The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-10-05
Comptroller of Treasury
JustifeS Position of Mr..
Leech.
ISSUES AN ORDER
TO SETTLE BILLS
Reverses Opinion Handed Down by
Auditor for State and Other
Departments.

BY a decision OF the Comptroller OF
the Treasury, just rendered. IL is not
probable that Public Printer Leech VIII
abolish the emergency room. nor is II
likely that the Public Printer will alb d.
fish the Office Of sanitary and emergency
aid officer.
This decision of the Comptroller is
the outcome OF an appeal Of the Public
Printer from a recent decision Of the
Auditor for the State and other Depart
ments on the claim Of W. q. Moses &
Sons, for supplies furnished TO the
amount OF S1,Ol4O3 for hospital april
ances.
The Comptroller disapprOves the ac-
ton of the Auditor, and The claim is al
lowed In commenting on the emer-
gency room, the Comptroller says that
under the authority Of section 40, Of the
act of January y, 1895, the Public
Printer has the right 10 fix the amount
of wages to be paid. and he may in
clude as a part Of such compensation
the right to first medical aid and hos
Fital attendance.
To Benefit Employees.
The Comptroller holds that tie con-
tracts for the employment of ffrst-aid
officers and. employees of the emergency
room and the contracts for furnishing
the room with appliances are made for
the benefit Of the employees. The Comp
troller says II is sufficient to know in
this case that the Public Printer did fur
nish the employees with free medical aid,
and the use Of the emergency room,
and that he had the right to do so under
q proper contract.
The most important feature OF the
Public Printers appeal is his request OF
the Comptroller for a decision on his
right TO pay the salary of a sanitary
and emergency aid officer and an as
sistant aid officer, and emergency ma
tron. 1t had been limited at the Print
ing Office that the days Of the sanitary
officer We're numbered, and that there
soon would be a decision from the
Comptroller that would require the Pub
lie Printer TO abolish the office. And
herein is the interest Of the decision 10
the employees in Uncle Sans big print
shop. The Comptroller, however, puts
It up to the Public Printer whether or
not he will continue the emergency
room.
Comptroller's Statement.
The Comptroller o. the Treasury, in
deciding the question OF the authority OF
the Public Printer 20 pay the salary OF
the sanitary officer and the other en-
ployes Of the emergency room, says:
Under the facts stated by the Pub
lie Printer. am Of the opinion that 20
those employees whose wages are fixed
by him, emergency aid may be furnished
as part Of their compensation, but this
should be evidenced by a general regu-
latiOn. If such regulation is made.
which I assume Il viii be, he would be
authorized TO pay these officers and EN-
plOyes.
IF. in the discharge OF their duties.
the Public Printer requires these officers
TO extend such aid to employees who
have a fixed compensation under the
law, and who are not entitled in my
judgment TO such aid to be paid for
out Of the appropriation for public print
ing. for the reason that II would be in
addition to the compensation fixed by
Congress, the Public Printer must be
held responsible TO the appointing pow
er and TO Congress for such act: such
act on his part furnishes no more rea-
son why their salaries should not be
paid than If he took any other part of
their time and employed them therein
70 do things not required by law. The
So me reasoning equally applies to the
pal ment of the bills Of Moses & Sons