Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-06
Investigation at the Govern
ment Printing Office.
EXAMINED IN SECRET
WITNESSES WARNED NOT TO d.
vULGE ANYTHING OUTSIDE.
Relative Merits of the Lanston and
Mergenthaler Typesetting Ma
chimes the Real Issue.

| The commission to investigate methods OF
| business In the departmental service met at
| 9:30 O'Clock this morning at the govern
ment printing Office under circumstances
| of unusual secrecy. The presence OF the
commission in the government printing Of
| fee has cast spell over that big establish
ment that has efrectually changed the na-
| ture of the place, which today was hkened
| by people who visited II TO great peni-
| tentiary. The free and easy air OF the
workshop had departed and in its place
there the guarded corridors with
watchful eyes scanning every intruder into
| the vicinity of the room in which the COM
| mission is holding its meetings.
| The commission met to continue the In
| vestigation into the reasons that led to
| the purchase of seventy-two I.anston type
| setting machoines. which the representa-
| tives of the Mergenthaler declare were not
| based on the superiority of the machine.
| The investigation now requires that a large
| number of witnesses in the office be called
| up for examination. The public printer
| and few of the leading foremen i'm the
| divisions in which the Lanston machines
| are used have been examined, their testI-
| mony having been published in The Star
| These witnesses Will be on the stand again
later during the proceedings. 1t is under
| stood. but in the meantime there will be
| large number of other employees of the
office called to testify as to what they know
about the machines and every detail con-
| cerning them.
Rules Of Secrecy.
| The commission has been annoyed he
| cause of the publication of its proceedings
and today took added measures in order to
| enforce its rules of secrecy. 1t has gone sc
| far in this respect that there is a feeling
OF terrorism pervading the entire force OF
| the big printery Not only are the corri.
dors kept free OF intruders but witnesses
| from the various divisions are shuntes
down an obscure elevator and led to the
examining room through corridor alona
the G street side Of the building that IS
| seldom used except by employes In order
| that the Identity Of witnesses NAV be kent
| secret watchmen have instructions to keen
the hallway clear, and a sleuth-eyed guar
| dlaf STANDS at each side Of the main door
| leading TO the secret chamber in which the
| investigation Is being held. One of these
men keeps his eyes constantly down the
| North Capitol street corridor and the other
looks as intently down the G street passage
| way. What they expect to see is a mystery.
| The witnesses are carried into the secret
| chamber by way of side door where there
| is little likelihood that anv ono u,,,I Go
| them.
| The fact that news of the proceedings he
| iore the commission has leaked out has
| caused Indignation on the part of the COM
| mission, and today there was further cau-
| tioning of representatives Of the Mergen-
| tkaler and the Lanston companies not TO
| leak The system of espionage pra =
| ticed on representatives of the typesetting
| Hachlnes. on witnesses and on every one
| Nho at any time is suspected of leaking
| has beep carried so far that the question
| is constantly being asked as to the neces-
| slty or reason for such action. 1t Is be-
| heved by many who have watched these
| secret proceedings that the commission has
| CNerpiayed its part of secrecy.
Effect of the Mystery.
| Some employees of the office were today
| speculating on the effect on witnesses who
| may be called by the commission of all the
| mystery that surrounds the work of the
| commission. Some are inclined to believe
! that it will result in such timidity on the
| part of every one who is called to testify
| as to destroy the hope of full and clear
| statements. Some of the employees are al
| ready endeavoring TO ascertain from wit
nesSes who have been examined what IS
| the nature of the questions that are being
| asked. fearing that there may be trick
questions by means of which they may
| be placed on record in way they do not
feel Is just TO them. They resent applying
| methods of the secret service and of the
sweat box" by a commission that they are
satisfied could secure all the facts without
| resorting to such methods.
| For instance the situation was ex-
planned today by man who may be a wit
ness before the investigation is over, IF
am called to testify before this commits
| sion l think It Is only just that l should
| know what It is desired to prove and that
l should be given freedom in testifying that
| would be accorded me on the witness stand
| in an ordinary case in court To be called
| before that commission and asked categori-
| cal questions may result in differences from
| my answers that were never intended nor
dreamt of by me. l cannot see why this
| thing should not be conducted above board
| pOnll
some assurance OF fair treatment"
| According TO the method being pursued
| by the commission 1t is not known whether
| the testimony which II is TO base its de-
| cision will ever be made public. on the
| other hand, every word that witnesses utter
| is being recorded by stenographers and VIII
| be preserved by the commission, and 1t Is
| possible that It viii be called for by Con-
| gress next winter. The stenographers are
| making a most complete report 1t Is not
| known whether that report will be edited,
| as the commission would have the right, 1t
| is believed, to have stricken from 1t any
| thing that in its judgment should not re-
| main on the record permanently. But no
! witness has the right TO exercise that priv
| lege.
The course pursued by the commission,
| II is said, is based on the Idea that the pub
| tic has nothing to do with the investiga-
| ton, and is not entitled to know anything
| about the controversy over the alleged con-
| spiracy In the government printing Office,
except that which the commission may see
| fit to give out in its report that may not
| be made for several months to come, f
| then.
| Speculation as to the Outcome.
! There is a good deal of speculation as to
| the outcome of these proceedings on the
| part of employees of the government print
! ing office The Typographical Union is, to
some extent interested in the manner In
which the investigation is being carried on.
| For instance 1t is understood that there are
| men who assert that the Lanston machine
| is no more economical than is the work or
| hand compositors. AS the machine tends
! to replace the old hand compositors and
| throw them permanently out of employ
| ment the Typographical Union has taken
| an interest In protecting its members far
| as possible. 1t is declared that If a
| chine throws old employees out OF work
| without being a benefit to the government
| in the way of economy there is no jusAd-
cation for suoh course. That is one rea-
| son why some of the compositors believe
| the facts about all the typesetting ma
| chimes should be made public.
The commission continued in session to-