Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-29
CREATING A DEMAND.
An Alleged Organization OF
Bookbinders
TO IMPRESS PUBLIC
REVELATIONS TO THE lands
COMMISSION.
Testimony Of Capt. II. T. Brian and
Foreman +. J. Burns Regarding
Excessive Printing.
TO IMPRESS PUBLIC

Statements bordering on the sensational
were made during the session yesterday
afternoon of the Lands subcommittee on
printing reform at the Capitol. The fol-
lowing assertions were made:
First In the bindery at the government
printing Office there is an organization which
has as its object the printing and dfstri-
button Of lists of the most expensive gov
eminent publications. These lists are sent
all over the country to impress the public
with the fact that the publications enumer-
ated are extremely valuable and may be
had for the asking. The object Is to create
a fictitious demand for the enumerated pub
locations In order that the force at the
bindery may be kept busy.
Second This organization also has a spe-
cial committee. the business OF which Is to
induce senators and representatives. either
personally or through their secretaries, to
order their full allotment of documents out
of the reserve fund. The object, in this In
stance, as may easily be seen, Is to keep
the bndery Of the printing office working
on full time.
Third. The civil service commission sends
duly certified employees to the government
bindery whC| as matter or fact, are not
expert workmen. Much better results could
civil service commission.
Fourth. The civil service commission
sends to the bindery, on requisition mex
perienced women who must be taught the
trade Some learn their duties in week.
while others take a month. Their full sal
aries go on, however, from the date Of ap-
pontment.
Proceedings of Confederate Congress.
The government printing Office is now at
work printing 1S5O sets of seven volumes
each of the proceedings of the confederate
congress. Not a single member of the COM
mittee on printing of the Senate and the
House was aware that this large order had
been made. The record shows that the
War Department, Senator Bate and Senator
Foraker are responsible for the order. Ac-
cording to the best judgment of the mem
bers of the printing reform committee the
$50 volumes ordered Will-if precedent De
considered-prove inadequate, and a special
edition will be ordered necessitating the ex-
penditure of several hundred thousand dol
lars.
Capt Brian was the first witness at the
afternoon session of the Lands subcommit-
tee. Mr.. Brian, In his testimony, declared
that the government printing office was
powerless to institute reforms, and said that
action by the national legislature was the
one thing needed.
Many Economies Possible.
He was of the opinion that many econo-
mics might be effected by intelligent super
vision Capt. Brian. in answer to questions
by Chairman Lands, said that the cost Of
printing and binding the civil war records
had amounted so far to 81, SS1. S21.5O. Capt.
Brian considered that the best way of rem
edying the evils was to revise the law. cut
down the issuance of documents, eliminate
the present reserve for members of Con-
gress, cut down the number OF bills printed
and institute other reforms. He called at
tention to the fact that under the present
system some public bills were printed four
and five and even six times. He considered
that the government printing office paid at
least twenty per cent higher wages to en-
ployes than was paid in private printing
shops. The cost Of the employees annual
leave last year was, he said, about 1926, 900.
Frederick J. Burns. foreman Of the bind
cry in the government printing office. was
the next witness. Mr.. Burns said that the
binding turned out for the government de-
partments was of the most expensive kind.
Organization of Binders.
In answer to a question by Chairman
Lands, Mr.. Burns admitted that he knew
of an organization which had existed in the
bndery and which had for its object the
distribution of literature calculated to
create a fictitious demand upon the bindery
for government publications. He admitted
committee whose duty it was to labor with
members of Congress and induce them to
turn in acquisitions for their full quota OF
bound copies of government publications
out of the reserve.
Mr. Burns said he had heard Of the or
ganizatfon and Its objects, but had never
attended a meeting. He had seen a list
of publications issued by the organizatio
but could not say that the order was ac
tive at the present time. Undoubtedly the
object of the organization had been to In
duce indiscriminate ordering of govern
ment publica tons, with the object Of keep
ing the bindery busy.
Mr.. Burns announced that considera BILE
money had been saved to the government
by the Introduction of labor-saving ma
chinery. but that this was rather in the
way of Increased output than in the reduc-
ton of the bindery's force. AS matter
of fact. the force in his Office had not been
reduced The foreman empha tically ne-
clared that 1t was extremely difficult to Sc
cure skilled labor for the bindery through
the medium OF the civil service commission
Quite often, he said, such binders were
lacking in practical knowledge OF the work.
whatever might be their knowledge along
theoretical lines. He made the declaration
that all the women sent to the bindery by
the civil service commission were unskilled
and had to learn their trade while on fun
pay on the bindery rolls. He could not un-
derstand the necessity for this.
He thought it would be practical to have
apprentices in the bindery as was the case
in former years. but called attention to
the fact that the civil service rules must be
amended before this could be done. Mr..
Burns agreed with Captain Brian, the chief
clerk, that wages paid in the government
printing office were, including leave and
other privileges, between 20 and Is per
cent higher than those paid in private es-
adjustments. The value of the work done
in the bindery during the past fiscal year
amounted. he said. to S1.213, 1855.
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JEWELS STOLEN IN TRANSIT.