The Washington herald., 1906-11-24
STILLINGS HAD TOACT
Employees Say Their Demand
for Inquiry Forced Hand.
HURRIED TO FOREsTALL THEM
AccuSerS AIIege that Public Printer
Knew Complaints Had Been Made
to Congress. and Wished to Stand
from Under-PIck Flaws In state
ment, Alleging Lack of Economy.

The announcement in The Washington
Herald Of yesterday that Public Printer
Charles A. Stillings had decided to ask
for a Congressional commission to in
quire into his administration of the Gov
ernment Printing Once has created much
satisfaction among all classes Of employees
at the Office. and they feel certain now
that their wrongs win, In time. be re-
dressed.
The statement also served to bring out
a host Of new complaints against Mr..
Sullings, and it also brought TO light the
foct that Representatives and Senators
already in Washington have been seen
by employees Of the Printing once, and
urged TO investigate the charges.
Some Of the employees say Mr.. Stillings
was COgnizant OF this fact. and that his
demand for a commission Of inquiry was
made to forestaH any similar action con-
templated hy his men
Pick Flaws in StHtement.
The fun statement that the Public
Printer made to The Herald yesterday has
led some of the employees to compare
notes. and some CT them say that his
showing Of economy means only that less
work has been done
One critic also denied that the sanitary
condition OF the buildings had been inn
proved. one OF them, who wrote a long
communication on the subject. said.
Mr.. Palmer employed an ample force
of charwomen. who regularly mopped the
floors. busted The furniture and cleaned
the windows. Instead Of these cleaners,
we now have the expensive inspectors.
whose chief duty seems to be 70 admonish
the employees not 10 spit OF the floor"
Il is also asserted that Dr. Manning.
who is paid S2,000 year TO attend the sick
IN the department does nothing besides
his work as an inspector.
Complaint was made that all Of the girls
employed in the machine room were fur
loughed yesterday, as there was no work
for them. These girls earn - a day. and
some OF them allege that when there is
work in their department Miss Hoffman,
the woman in charge. makes everything a
rush order. and sometimes keeps the force
working until 800 p. IN.
Advertises Private Firm.
Mr. StnIings promoted z. Calhoun from
the ranks to be foreman Of the third d.
vision yesterday. in the place OF James
Ross. whom he put in charge CT the night
force, which is busy keeping up with the
work when Congress is in session.
An unusual thing noted about the de-
tail OF the Printing Office is that on some
Of the blanks used by the department,
notably the certificates of inspection.
there Is a printed line reading. Design
ed for the exclusive use Of the Govern
ment Printing Office. by the Audit Sys-
tenn - Duane street. New York"
II is so unusual TO find the advertise
ment-for this line amounts exactly 70
that-of any private firm on the govern
ment stationery that Mr. StiIlings was
asked about g.. He said the Audit Com
pany has this design exclusively. and
that for the privilege OF using fl the
Printing Office had agreed 20 insert the
line. The design Of the blank forms on
which this line appears IL not copyright
ed. and. as a matter Of fact. the design
does not strike one as being so novel
or original that IL could not just as well
have emanated from the Printing Of
fee.
II was declared by some Of the en-
plOyes that the reason behind this
boost for the Audit Company Law in
the fact that the company at g Duane
street. New York. was the same as that
which furnished the time clocks which
the Public Printer was so anxious to in
stall
Mr.. Stillings last night denied the al
legation and said that the Audit Company
had nothing whatever to do with time
clocks, ana was associated in no way with
that enterprise
Fear Aceusers VIII weaken.
Some Of the employees expressed a fear
that even If a Congressional inquiry were
instituted there would rot be enough men
brave enough TO testify. II was said that
many of them feared the authorities might
sustain Mr.. Stillings and retain him in his
position. in which case the condition Of
those who testified against him would not
be extremely comfortable.
Mr.. Sullings said last night that The
Herald interview with him had fairly and
accurately represented his side Of the con
trOversy
G. P. Rhodes. a proof reader in the
Printing Office. says the facts about the
reform methods instituted BY Mr. StillinEs
have been much mtsrepresentod. He says