Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-18

hand out the copy. and even then. as Mr..
Benedict must know. IL he is the practical
printer that the law requires him to be to
hold his position, unless the takes are
because copy is cut to para graphs, and
not to lines. Then he appears to entirely
lose sight of the fact that while one man
may have to walk but ten feet from the
copy desk to his case, another man has to
walk one hundred feet. He goes on to
state that the men averaged accord
ing to the time they take to turn in their
takes. Allow me to say that It would
be impossible to grade any man by such q
system as Mr.. Benedict describes, and as
an ex-employe of the government printing
office, know that no such thing is DONE
In the event of 200 takes of copy being
given out, it is done b. one man, and by
the time the two hundredth take is out
the man with the first take has finished
There are employed in the government
printing office some of the fastest compost
tors In the country, and 1t is these men
who are used by Mr.. Benedict In his in
dividual competition. I know of one In.
the championship of America, was compn.
mented by Mr.. Benedict for his large av-
erage and held up a pattern to his fell
low employees. Another instance was that
In which two men, who. under two admin.
lstrations. had filled positions In which they
had given entire satisfaction, were trans
ferred to Other work, and one of the fastest
printers in the Office given charge of the
work Of the two men; and today that fast
man" is wearing himself away trying to
keep up with the pace. Under Mr.. Bene-
diets system every printer must be an ex-
pert, or he Is marked man; and yet we
know that the phenomenon is the excep-
t1on There are not many Edisons or Mer.
genthalers or Fultons in the world, al
though Mr.. Benedicts system would an.
pear to force everybody to be one, or else
get off the earth. The system was con-
demned at chapel meeting of one Of the
divisions of the government printing ONCE
a ca apd IN, -
the foreman one Of the best printers in the
office declared the existing system Of In.
dividual competition to be Q system Of
terrorism
What the Union Expects.
"As to the authority Of Columbia Union
in the office, 1t is understood to consist OF
two claims: First, that printer shall
have a union card or permit before goins
to work. and, secondly, that the presidency
of the union shall be good for a foreman
ship. If there is anything else in which
the union has say 1t is not generally
known. 1t certainly cannot keep an en-
ploye in the office. however competent he
may be, against the wishes of the public
printer. and il Mr.. Benedict discharged 800
and refused to give a reason for SO doing.
the union has no redress. The civil ser.
vice commission could, at least ask for an
Investigation into such an aot committed
under its rules. but Columbia Union has
not the power to do even that"
An Interesting Suggestion.
Another ex-employe offers an interesting
suggestion. In a communication to The
Star he says, II understand Mr. Benedict
to imagine that he does not discharge em-
ployes for political reasons. but for In
competency. Would 1t then not DO much
better for him to select his men only from
those who belong to the various unions
that are represented in that Officer Tho
men who belong to these unions are com.
PEELED to serve an apprenticeship before
they become journeymen. and in my opin.
ion if Mr.. Benedict was compelled to make
his appointments from their lists OF un.
employed, he would not only have more an.
plicants than he could give employment to.
but have more competent workmen."