1930. Of this number, 1,408 took the examination, which required

the equivalent of an eighth grade education, and 542 qualified for

appointment.

As the school is limited by law to 200 apprentices at any one

time, an average of only 50 appointments can be made annually for

the 4-year courses. However, owing to the few appointments since

the graduation last June, it was possible to select 73 from the large

list of eligibles, and they will report for duty during the present

month.

30591—31 6
80 Annual Report of the Public Printer

3,4 7 9 APPLICANTS IN EIGHT YEARS

Since the establishment of the Apprentice School on July 5, 1922,

the number of applicants has totaled 3,479, of whom 1,513 succeeded

in passing the civil-service examinations. During the eight years

up to July 1, 1930, 409 appointments were made, and 178 completed

the 4-year course of training. Almost all of the graduates have

continued on the rolls of the Government Printing Office in their

respective trades, and 54 of them are now holding preferred positions,

with salaries ranging from $2,754 to $3,200 per year. In appreciation of the opportunities that have been accorded the

apprentices to learn useful trades in the Government Printing Office,

the presidents of the four classes that have been graduated thus far

presented the following statement to the Public Printer

Washington, D. C, Decemher 22, 1930. Hon. George H. Carter,

Pudlic Printer, Government Printing Office, Washington, D. C. Dear Sir : Tlirougli your recommendation to Congress to reestablish a School

of Apprentices in the United States Government Printing OflBice, you have given

to the young men of the country interested in such work an opportunity to learn a trade that will be a lasting benefit to them. We, as representatives of the graduate apprentices, wish to assure you that we appreciate the fact that by your sincere efforts we are now enrolled in the

largest printing establishment in the world. We find at the completion of our apprenticeship that we have received an

education which has equipped us for our life's work. The knowledge gained

during our four years in the Apprentice School has enabled us to take a place

in our respective trades, and it has been said that the graduate apprentices "are among the best qualified and most industrious journeymen in the oflfice." During our period of instruction we found conditions most agreeable, and we

wish to thank you for the course you have taken in reorganizing this school. We feel a debt of gratitude to you, and we wish to express the hope that this opportunity, which has been granted by no other Government official, will con- tinue to be extended to the youth of our country.

Again assuring you that we appreciate your efforts in our behalf, and thanking you for the opportunity you have afforded us, we wish you a Merry Christ- mas and Happy New Year. Most sincerely yours, Henry E. Matheny.

J. W. Biggers, Jr. Franklin R. Horstman.

Joseph C. Harvey.

The class which was graduated on April 18, 1929, presented an

engrossed copy of the following resolution of appreciation, signed

by the 47 members of that class

Whereas it has been our privilege to serve our apprenticeship and receive instruction in our respective trades in the Government Printing Office, and
Annual Report of the Public Printer 81

Wliereas this opportunity to equip ourselves for our chosen vocation has been

afforded us. through the efforts of tlie Hon. George H. Carter, Public Printer: Therefore be it Resolved, by the graduating apprentice class of 1928, that we herewith

express our appreciation and tender our thanks to Public Printer Carter for the opportunity thus afforded us and for his warm personal interest in our

success. GOOD WILL GREETINGS FROM APPRENTICES

Another and more recent token of the good will of the apprentices is the following Christmas greeting which they printed in

holiday spirit and presented to the Public Printer with their best

wishes

Merry Christmas. May the stocking hung before your chimney mantel be

filled with all the good things you deserve. We have had a good year and appreciate the many kindnesses we have

received at your hands. Our lot as apprentices has been happier because you have taken an interest in our welfare and helped us over some of the rough places during the year. We want to thank you and wish for you a Merry Christmas and joy and

prosperity in the New Year we are entering.

The Appeentices.

U. S. GOVEENMENT PeINTING OfFICE,

December 25, 1930. It is evident, therefore, that the apprentices of the Government

Printing Office are a happy and a fortunate lot, with a far brighter

future than awaits the average American boy. As a matter of fact,

the graduates of the Government School of Apprentices have better

prospects in life than the average college graduate or the favored

sons of Annapolis and "West Point.

HEALTH AND SANITATION

The health of employees and sanitation of the office were well

cared for during the year by the Medical and Sanitary Director in

charge of the Emergency Hospital staff of an assistant director and

three graduate nurses. Treatments for injuries and illness totaled

16,036, an increase of 1,585 over the preceding year. Of this number, 4,513 treatments were for minor injuries, including 1,501 for

injuries received outside the office. In these cases surgical care enabled the employees to remain on duty and do efficient work. The

medical treatments numbered 6,704, an increase of 514 for the year. Included in these figures are the treatments given 199 employees

of the city post office, which is permitted to use the facilities of the

Government Printing Office hospital when other medical services are not available.

Twenty claims due to time lost on account of injuries were allowed

by the United States Employees' Compensation Commission.
82 Annual Report of the Public Printer

During the year 3,948 employees were excused on account of illness or illness in family, with a resultant loss of 17,345 days of employment, a decrease of 2,653 days compared to the time lost in the

preceding year. TESTS MADE OF EMPLOYEES' EYESIGHT

In the hope of improving the vision of employees the Medical

Director undertook an examination of the eyesight of every employee on the rolls of the office in April, 1930. The tests included 4,429

employees. Of this number, 787 were found to have defective vision.

Since the examination, practically all of the employees whose vision

could be corrected by glasses have complied with the suggestion of

the Medical Director and have expressed themselves as pleased with

the results. It is proposed to conduct such examinations regularly hereafter,

as the correction of vision will be of benefit not only to the employees

themselves but will also increase their efficiency, good eyesight being an essential requirement in the work of the Government Printing

Office. During the year, 1,221 other physical examinations were made to determine the condition of new employees, fitness of others for duty,

and their eligibility for retirement.

The Medical and Sanitary Director also has charge of the sanitation of the entire plant with full authority over its cleanliness and

the safeguarding of employees. It is likewise his duty to make

regular inspections of the cafeteria and to examine the condition

of all foodstuffs so as to insure wholesome service at all times.

The cleanliness of the workrooms is a matter of special pride to the Government Printing Office. WORKING CONDITIONS GREATLY IMPROVED

The annual report of the Medical and Sanitary Director concludes

with the following statement of present conditions in the Government Printing Office

At the beginning of the present administration of the Government Printing

Office a movement was placed into action to improve the working conditions

of the employees. To-day we have a clean, wholesome place to work, good

ventilation, good light, a good place to eat, a wonderful recreation hall (sec- ond to none anywhere) ; a new addition to our building will soon be ready for occupancy ; this will provide room for those of our employees who, for lack of

space, have been employed in the old building.

Our people are well housed, our workrooms are clean, light and ventilation are good, we provide our employees with the best food obtainable, constant vig- ilance is maintained against fire, safety devices are used to prevent accidents. Our people are well taken care of ; they are happy, efiBcient, and contented.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 83

RETIREMENTS

There were 81 retirements of employees during the fiscal year

1930, of which 61 were on account of age and 20 for disability.

All of these employees are receiving annuities in accordance with the

retirement law. The total retirements from August 20, 1920, when

the law became effective, to July 1, 1930, were 886. In the six

months from July 1, 1930, to December 31, 1930, there were 120 additional retirements, of which 47 were by operation of the law limiting extensions of service to four years beyond the retirement age

of 65 for mechanics and 70 for clerks. The total contributions of Government Printing Office employees

to the Federal retirement fund up to July 1, 1930, amounted to

$2,034,715.78, of which $316,931.91 was deducted from their wages

and salaries for the fiscal year 1930 at the rate of 3% per cent. In the Annual Keport of the Public Printer for 1929 recommendation was made for increasing the maximum annuity of retired employees from $1,000 to at least $1,200 a year. It is pleasing to note

that the new retirement act of May 29, 1930, increases the maximum

annuity to $1,200 for all retired employees who have the required

qualifications. The new law also gives employees the option of re- tiring within 2 years of the regular retirement age after 30 years

of service, thus permitting many employees to retire at the age of 63. In accordance with the recommendation of the Public Printer,

Congress also amended the retirement law to authorize further ex- tensions to certain employees whose services for more than four

years beyond their regular retirement age would be advantageous to the Government on account of long experience and special knowledge. The new retirement law provides

where the head of the department or establishment certifies, and the Civil Service Commission agrees, that by reason of expert knowledge and special qualifica- tions the continuance of the employee would be advantageous to the public

service, further extensions of two years may be granted.

RULING OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION

Unfortunately, however, the Civil Service Commission has interpreted the law so that it is really of little or no benefit to the Government Printing Office. Although the wording of the continuance

provision follows almost exactly the recommendation submitted by

the Public Printer to the House Committee on the Civil Service,

which drafted the legislation, the Civil Service Commission in recent

decisions has made the provision inapplicable to employees of the

Government Printing Office.
84 Annual Report of the Public Printer

In its rulings the Civil Service Commission holds that

the special continuance provision of the retirement act was designed to apply

to those few Government employees whose knowledge and qualifications are such

that the loss of their services would be seriously felt by the public interests. The two cases submitted to the commission by the Public Printer were those of employees whose expert knowledge and special qualifications fully justified their retention as advantageous to the public

service, but the commission disregarded this fact, asserting

The automatic separation of employees of this character under the provision

of the retirement act should be regarded as a very small part of the annual

turnover which must be accepted and paid for by training newly assigned

employees, unless the main purpose of the retirement legislation is to be de- feated. The separation of a faithful, eflBcient employee at any age, unless his

eflBciency is impaired, is ,a loss to the Government, but it is a loss that must be borne in order to secure relief from superannuation.

The president of the Civil Service Commission has been publicly

quoted as citing " a scientist or technical employee engaged upon important research or organization work " as an example for the application of the special continuance provision of the new retirement

act. In the opinion of the Public Printer, such an interpretation of

the law will deny its special benefits to skilled craftsmen employed

in the Government Printing Office notwithstanding the fact that

their expert knowledge and special qualifications entitle them to the same consideration as the employees of other departments of the

Government.

MESSENGER IS FAVORED 0"\^R CRAFTSMAN

The Civil Service Commission has not been consistent, however, in

its intention to apply the continuance provision only to highbrow positions. At the request of the Secretary of State, soon

after the law became effective, the commission waived its ruling

in favor of a messenger in the State Department. In explanation

of this exception, the secretary of the commission stated that the

action was taken after the Secretary of State had personally

appeared before the commission and presented reasons showing that

his office would be seriously embarrassed by the loss of the messenger's services during the diplomatic year on account of his personal

acquaintance with diplomatic representatives of foreign governments

which is not shared to the same degree by other employees of the

State Department.

It is evident, therefore, that the Civil Service Commission considers the " expert knowledge and special qualifications " of a State

Department messenger as more " advantageous to the public service " than the expert knowledge and special qualifications of one of the

most skillful wood-carvers and cabinetmakers in the country whose
Anmial Report of the Public Printer 85

service in the Government Printing Office was ended by the arbitrary

ruling of the commission.

By a special provision in the legislative appropriation act effective July 1, 1930, Congress approved the recommendation of the Public

Printer that he be authorized to continue the employment of Mr. W. A.

(Andy) Smith, Congressional Kecord Clerk at the Capitol, notwithstanding the age limitation of the retirement act. Mr. Smith's notable service at the Capitol for more than 52 years entitled him to this

recognition of his continued efficiency, but his retention would not have been possible under the retirement act as interpreted by the

Civil Service Commission.

HALF HOLIDAYS AND LEAVE

On recommendation of the Public Printer, the Senate bill providing Saturday half holidays throughout the year for certain Government employees was amended by the House Committee on the Civil

Service to include employees of the Government Printing Office. This bill is now on the House Calendar with a favorable report

awaiting further action.

As stated in the Annual Eeport for 1929, the Public Printer is heartily in favor of a 5%-workday week for employees of the

Government Printing Office. A special bill granting them the half

holiday has been pending in Congress for several years and for that reason the Government Printing Office was not included in the

general Saturday half-holiday bill as passed by the Senate at the last session. With this legislation under way, it then seemed more

practical to have the Government Printing Office included with other

establishments^ in the general half-holiday bill, and an appropriate

amendment was submitted to the House Committee on the Civil

Service.

The report of that committee to the House on May 16, 1930, contains the following statement in regard to including the Government

Printing Office in the Saturday half-holiday bill (S. 471) : Employees of the Government Printing Office are included iu tine provisions of the bill, although legislation affecting this branch of the Government service does

not ordinarily come before the Committee on the Civil Service. This action was taken in view of a statement made under date of February 11, 1930, by the Public Printer to^S. M. Lee, clerk of the Committee on Printing of the United

States Senate, which read in part as follows

" I respectfully recommend that your committee propose an amendment to the Jones bill (S. 471), which is now on the Senate Calendar (No. 70), striking out the words ' and the Government Printing Office ' from line 9, page 1, of the

bill. The elimination of those words would make the Jones bill, providing

for a 44-hour week, applicable to the Government Printing Office as well as to other Government employees."
86 Annual Report of the Public Printer

PROVISIONS OF SATUEDAY HALF HOLIDAY BILL The bill (S. 471), which had been pending on the House Calendar

since May 16, 1930, provides that four hours, exclusive of time for

luncheon, shall constitute a day's V7ork on Saturday throughout the

year for practically all civil employees in the Federal service.

Employees whose services can not be spared on Saturday afternoons

are entitled to an equal shortening of the workday on some other day.

For several years, Saturday half holidays have been granted during

the four summer months by order of the President. In addition,

employees are allowed by law 30 days' leave of absence and every

legal holiday, making in all about 45 nonworking days each year on full pay. A weekly half holiday throughout the year would in- crease the time off with pay to 63 days annually. Employees of the

executive departments are also allowed by law 30 days' sick leave

annually, but this privilege does not apply to employees of the

Government Printing Office. APPOINTMENTS AND SEPARATIONS FOR YEAR

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930, there were 587 appointments to positions in the Government Printing Office, and 355 sep- arations from the service, including 81 retirements. The net increase

for the year was 232, which brought the total enrollment on June 30,

1930, up to 4,419 employees.

From July 1 to December 31, 1930, inclusive, 643 additional appointments were made, with 235 separations, the net increase for the

last six months being 408 employees. The total enrollment on December 31, 1930, was 4,827 employees, or 640 more than on July 30, 1929.

Approximately 155 further appointments are pending, including 73

apprentices, which will bring the net increase of employees since the

beginning of the fiscal year 1930 to 795. The increase in printers

during that period was 249. ENTIRE OFFICE HAS 9 8 6 WOMEN EMPLOYEES

Of the 4,827 employees on the rolls December 31, 1930, 986 were women engaged in various clerical and mechanical duties. A number

are employed in the Printing Division as compositors, proofreaders,

and linotype and monotype keyboard operators. Several women have

been assigned to highly responsible positions in this office during

the present administration. For the first time in its history, a woman

Assistant to the Public Printer has been placed in special charge of

the interests of women employees. The Public Documents Division

with 315 employees has a woman Assistant Superintendent, and

another is in charge of the bindery machine-sewing section.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 87

CAFETERIA AND RECREATION

With a 20 per cent increase in patronage, notwithstanding the

handicap of building alterations, the cafeteria, operated by an asso- ciation of employees, had the most successful year since its establishment in 1922. During the year ended October 20, 1930, the cafeteria

served a total of 982,220 meals, an increase of 167,325 over the

preceding year. The daily average was 3,070 customers, with a new

record of 4,276 on a special day when surplus funds were used to provide a turkey dinner for 25 cents a plate. At this meal 2,630

pounds of turkey and 400 pies were consumed, in addition to other

foodstuffs in similar quantities.

The total receipts of the cafeteria for the year amounted to $266,292.20, from which were paid the wages and salaries of its 63

employees, the cost of all the foodstuffs, and replacements of equipment, as well as the various entertainments provided for employees

during the year. The expenditure for dishes and other table equipment amounted to $2,130.92. The association also paid approximately

$5,500 for special furnishings in Harding Hall, including the draperies and stage equipment.

AXXUAL EXCUBSION ENJOYED BY EMPLOYEES

The annual excursion, given under the auspices of the association, was attended by 1,800 employees and their families, who greatly en- joyed a day of outdoor sports at Chapel Point on the Potomac River.

The expenses of a number of other activities were financed in whole

or in part by the association, such as three baseball teams, bowling

tournaments, the office orchestra of 30 members, and the newly

organized chorus.

Other actiA'ities of the association in connection with Harding Hall

are stated elsewhere in this report.

The president of the Cafeteria and Recreation Association con- cluded his report for the year with the following statement

On behalf of the Government Printing Office Cafeteria and Recreation Association I \Aish to extend to the Public Printer sincere appreciation of his kind thoughtfulness of the employees of the Government Printing Office through

the establishment of these activities, his keen interest in keeping them thor- oughly modern, and his efforts to always give the employees the very best. GENEROUS SUBSCRIPTIOXS TO RELEEF FUXDS

In view of the urgent appeals for relief funds, employees of the

Government Printing Office were more than usually generous in their

response to the American Red Cross roll call for 1931. The total subscriptions amounted to $2,614.15, ranking third in the list of sums

contributed by the Government departments and establishments in
.88 Annual Beport of the Public Printer

Washington. On the basis of per capita subscriptions, the employees

of the Government Printing Office took first place in the 1931 roll

call. The liberal response was highly commended by the District

director of the Eed Cross. WAR VETERANS

Generous assistance was also given during the year to the Veterans

of Foreign Wars in their annual sale of " buddy poppies " and to the

American War Mothers in their sale of carnations for Mother's Day.

Employees have been encouraged to enlist in the National Guard

and to attend citizens' military training camps. War veterans have

likewise been allowed to take whatever leave th^y desire to attend

their annual reunions.

In appreciation of this service, the United States Marine Corps

awarded the following certificate to the Public Printer in 1930

The United States Marine Corps much appreciates your practical contribution to national preparedness by the sacrifice of your business interests in granting leave to your employees to attend the annual training of the United

States Marine Corps Reserve. W. C. Neville,

Major General Commandant,

United States Marine Corps.

War veterans have also been encouraged to organize two units of

the United Veterans of American Wars, which have a total membership of 357 in the Government Printing Office. The Government Printing Office is proud to have Y37 war veterans on its rolls, a number of whom hold highly responsible positions

with great credit to themselves and to the Government. Of this number, 641 are veterans of the World War, which is almost double the

number of employees who left the service of the Government Printing

Office to join the armed forces of the United States in 1917 and 1918.

There are also 96 Spanish-American War veterans in the office, 13 of

whom likewise served in the World War.

LAST or THE CIVIL WAR VETERANS

Established as it was at the beginning of the Civil War, the

Government Printing Office has been the home of soldiers and vet- erans ever since the tragic days when several hundred of its employees

enlisted to aid in the defense of the National Capital. The last of

the hundreds of Civil War veterans employed in the Government

Printing Office retired a few years ago. The distinction of being the

last Civil War veteran employed in this office, of the few now living,

belongs to Capt. Samuel G. Mawson, past department commander

of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the United Spanish War

Veterans in the District of Columbia.
Annual Report of the Public Printer 89

It seems fitting, therefore, to close this report with an expression

of heartfelt thanks to Captain Mawson and his faithful comrades

whose loyalty made it possible for the Government Printing Office to function throughout the Civil and Spanish Wars and to be of still greater service during the World War and the succeeding years

of peace. Under authority of the act approved June 6, 1930 (Public, No.

311, Tlst Cong.), the Public Printer has discontinued the printing of

such other and additional reports for the fiscal year ended June 30,

1930, as have usually been submitted to Congress concerning the busi- ness 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. EespectfuUy submitted.

Public Printer.

DIVISION OF ACCOUNTS

STATISTICAL TABLES

STATISTICAL TABLES

Compiled by the Superintendent of Accounts and Budget Officer Table 1.

Resources and liabilities under appropriations for the fiscal year ended' June 30J 1930

resources

Appropriation for working capital $2, 500, 000. 00 Deficiency act Mar. 26, 1930 . 3, 600. 00 PajTnents from all sources for printing and binding 11, 004^ 572. 01 Refunds and receipts from various sources 202. 06

Bills receivable July 1, 1930, for printing and binding furnished. 592, 427. 99 ^ $14,100,802.06 Appropriations for salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents 524, 000. GO Appropriation for general expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents. 195, 000. 00 Equipment for Government Printing Office Building 200, 000. 00 Total resources available for fiscal year 1930-. . $15, 019, 802. 06- liabilities Working capital and repayments for printing and binding: Disbursed to June 30, 1930 $12, 720, 295. 35 Outstanding obligations July 1, 1930 1, 281, 829. 13 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations $14, 002, 124. 48

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Disbursed to June 30, 1930 478, 543. 43 Outstanding obligations July 1, 1930 22, 000. 00 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations. 500, 543. 43 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Disbursed to June 30, 1930 126, 075. 63 Outstanding obligations July 1, 1930 65, 924. 37 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations 192, 000. 00 Appropriation, equipment for Government Printing Office Building (no obligations to June 30, 1930): Total disbursed to June 30, 1930 _ 13, 324, 914. 41 Total outstanding obligations July 1, 1930 1, 369, 753. 50 Total disbursed and outstanding obligations 14, 694, 667. 91 Unobligated balance (subject to 10 per cent over or under

on outstanding orders) i 325, 134. 15 Total 15,019,802.06 Table 2.

Summary of financial transactions in fiscal year ended June 30, 1930

covering appropriations for fiscal years 1928, 1929, and 1930

APPROPRIATION FOR 1928

Public printing and binding: Unexpended balance July 1, 1929 Credits to appropriations by payments from all sources

for printing and binding and other receipts from miscellaneous sources Disbursed for material and supplies

Total.

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents: Unex- pended balance July 1, 1929 General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents: Unexpended balance July 1, 1929 Disbursed

Total. Grand total appropriation Unobligated balance of 1929 appropriation on June 30, 1930.

Resources

$578, 201. 53

223. 11

578, 424.

25, 948. 48

25, 948. 48

619. 227. 12

Disburse- ments

, 898. 04

8, 898. 04

17, 381. 98

17, 381.

Unexpended

balance July 1, 1930

$569, 526. 60

14, 854. 00

8, 566. 50

592, 947. 10

592, 947. 10

1 Includes $200,X)00 for equipment for Government Printing Office Building, all of which becomes a

continuing appropriation in 1931. 93
94 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table 2.

Summary of financial transactions in fiscal year ended June SO, 1930,

covering appropriations for fiscal years 1928, 1929, and 1930—Continued

APPROPRIATION FOR 1929

Disburse- ments Unexpended

balance July 1, 1930

Public printing and binding: Unexpended balance July 1, 1929 _ $658, 466. 30 Credits to appropriations by payments from all sources

for printing and binding and other receipts from miscellaneous sources... 919, 895. 71 Disbursed for labor $319, 405. 93 Disbursed for paper 565, 250. 93

60, 274. 30 Disbursed for material and supplies 174, 980. 55 Total 1, 578, 362. 01 1,119, 911.71 $458. 450. 30

Salaries, oflBce of Superintendent of DocumentsUnexpended balance July 1, 1929 40, 793. 72

lo, 141). yo Total—. — - 40, 793. 72 18. 140. 96 22, 662. 76 General expenses, oflBoe of Superintendent of DocumentsUnexpended balance July 1, 1929 — 80, 193. 39 Disbursed 79, 390. 74 Total -. - 80, 193. 39 79, 390. 74 802. 65 Grand total appropriation 1, 699, 349. 12 1, 217, 443. 41 481, 905. 71

73, 644. 73 Unobligated balance of 1929 appropriation on June 30, 1930. 408, 260. 98 APPROPRIATION FOR 1930

Public printing and binding:

Legislative act of Feb. 28, 1929 Deficiency act of Mar. 26, 1930 Credits to appropriations by payments from all sources

for printing and binding and other receipts from

miscellaneous sources Disbursed for labor Disbursed for paper.. Disbursed for lithographing and engraving Disbursed for material and supplies Total Equipment, Government Printing Office Building.

Salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Legislative act of Feb. 28, 1929. Disbursed

Total. General expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents:

Legislative act of Feb. 28, 1929 Disbursed.

Total. Grand total appropriation.

Bills receivable .-. Total Deduct for outstanding obligations Unobligated balance of 1930 appropriations on June 30, 1930. Total unobligated balances (subject to change by 10 per

cent over and under on outstanding obligations)

1928

1929 1930... Total.

$2, 500, 000. 00

3, 600. 00

11, 004, 774. 07

13, 508, 374. 07

200, 000. 00

524, 000. 00

524, 000. 00

195, 000. 00

195, 000. 00

14, 427, 374. 07

$8, 806, 976. 09

2, 643, 753. 43

98, 934. 35

1, 110, 631. 48

12, 720. 295. 35

478, 543. 43

478, 543. 43

126, 075. 63

126, 075. G3

13, 324, 914. 41

1 Includes $200,000 for equipment for Government Printing Office Building, aU of which becomes

a continuing appropriation in 1931.
Statistical Tables 95

Table 2.

Summary of financial transactions in fiscal year ended June SO, 1930,

covering appropriations for fiscal years 1928, 1929, and 1930—Continued

EECAPITULATIOX—ALL APPROPRLITIONS

Total paid for labor i $9, 186, 382. 02 Total paid for material and supplies 1, 294, 510. 07 Total paid for lithographing and engraving . . . 159, 208. 65 Total paid for paper . 3, 209, 004. 36 Total paid for printing and binding 13, 849, 105. 10 Total paid for salaries, office of Superintendent of Documents > 496, 684. 39 Total paid for general expenses, office of Superintendent of Documents 222, 848. 35 Grand total 14,568,637.84 Table 3.

Moneys received during fiscal year 1930, the source and Treasury deposit

1928 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: For miscellaneous printing and binding $219. 67 Refunds 3.44 Total ?223. 11 1929 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: For printing and binding for departments and bureaus 897, 308. 78 For miscellaneous printing and binding 21, 831. 04 Reftmds 73.5.14 A uditor 's disallowance 20. 75 Total 919,895.71

1930 Deposited to the credit of appropriation for public printing and binding: For printing and binding for departments and bureaus 10, 931, 6-83. 03 For miscellaneous printing and binding 72, 888. 98 Refunds.. 196.25 Auditor's disallowance.-- 5.81 Total 11,004,774.07 Deposited to miscellaneous receipts: Sde of waste paper 63, 753. 51 Sale of waste metal-. 4,788.92

Sale of waste wood.- 686.84

Sale of waste gold 1, 003. 85 Sale of condemned material 453. 28 Sale of documents 215, 745. 6? Total 256,432.07 Grand total 12,211,324.96

1 Includes amount paid to retirement fund. $300, 179. 72 Includes amount paid to retirement fund 16, 752. 19 Total paid to retirement fimd 316, 931. 91 30591—31 7
96 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table 4.

Production of principal items entering into printing and binding in

fiscal years 1928, 1929, 1930

Item Main office and Congressional Library branch: Total charges for printing and binding dollars Jackets written number

Estimates made do..

Bills computed do... Total ems set do... Time-work in composing sections hours. Electrotype and stereotype square inches Postal cards printed number. Money-order books shipped do... Forms sent to press ..do... Actual impressions do... Chargeable impressions do... Sheets folded do... Signatures gathered do... Tips made do... Copies wire stitched do... Copies paper covered do... Books and pamphlets trimmed do... Books rounded and backed do... Books marbled and edged do... Stamping impressions ...do... Books cased in.. ..do... Indexes cut do... Sheets passed through ruling machine ..do... Signatures sewed do... Copies punched and drilled do... Sheets and lines perforated... .do... Tablets made do... Miscellaneous rebindings, etc do...

12, 370, 14C. 63

58, 900

52, 149

74, 489

2, 101, 301, 000

248, 765

10, 345, 015

1, 726, 524, 392

1, 005, 265

161, 615

496, 693, 620

1, 936, 225, 940

378, 427, 584

159, 165, 884

24, 638, 033

46, 989, 822

10, 593, 833

47, 548, 337

1, 357, 951

294, 394

2, 861, 897

1, 626, 978

130,011 22,867,419

61, 087, 869

135, 559, 178

8, 111, 287

2, 928, 330

90, 221

1930

12, 715, 330. 80

58, 860

54, 269 75.919

2, 226, 741, 000

251, 514

10, 820, 451

1, 820, 181, 228

1, 040, 807

153, 427 512,438,770

2, 225, 320, 830

378, 361, 054

154, 190, 077

22, 179, 086

45, 017, 756

10, 547, 504

44, 992, 890

1, 308, 867

457, 659

2, 743, 084

1, 668, 704

195, 664

26, 869, 442

58, 600, 715

148, 993, 935

8, 189, 768

3, 573, 051

93, 376

2, 473,

12,

1, 731,

1, 586.

2, 364, 452,

159,

29,

51,

12, 56,

1,

34,

66, 161,

13,

3, 520. 25

62, 303

55, 033

78, 999

567, 100

258, 299

448, 269

266, 760

055, 312

173, 742

530, 941

948, 413

673, 407

676, 789

420, 080

738, 999

638, 296

041, 685

724. 386

510, 703

424, 186

143. 025

294. 670

997, 757

015, 602

098, 129

147, 042

972, 821

98, 963

» Includes $900,000 estimated labor and material on uncompleted jobs.
Statistical Tables 97

Table 5.Charges for work and to whom delivered during the fiscal year ended June SO, 1930

Congress $2, 499, 510. 50 Work ordered by Members of Congress: Miscellaneous charges 694.35 Documents, reports, bills, etc 10, 882'. 90 Speeches 67,368.88 Private orders for electrotypes 58. 65 Superintendent of Documents . 741,539.45 State 233, 045. 67 Treasury 891, 427. 02 War 634,224.53 Navy 792,405.44

Interior . 231,389.29 Geological Survey . 164, 416. 28 Smithsonian Institution 97, 860. 86

Justice 264, 647. 18 Post Office 2, 114, 610. 44 Agriculture 1,014,610.10 Commerce 1, 381, 368. 92 Patent Office 1, 191, 228. 24 Labor 279, 013. 84 Library of Congress 384, 841. 42 White House 3, 689. 33 Pan American Union 36, 738. 09 Supreme Court:

District of Columbia 3, 724. 19 United States 2, 960. 17 Court of Claims 33, 439. 34

Interstate Commerce Commission 230, 571. 10 Civil Service Commission 62, 791. 70 Geographic Board ^ 358.94 General Accounting Office 76, 759. 48 Alien Property Custodian 2, 418. 32 Bureau of the Budget 26, 945. 92

District of Columbia 106, 270. 65 Employees' Compensation Commission 10, 398. 34 Federal Reserve Board 39, 621. 31 Federal Board for Vocational Education 10, 822. 62 Federal Trade Commission . 29, 729. 42 National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 23, 692. 33 Panama Canal . 51, 048. 59 Railroad Administration 509. 49 Board of Mediation 1, 181. 62 Shipping Board 47, 965. 33 Tariff Commission 14, 984. 11 Veterans' Bureau 173,635.93 War Finance Corporation 294. 58 Public Buildings and Public Parks 4, 289. 72 Arlington Memorial Bridge Commission 374.00 American Battle Monuments Commission 3, 170.30 Bureau of Efficiency 552. 72 Commission of Fine Arts 1, 735. 37 Federal Power Commission 3, 2.38. 34 National Forest Reservation Commission 303. 04 National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers 2, 165. 56 Special counsel, oil leases : 16.62 Board of Tax Appeals 40, 667. 06 National Capital Park and Planning Commission 1, 475. 43 Inland Waterways Commission 561.92 Two Hundredth Anniversary of George Washington's Birthday 744. 05 Federal Radio Commission 9,808.44 Pan American Sanitary Bureau 14, 476. 29 War Claims Arbiter . 408. 01 George Rogers Clark Sesquicentennial Commission 380. 83 Personnel Classification Board 8, 111. 18 National Commission on Law Observance and Enforcement 270. 09 National Academy of Sciences 130. 05 American Samoan Commission 14. 17 Pulaski Sesquicentennial Commission 12. 98 Federal Farm Board - 17, 919. 22 Total - - - 14,096,520.25
98 Annual Report of the Public Printer

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100 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Table 8.Inventory of quantity and cost of paper and envelopes, material and

supplies, and machinery and equipment on hand June 30, 1930

Description Sheets Pounds Cost

Jrsper 8rii(i envelopest "PT'lTTf"ITl<T 11,082, 000 $104, 092. 86

61, 453. 85

48, 750, 49

8, 343. 00

1, 025. 43

40, 496. 51

16, 984. 06

7, 583. 93

41, 180. 36

186, 427. 56

63, 131. 54

22, 517. 90

24, 51G. 45

3, 162. 28

11, 413. 40

13,154.80

4, 234. 65

9, 538. 80

u< u. ^u

4, 567. 36

3, 418. 80

12, 271. 87

11, 236. 13

1, 067. 80

1 QQn 10, yyu. yo

15, 305. 66

Do 1 QQ 1 nnn 1, ooi, uuu

QQ nnn yy, uuu

7, 590, 000 Do 320, 000

366, 000

7, 897, 000

1ft oou, nnn uuu

3, 395, 000

/ oy, uuu

1, ooo, uuu

00 i, UUU

Index _ Do 221, 000 Kraft 1 014 nnn i, yj.^, uuu Do 111,000 Manila tag board. - _ ... 509, 000 Do 1loo, R8 nnn uuu

iftK nnn 100, l/UU

i> / u, uuu Do 267, 000

1 fi7K nnn X, D/O, uuu Do 15, 000

501, 250 Envelopes - Total, paper and envelopes-. 745, 936. 84 Other material and supplies:

184, 251. 39 Book cloth.. ... ...... _ 27, 005. 99

10, 207. 63

3,118. 19

9, 663. 81 Ink ingredients Ink (made in Government Printing Office) . Leather .. Total, material and supplies ... 234, 247. 01 Total, material and supplies, paper and envelopes.- . . . 980, 183. 85 Machinery and equipment . . ... . ... 4, 594, 831. 47 Grand total . ... ... 5, 575, 015. 32
Statistical Tables 101

Table 9.

Publications, including annual reports and documents, printed on req- uisition during the fiscal year ended June SO, 1930, for Congress and Government

departments and independent establishments

[Does not include speeches, private orders, or court briefs] Copies

Agricultm-e

.

. 36,734,846 War 10,182,750 Superintendent of Documents 10, 077, 992 Commerce 8,360,570 Congress 4,910,630 State . 865,306 Treasury 3, 254, 695 Navy 2, 338, 925

Interior 1, 995, 614

Justice 78, 931 Post Office 2. 017, 276 Labor 1,815,450 Smitiisonian Institution . 144, 833 Library of Congress 169, 332 Executive Office 24, 196 Pan American Union . 207, 691 Supreme Court:

District of Columbia 774 United States 170 Court of Claims . 5, 047 Bureau of Efficiency 1, 114 Federal Power Commission 4, 134 Interstate Commerce Commission 1, 665, 826

Civil Service Commission 169,588 Geographic Board 12,950 General Accounting Office ' 11,992 Alien Property Custodian.. 2,492

District of Columbia 252, 136 Em.ployees' Compensation Commission 104, 552 Veterans' Bureau 510,914 Federal Board for Vocational Education 100, 091 Federal Reserve Board 442, 596 Federal Trade Commission 113, 182 National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics 46, 630 Panama CanaL 2,491 Railroad Administration 1,031 Shipping Board 396,869

Tariff Commission 16,436 Board of Mediation 5, 552 War Finance Corporation.. 500 Bureau of the Budget 6, 623 Public Buildings and Public Parks 564 Board of Tax Appeals 13, 541 Pan American Sanitary Bureau 74, 625 Federal Radio Commission 5, 292 Inland Waterways Corporation 3,501 National Capital Park and Planning Commission 1, 600 Federal Farm Board 924, 620 Personnel Classification Board.. _ 1,000 Miscellaneous '. 20,769 Total 88,098,239 Table 10.

Receipts from miscellaneous sales during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930

Condemned material, machinery, etc $453. 28 Waste wood 686.84 Waste metal 4, 788. 92 Waste paper 63, 753. 51 Waste gold 1, 003. 85 Total 70,686.40

DIVISION OF TESTS AND TECHNICAL CONTROL

REPORT OF THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

103

REPORT OF THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

To the Public Printer : The following is the report of the Di\asion of Tests and Technical

Control for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1930

The total number of samples tested during the year was 8,418, an increase of 10.9 per cent over the number tested last year. Following is a tabulation of the various materials tested during the fiscal years 1920 and 1930

1929 1930

Paper - 4, 800

750

87

],]34

51 349

5,583 700

91 1,11936 21486

39

76

109 365

Textiles . - . .... Bookbinding leather. _ . - - . . Metals Glue

Ink-making materials.-- . .... . _ . Inks.-

Oils and greases . 50

72

79 219

Gasoline ^ . _____ _ _ Chemicals _--._--.- .... ._ .. . Miscellaneous.-. --..__._ _ _ .. ...

Total 1 7. 591 8, 418 Three hundred and eighty-three deliveries of materials were re- jected for noncompliance with specifications. Of these rejections 224 were of paper, 68 of envelopes, the remainder being miscellaneous

materials.

PAPER

The total net amount of paper received by the office during the year was 51,993.802 pounds or 12.75 per cent more than last year. Of this

amount 2.135,438 pounds were rejected for noncompliance with specifications. The 1930 rejections amounted to 5.26 per cent as compared

with 4.1 per cent for last year. KRAFT PAPER

The research program on kraft paper mentioned in last year's

report has been extended to cover additional tests. The work is now

completed and will be published shortly as a technical bulletin of

the office. Considerable interest in this work has been expressed by

manufacturers, jobbers, and consumers. TABULATING CARDS

Close technical supervision over the paper used in printing tabulating cards has been maintained during the year. The cards are fuUy equal to those furnished by the tabulating machine companies.

An auxiliary attachment for printing colored identification stripes on tabulating cards was designed in the laboratory and built in the

105
106 Annual Report of the Public Printer

machine shop. This attachment prints narrow colored stripes on the

cards without interfering with production. Numerous shades of inks

for stripes have been developed to meet the requirements of the

different Government departments.

PASSPORT PAPER

With the cooperation of a paper company which had furnished a

considerable amount of passport paper, an entirely different grade of

paper has been developed. The new passport paper is very sensitive to mechanical erasure. The following letter authorizing the change to the new paper was

received from the Assistant Secretary of State under date of January

18, 1930:

I have received your letter of January 14, inclosing for approval new speci- fications for passport paper drawn up to procure paper possessing physical

characteristics better adapted for the prevention and detection of alterations and forgeries. The use of this new paper will increase the cost of each pass- port three-tenths of 1 cent.

I am glad to approve the use of the new paper at an increased cost of three-tenths of 1 cent on each passport, and I should like to add that I greatly

appreciate your interest and cooperation in this matter. DETERMINATION OF PAPER ACIDITY

The Government was the pioneer in adopting definite acidity

specifications for paper intended for permanent record use. The

Government specifications for the year beginning March 1, 1929, car- ried acidity limits for two grades of paper—100 per cent rag book

and 100 per cent rag ledger—with a total estimated purchase of

240,000 pounds. In the specifications for the year beginning March

1, 1930, the acidity regulations were extended to cover 11 grades

of paper, including practically all the 100 per cent, some of the 50

per cent rag papers, and one chemical wood paper. The estimated

quantity to be purchased for the year is 2,500,000 pounds.

Due to the fact that numerous procedures have been recommended

for the determination of acidity in paper as expressed by pH values

and also by total acidity, concordant results are not always obtained

by different laboratories. It was apparent that further research

covering methods for the determination of pH values and total acidity on paper was desirable, and in fact essential, to their application

to paper specifications.

A research program Avas therefore instituted in which the Bureau

of Standards, the Bureau of Chemistry and Soils, and the Government Printing Office are cooperating.

A preliminary report on the work was presented by the Technical

Director at the annual meeting of the Technical Association of the

Pulp and Paper Industry in New York, in February, 1930. This

report has been published in bulletin form and is available for

distribution.

REJECTIONS or EN\TELOPES

Envelopes purchased by the office during the year totaled 51,196,-

089, an increase of 10,420.229, or 25.5 per cent, over last year. Of

these 8,357,250 were rejected. The greater portion of the rejections
Report of the Technical Director 107

were kraft envelopes for low folding endurance. The rejections

amounted to 16.3 per cent as compared with 5.18 per cent last year. WARPING OF BOOK COVERS

Considerable warping of book covers made from Xo. 2 quality

binders board was experienced during the year. As a result, best quality board was substituted for No. 2 board in most instances. In the

meantime research has been continued to determine the cause of

warping of binders board and means for prevention. This work

is being conducted in cooperation with the Employing Bookbinders

of America and the Binders Board Manufacturers Association under

the research associate plan.

It was found that if the boards were rosin-sized and of the specified density, the warping was materially reduced. This was apparently due to the reduced absorption of water by the boards. Bending tests on unsized No. 2 quality boards showed that when the

boards were moistened on one side, their resistance to bending decreased approximately 10 per cent. When moistened on both sides

the decrease was approximately 20 per cent. The stiffness of the boards as well as their water resistance affects the tendency to warp. One sample tested was an asphalt-impregnated board which was practically unaffected by water. This board was very flexible and warped badly when used.

Based on the assumption that decreasing the amount of water

absorbed by the boards in the casing-in process would aid in the

prevention of warping, practical tests were made on several adhesives, among which were glue, stabilized rubber latex, and rubber

dispersions. All these adhesives contain much less water than flour paste and were found to give excellent results with respect to pre- venting warping, but none could be used satisfactorily in the casingin machines. It was apparent, therefore, that a modification of

the machines would be necessary unless an adhesive was developed

which could be used without machine changes.

Efforts were accordingly made to develop a paste which would

contain a much smaller percentage of water than that commonly

used for casing-in. Flour paste contains 85 to 90 per cent water

and, due to its low surface tension, piles up on the end-paper in

ridges instead of a smooth layer. These ridges of paste carry a considerable amount of water in suspension, the major portion of

which must be absorbed by the binders board.

Numerous formulas were tried out and finally a paste was developed which gives all indications of being satisfactory. The modified paste, in addition to containing but slightly more than half as much water as ordinary paste, has a considerably higher surface

tension. This permits the spreading of a very thin layer on the

end-sheet, thus further cutting down the amount of water to be

absorbed by the binders board. Tests made so far indicate that the use of this or a similar paste

in connection with properly sized boards will practically eliminate

the warping of No. 2 quality boards.

Further tests will be made during the winter when atmospheric

conditions are such as to cause excessive warping. The results of

the work will be published in bulletin form as soon as completed.
108 Annual Report of the Public Printer

TYPE METALS

During the fiscal year 1930 a total of 8,736,107 pounds of type

metals were standardized for the use of the office, an increase of

716,894 pounds, or 8.9 per cent more than in the fiscal year 1929. The

amounts of the various alloys standardized during the fiscal years

1929 and 1930 are given below

Kind of metal 1929 1930 Increase Increase

Linotype- Pounds

5, 184, 345

2, 189, 734

388, 870

256, 264

Pounds

5, 719, 035

2, 461, 059

489, 118

66, 895

Pounds

534, 690

271, 325

100, 248

1 189, 369

Per cent 10.31

12. 39

25. 77

1 73. 90 Monotype

Stereotype -.- Electrotype Total 8, 019, 213 8, 736, 107 716, 894 2 8. 94

1 Decrease. 2 Average. Following is a detailed tabulation showing the correction of linotype, monotype, stereotype, and electrotype metals for the fiscal year

1930. These data include the quantity returned for remelting, cor- rection metals, dross, percentage increase due to correction, and

percentage loss due to dross, calculated on the quantity of metal

n-Mielted

Metal

Linotype Monotype Stereotype Electrotype

Returned for remelting . _ - pounds- 5, 639, 038 2,460,623 434, 253 37, 597 Correction metal used: Lead-antimony alloy 1 Tin-antimony alloy 2 do

do----

17, 845 10, 860

28, 850

1,334

2, 370

4, 235

20, 460

1,360

30, 375

2,235 Tin . do-.-. 15 Lead do--- 89, 650 27, 165 Total correction metal used-- do---- 107, 510 43, 414 56,430 29, 400 Total corrected metal . - do..-- 5, 719, 035 2, 461, 059 489, 118 66, 895 Dross - - -- Increase due to correction. -.- - Dross . - -

- do-.-. per cent-- do- —

27, 513

1.90 .48

42, 978

1. 76

1.74

1,565

12. 99

.86

102

78. 19 .27

1 Lead-antimony alloy consists of approximately 60 per cent lead and 40 per cent antimony.

2 Tin-antimony alloy consists of approximately 33 per cent tin and 67 per cent antimony.

The percentages of dross in linotype and monotype metals were

0.48 and 1.74, respectively, as compared with 0.79 and 2.23 last year. The decrease is due to the use of the dross renovator mentioned in

last year's report. The percentage will be even lower in the future

since the equipment is now in regular use. The renovator was in use for only part of the fiscal year 1930.

The following table shows the amount of dross treated and the

amount of metal recovered during five months' operation
Report of the Technical Director 109

Month

Linotype Monotype

Original

dross Recovered metal

Recovered metal

Final

dross Final

dross Originaldross Recovered metal

Recovered metal

Final

dross Final

dross

1929 November .

1930 January - February March

Average

Lbs.

2,931 2,961

3, 049

2, 941

3, 396

Lbs.

1, 191 1,311

1, 291

1, 432

1, 820

Per cent

40. 63

44. 27

42. 34

48. 69

53. 59

Lbs.

1, 740

1, 650

1, 758

1, 509

1, 576

Per cent

0. 39 .45

.33 .32

.28

Lbs. 4,400

4, 600

4, 920

5, 400

7, 209

Lbs.

1, 928

2,159

2,262

2,697

3, 596

Per cent

43. 81

46. 93

45. 97

49. 94

49. 88

Lbs.

2, 472

2,441

2,658

2, 703 3,613

Per cent 1.30

1.43

1. 33

1.21

1.31

3, 056 1, 409 46. 11 1, 647 .35 5, 306 2,528 47. 64 2,777 1. 32 The following table shows the difference in composition of the

linotype and monotype metals and the metals recovered from the

dross in each case. The analyses of recovered metals were made on

composite lots of approximately 1,500 pounds each, and can therefore

be considered as representative:

Linotype metal Monotype metal

Govern- Govern- ment Metal ment Metal

Printing recovered Printing recovered

Office from Office from

standard dross standard dross formula formula

Per cent Per cent Per cent Per cent Tin 4. 0-4. 5 3. 55 7.3 5.22

11.5 11. 80 16.8 14.80 Copper (maximum) . - -

1 .05 .09 2.4 .14 Lead (by difference) . - ----- - - (3) 84. 56 79. 84

1 Analyses of metal in use show an average copper content of 0.08 per cent.

2 Analyses of metal in use show an average copper content of 0.15-0.18 per cent.

3 Remainder. The use of the renovator has resulted in a decided saving to the

office. However, it is doubtful if its use can be recommended in

plants where the metal is not under close technical control, since

the addition of the recovered metal to the stock metal would cause

the composition of the stock to vary more rapidly from the standard

formula than would normally occur. LINOTYPE METAL

The continued standardization of linotype metal to the formula

of 4.0 to 4.5 per cent tin and 11.5 per cent antimony has brought practically all the linotype metal in the office to this formula, as evi- denced by the composition of the metal being returned for remelting. The tin content of a considerable portion of the metal is 4.4 and 4.5 per cent, with the antimony content at the required standard.

This has reduced the increase due to correction of linotype metal

from 2.31 per cent for the fiscal year 1929 to 1.9 per cent for 1930.
110 Annual Report of the Public Printer

MONOTYPE METAL

The technical control of monotype metal was maintained without

interruption. No complaints of crushed or defective type attributable to the metal were received.

STEREOTYPE METAL

A 5-ton electrically heated stereotype pot was installed in the

Platemaking Division during the year. Difficulty was experienced

in the use of metal of the formula adopted in 1925. This formula

required 8 per cent tin, 15.5 per cent antimony, and the remainder

lead. It was found that the antimony, being in excess of the eutectic,

had a marked tendency to separate from the alloy. Analyses made

after the metal was allowed to stand overnight showed the metal in

the upper part of the pot to contain between 30 per cent and 40 per

cent antimony. The high antimony metal required a temperature

in excess of 750° F. to melt it and also caused trouble by freezing

in the pump. The plates were honeycombed, many of them being

unfit for use. Research was necessary therefore to determine a formula for the

metal best suited for use with the new equipment and one which

would make satisfactory plates for the presses. Numerous lots of

metal of varying formulas were made and given practical tests. Enlarged photographs were made of stereotype plates cast from

these metals, both before and after having been run on the presses, to determine their comparative wearing qualities.

An alloy containing 6.5 to 7 per cent tin, 12.75 to 13 per cent antimony, and the remainder lead was finally chosen as giving the

best results from the standpoint of casting and also from wear on

the press. This metal is used satisfactorily at a casting temperature

of 600° F., and no trouble is experienced with the pump. The plates were found to be sufficiently hard and tough to give 70,000 good impressions on newsprint paper, which is considerably more than

normally required, either in the Government Printing Office or in

newspaper plants.

Alloys containing more than 7 per cent tin were found to have

higher melting points, an increase of 1 per cent tin requiring an

increase of 50° F. in the casting temperature before satisfactory

plates could be obtained. Antimony in excess of 13 per cent was

found to increase the melting point of the metal and to have a tendency to separate from the remainder of the alloy. It was interesting to note that the major portion of the wear on

stereotype plates is due to the battering they receive during the first few thousand impressions. The wear during the first 10,000 impressions was found to be much greater than that shown during the run

between 35,000 and 70,000 impressions. It is evident, therefore, that

the number of satisfactory impressions obtained from any stereotype

plate is governed to a marked extent by the precision of both press construction and stereotyping equipment.

The old gas burner under the small stereotype pot was replaced

with a modern thermostatically controlled gas burner of the same

type as those installed in the metal section. In addition to effecting a savings of approximately 30 per cent in gas, the new burner keeps

the metal at a predetermined temperature at all times, resulting in
Report of the Technical Director 111

better plates with fewer recasts. The upkeep on the new burner

is practically negligible. A pyrometer indicates accurately the.; temperature of the metal at all times.

ELECTEOTYPE METAL

During the year 336,619 pounds of old electrotype plates were ex- changed in part payment for new electrotype metal. The facilities of the metal section were not such as to permit the economical handling of this quantity of metal in addition to the regular work.

Due to the high tin content of the old metal, it was found possible to exchange it on practically an even basis for new metal of standard

formula of 4 per cent tin, 3 per cent antimony, and the remainder

lead. The large supply of electrotype metal will make it unnecessary

to continue the correction of this alloy in the office for some time.

BISMUTH IN TYPE METAL

A study of the effect of small percentages of bismuth in type

metals was begun during the year. The first tests are being made

on stereotj^pe metal. The data available at this time are not suffi- cient for a report.

REMODELING OF METAL ROOM

In conjunction with the Division of Construction and Maintenance,

plans have been drawn for the remodeling of the metal room to facili- tate economical handling of the metal. In connection with this work,

three new 7i/2-ton metal pots and one 5-ton pot have been designed.

Two of the Ti/2-ton pots will be used for linotype metal and the

third for monotype metal. The 5-ton pot will be used for electrotype

and stereotype metals and as a reserve for linotype and monotype

work.

The 5-ton pot was built and installed during the year. It is equipped with the latest type thermostatically controlled burner,

which has reduced the gas consumption approximately 30 per cent. The 7%-ton pots will also be equipped with these burners. The new

pot is also equipped with a device designed and built in the office to

facilitate the thorough mixing and alloying of the metal by the use

of blocks of green wood in a cage which is lowered to the bottom

of the pot by a chain-driven worm-screw shaft. PRINTING INKS

The production of printing inks for the fiscal year 1930 was

178,257 pounds, an increase of 16,122 pounds, or 10 per cent, over 1929. Waste ink has been kept at the minimum, 4,116 pounds having

been discarded during the year as unfit for reclamation. This represents 2.3 per cent of the total production. The waste ink last

3'ear also amounted to 2.3 per cent. The principal inks used by the office have been standardized and

the formulas simplified in order to use the least number of ingredients necessary to obtain satisfactory ink. The fewer the ingredients

used the less chance there is for variations in the finished product.

30591—31 8
112 Annual Report of the Public Printer

Work on the standardization of colored inks used in the office has

been continued, and specifications have been developed for several

new raw materials.

STUDY OF NEWS INK AND NEWSPRINT PAPER

Cooperative research on newsprint paper and news ink by the

United States Government Printing Office and the mechanical

department of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association was

started in 1928. The purpose of the work was to determine the

qualities of newsprint paper and news ink which should be specified

and controlled in order to obtain the best and most economical

results from a printing standpoint and to develop tests by which

newspaper publishers could assure themselves that deliveries were in

.accordance with specifications.

The results of tests on 256 samples of newsprint paper manufactured by 75 mills which were submitted by 149 members of the

association were reported at the mechanical conference in June, 1929« The report covered only tests of the samples, since it was impossible

to recommend definite specifications until a study of news ink had

been made.

It was deemed desirable to start the work on news ink before proceeding further on the newsprint paper research, in order that the

two might be carried on in parallel, as the results obtained in studying one material would be of assistance in studving the other. Due to the amount of work involved in the study of news ink, no further

work has been done on newsprint paper with the exception of a few

special samples tested at the request of members of the association.

As a basis for the work on news ink 24 samples of the inks used

by various members of the association were secured for analysis and

study. Considerable difficulty was experienced in the analyses of

these inks. Various methods for the analysis of printing inks have

been published from time to time, but it was found that the results obtained by those methods did not check with the percentages of

ingredients in experimental inks of known composition. It was

necessary, therefore, to develop an accurate method for the analysis

of news ink, in order to obtain information as to the actual composition of the samples.

More than 50 analyses and tests were made on inks of known and

unknown composition before methods were found which would give

accurately the amount of the various ingredients used in the manufacture of the inks.

A progress report was presented by the Technical Director at the

fourth annual meeting of the mechanical department of the American Newspaper Publishers' Association at West Baden, Ind., in June,

1930. Full details of the results obtained so far are given in the progress

report, which has been published in bulletin form and is available

for distribution.

Considerable interest in the work has been expressed by manufacturers of newsprint paper and news inks and also by members of

the American Newspaper Publishers' Association.
Report of the Technical Director 113

PEESS ROLLERS AND MOLDED GLUES

Press rollers manufactured during the year totaled 2,325 as compared with 3,254 for 1929, a decrease of 929 rollers or 28.5 per cent. The reduction can be attributed only to weather conditions and careful presswork, since neither the quality of the materials nor the

formulas for the rollers were changed.

Research has been conducted to determine the comparative value

of different grades of glue for roller making and also to determine

the value of a glycerin substitute. Tests were made on several presses using rollers made from a 535-gram jell strength glue and rollers made from the standard 400-gram glue with which 50 per cent re- claimed composition was used.

The higher grade glue jdelded rollers which lasted somewhat

longer than the standard rollers, but the difference in length of life was more than offset by the increase in cost. No improvement in

the quality of the printing could be detected.

If the pressrooms were equipped with relative humidity control,

the difference in the life of the rollers would probably be more pronounced, since weather changes necessitate the removal of many

rollers before they are otherwise unfit for use. Tests on the glycerin substitute indicate that it does not yield

rollers as long-lived as those made from glycerin. The rollers were found to be more susceptible to high relative humidity conditions

than those made from glycerin. Relative humidity control in the

pressrooms would eliminate this condition, and would warrant

further tests on substitutes.

A total of 102,848 pounds of molded glue was manufactured during the fiscal year 1930. This is an increase of 30 per cent over

the amount produced in 1929. No changes were made in the formulas for the various glues.

The new formula for perfect binder glue reported last year has

proven very satisfactory during the year. ELECTROTYPING

Research has been conducted into several phases of electrotyping

during the year. Tentative specifications have been adopted for the

purchase of graphite for use in blackleading and molding. Tests on graphite purchased under these specifications show a marked

increase in the rate of covering the wax cases, with a resultant

decrease in the time required to obtain shells of desired thickness.

Work is also being done on the use of addition agents in copper

solutions in order to obtain satisfactory shells at a higher current

density than can be used under present operating conditions. The

results obtained so far indicate that no difficulty will be experienced

in obtaining good shells at a current density of 150 amperes per

square foot. The present current density used is approximately 70

to 80 amperes per square foot. With the cooperation of the manufacturers of plating equipment,

specifications were drawn for two new, semiautomatic, rubber-lined,

copper- depositing tanks. The tanks, which are 20 feet long, will be
114 Annual Report of the Public Printer

loaded and unloaded at one point and are designed to carry approximately 30 cases each on a conveyor system. The continuous passing

of the cases by the stationary anodes will give uniform depositing

conditions which can not be obtained in tanks commonly used for

electrotyping work.

The two tanks and two 7,500-ampere, 8-volt generators have been

purchased for installation in the Platemaking Division. New rubberlined steel tanks to be used for the nickel electrotyping baths have

also been purchased.

A study is being made of the variables affecting the efficiency of

nickel-depositing baths, and work is now under way to determine the

relative value of nickel baths made according to different formulas.

It is desired to express appreciation of the very helpful assistance

given in the work on electrotyping by Dr. W. Blum, of the Bureau

of Standards. He has made numerous suggestions of great value,

both on methods of operation and on specifications for new

equipment.

PHOTO-ENGRAVING

Work was started during the year on photo-engraving research

problems, but due to the pressure of routine work definite results have not as yet been obtained. A survey of several up-to-date plants was made in company with the foreman of the photo-engraving

section. The information obtained was used in planning a new layout for the photo-engraving section.

Studies of collodion and also of zinc plates used in making line cuts have been started.

A comparative study is also being made of the quality of results

.obtained by electric etching and by ferric chloride etching. The data so far obtained indicate that electric etching is principally of value

for deep work.

SUPPLIES TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

As in the previous two years, the furnishing of miscellaneous

supplies manufactured by the Government Printing Office to other

Government agencies continues to be a considerable part of the work

of the ink section. Inks constitute the major portion of the supplies.

The total charge for supplies this year was approximately $24,000, as compared with $25,500 last year. The estimated savings to the

departments for the year was $33,600.

The following tabulation gives a comparison of the amounts of

these supplies furnished the Government agencies during the fiscal years 1929 and 1930

Kind of material

Mimeograph ink, black

Printing inks, including miiltigraph, black, and colored Addressograph ink, blue and black Blue-black writing ink Red writing ink Stamp-pad inks, blue, black, and red Numbering-machine inks, blue, black, and red Molded glue, including canceling-stamp composition for the Post OflSce Department

Paste - -

' Quarts. 2 Pints.
Report of the Technical Director 115

PUBLICATIONS

During the year the following articles prepared by this division

have been published by the office in bulletin form, and reprinted in

various trade journals

Preliminary Keport on Methods of Determination of pH Values

and Total Acidity.

Progress Report on Study of News Ink and Newsprint.

Technical Specifications for Paper Users. NEW LABORATORY

The drafting of specifications for furniture and equipment for

the new laboratory required a considerable amount of work during

the year. The new laboratory contains ample space for both routine

and research work. Separate rooms are provided for microscopical

work, paper analysis, photomicrographic work, metal analysis, and

ink analysis. A room for general research where the work will not

interfere with routine testing will be available for use in the study

of special problems. Library and conference rooms are included.

The laboratory also has two rooms equipped with constant temperature and relative humidity control. One of the rooms, which will

be maintained at 50 per cent relative humidity and 70°-75° F., is to be used for the physical testing of both routine and research paper

samples. The other room can be maintained at any relative humidity

desired, between 40 and 65 per cent, and at temperatures varying up

to 85° F. It will be used for textile testing and for any special tests ^hich require controlled relative humidity conditions.

NEW INK, ROLLER, AND GLUE ROOMS

The ink and roller and glue sections will be located on the same

floor with the laboratory and thus be under more direct technical

control. As in the case of the laboratory, considerable work was

required in planning the layout of the equipment for these sections

in order to obtain the best results. Some new equipment has been

ordered to replace worn-out machinery and to take care of the

canning and labeling of inks for other Government establishments.

The humidifying and heating equipment formerly used in the

book section of the main pressroom will be used to maintain constant temperature and relative humidity conditions in the roller- storage room. This will permit storing rollers from one season to another, which is not possible when rollers are stored under ordinary

conditions.

Respectfully submitted. B. L. Wehmhoff,

Technical Director.

o