Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-17
TRANSFERS BILL SECTION
TO BE LOCATED ON THE SIXTH
FLOOR OF THE G. P. o.
One of the Departments Of Congress
sional Printing-To Be Produced
by Machines.

One of the most important branches of
the government printing otflce-the bill sec
tion-is being removed to quarters on the
seventh floor of the new building. The en-
tire scheme of reorganization now being
carried out is understood to include the
concentration of manufacturing operations
and the facilities OF separate branches of
the work The printing Of bills has grown
within the past fifteen years from pTac-
tically nothing to work requiring the time
and attention of several hundred employees
of the big printery.
The introduction of bill in either branch
on Congress appears to the layman to be a
simple operation, and such IS true, for II
Involves simply dropping a copy OF the
intended measure in the box provided in
the Senate and House, but II Is with the
printer that the activity is noticeable. The
biz Is given q serial number by a clerk,
after which the presiding officer designates
to what committee It shall be referred.
The government printer then produces the
first print for the committee. and when 1t
Is reported. regardless Of the action taken,
Il is again printed with the amendments
properly indicated and bearing the original
serial number. If the bill is passed by the
first branch Of Congress It is printed in the
'enErossed' form and sent to the other
Legislative body
Printed Six Times.
There the bin has become an act and it
printed for the committee, reprinted when
reported and finally is enrolled for the
signature of the President of the United
States. Thus every measure passed in the
regular manner is printed. at least six
times but II there is the slightest departure
from the usual routine 1t is probable that
the measure Will have been reprinted from
eight 10 twenty-five times before il be
comes law To the big printery, however,
the most important item in the handling OF
Sush class OF printing is speed. for not only
does Congress at times require certain bills
printed while they wait, but II Is not an
i.frgGueut occurrence for the messengers
10 deliver copies OF important measures 10
waiting committees as late-or rather early
AS o'clock in the morning!
And then, too. II Is tn, cheapest work
from the standpoint OF cost, turned out by
the government printing office. II depIetes
th' CouEreSS.u Eal treasury to the extent OF
Too cents for each individual bill OF severa
hundred copies each This rapid and CheaI
production IS largely due, ii IS said &c
the good management ingenious methods
and trained wurkmen of the big printery
The moment a particularly hot bill
reaches The composing room il is cut II
small takes" and distributed among meT
who have the style TO be followed an(
the layout Of material a. their fingers
ends. and but few minutes intervene be
tween the receipt Of the copy and the de
livery Of the printed copies, the proof
readers and preSSmea being at hand to fin
ish the work as II Is passed along.
The work has grown to such large pro
portions that q special section has oeel
created to handle il. and the office OF fore
man ~ bills placed in the hands OF
Frank Morgan. The product will be en-
tlrtlv machine set the coming winter 70
the FIRST time an equipment Of Mersen
thuler machines being added to a reinforce
Monotype battery for handling the entir
work
Cast by the Machines.