Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-14
Excl TES COMMENT
PROSPECT OF DIVERSION OF
e WORK FROM THE G. P. O.

The prospect of the engagement Of Mr..
Oscar j. Ricketts,. late foreman of the gov
eminent printing office. as the representa-
tive of organized labor before Congress and
the executive departments, as given exclu-
stveiy in The Star yesterday and the fur
Their prospect of much Of the public print
ing being given to private establishments
instead of the official printery, as at pres
ent, were topics of moment among the
thousands of employees of the big print shop
today. Some alarm is felt that should the
clause In the legislative bill allowing the
commissioner of patents to have the Official
Gazette and the specifications printed by
private contract be enacted into law it will
mean the gradual disintegration of the gov
eminent printing Office.
According to former high official of the
government printery, as there is no private
printing establishment in Washington that
could execute the work of the patent Of
flee or any other federal department, the
work would necessarily go to the big print
ing houses in other cities should the con-
tract system prevail. He held that there
is perhaps no proprietor of a printery in
this city who would be willing to enlarge
his plant for the purpose of executing the
contract for one year, hence the work
would go to outside establishments that al
ready have the capacity to do it.
Mr.. Stilings said today that the govern
ment printing office would undoubtedly put
in a bid for the patent Office work should
the clause in the legislative appropriation
bill be passed by the Senate. He said the
official printery had been handicapped dur
ing the past year by the fact that 1t be-
came necessary to put hand compostors
on the typcsetting machines that were en-
gagged in printing the specifications and the
Gazette, and therefore while these men
were learning the business of machine oper-
ators the patent office was paying the bills.
Skilled Operators to Be Employed.
The public printer proposes in the future
to have the work executed by skilled opera
tors. He says the government printing Of
flee IS on the ground floor as to outfit and
other facilities for doing the patent Office
and other departmental work, and that the
office will do what the outside firms cannot
do. and that is to get the work out on time,
with quick service when necessary. and
correct work.
The outcome of the meeting of Columbia
Typographical Union tomorrow afternoon is
able employment Of Mr.. Ricketts, as its
Legislative agent
In speaking to a Star reporter today. Mr..
Ricketts, said the matter of accepting such
an appointment had been preached to him
by interested parties. He did not indt-
cate however, what his ultimatum would
be- One of his Immediate friends said this
afternoon that he would no doubt acceIe
the place IL il is rendered to him in the
proper spirit.
You know he added that Mr.. Rick
etts is and always has been d stanch union
man and that he knows all about every
thing in the government printing Office from
the cellar to the attic. He Is also ac-
auainted with a wide range of public men,
and his statements would have the great
est weight with members of Congress and
others / should esteem the typographical
union or the American Federation of Labor
to be exceedingly fortunate to secure the
services of Oscar J. Ricketts, in the direc
ton indicated"