Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-27
NEW DEPARTMENT
IS A POSSIBILITY
Plan to Make Public Printer a
Cabinet Officer.
CONGRESSMAN THE MOVER
To Have Charge of the Mass of Gov
ernment Publications.
ONE DIVISION ABOLISHED
Wagons May Be supplanted by Auto
mobiles-Emergency Hospital
Apartment.

well-deflned movement is on foot 10
make the government printing office Uncle
SESus tenth executive department, with g.
cabfHet officer at it's head. 1t was learned
today thar a representative In Congress has
the tentative rsa tier in hand, and that if a
bill creating the department of printing
and publications is not introduced in the
present Congress such action will be taken
early In the next session.
Some of the officials of the government
printing office have heard of the proposition
and are not aveyse to 1t. although the
statement can be made on good authority
that the matter did not originate there A
reporter of The Star talked with officers
of the big printery this afternoon about the
project, and they said that while they had
no. taken any active steps to bring about
the result mentioned they would neverthe-
less welcome such an outcome.
The representative in Congress who has
taken the initiative In the matter will, it IS
learned, present many cogent reasons to
the House and Senate why a new executive
department should be created and the pub
lf5 printer made a cabinet officer, to be
known as the Secretary of Printing and
Publishing, or by a similar title. He says
II should have as bureaus the government
printing offices in the Philippines and Porto
Ing. the printery at the weather bureau and
those at It's several meteorological stations
in the big cities, the printing offices in the
post offices at the great commercial CEN
ters, and, in fact, all the establishments
where public printing is done.
Most Important Branch.
But II IS his opinion that the most impor-
tant bureau or branch Of the proposed ex-
ecutive department would be that which
ba,. rl,a ,,F rtn or
the great mass of government publications
issued by the other departments
He points out that the publication bu-
reau would IN fact be a great editorial de-
partment where much of the useless mat
ter now printed would be eliminated by the
government editors with their blue pencils.
In addition, all matter intended for publi-
cation could be prepared by these official
editors according to an established style, SO
that there would be marked similarity In
the style Of such publications.
One of his strongest arguments Will be
the saving to Uncle Sam that would result
from the establishment of the new depart
ment. While it will entail the appointment
OF another cabinet officer and perhaps two
assistant secretaries of printing and pub
fishing, the saving in the general output
and the elimination OF the useless VIII more
than make up the difference he says.
Then, too, he argues in this age of print
Ing and the dissemination of knowledge
through the agency Of the printing press,
such a department has become a national
demand, and ne believes IN the wisdom OF
Congress a bin will be passed creating II.
Tie representative in Congress in question
believes it is the inevitable. both from an
educa yional and an administrative view
point.
A Division Abolished.
Public Printer SJiHngs took action yes
tcrday abolisAna one Of the divisions Of
She government printing office-the reserve
division OF the biDdery. About sixty people
were employed IN the division and they
were fGrloughed for mine days. it was
stated The reason given for putting this
branch ont Of commission was because Of
the degrtb of work and the fact that il
had oJtlived is usetu.ncss.
The foreman OF the division Gen. Ferd