Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-08
PRINTERS WILL MEET
Columbia Typographical Union
to Hold Special Session.
INTEREST IN PUBLIC WORK
Want All Such Jobs Allotted to Gov
eminent Shop.
EXPLANATION OF SITUATION
Member of Organization Says Uncle
Sam Produces Results at Cost.
Should Have Preference.
INTEREST IN PUBLIC WORK
EXPLANATION OF SITUATION

Matters Of moment to the members Of
Columbia Typographical Union are sched-
uled for consideration at a special meet
ing of that organization. called for )
o. clock this afternoon in Typographical
Temple.
Leading members Of the craft said today
thai the specific purpose Of the called
meeting will be to take steps to prevent
public printing from being diverted to
private channels. Explaining the stua-
ton prominent member Of the printers
union said:
For several years few officials Of the
government have heen endeavoring to in
duce the Congress to permit the public
printing TO be contracted for in the open
market. The most extravagant state
ments have frequently been made as to
excessive cost of work in the government
printing office. and no less extravagant
clHims put forward as TO the cheapness
of the same work in commercial plants.
Congress, however. has steadfastly re-
fused to change the requirement that the
public printing shall be done in the SUI
pe,biy equipped ONCE provided by the
government for that purpose.
Cost May BE Determined.
Cost Of printing can be as accurately
determined as The cost Of steel rails, and
since the government printing Office is not
conducted for profit. but for the convent
ence Of the public business. II must be
clear that with profit eliminated and the
application of reasonably correct business
methods competition by a commercial
house or a combination OF com nercial
printing houses would be impossible.
"tp-to-date business methods have re-
Gently been installed in the printing Office
by Public Printer Leech. a system of
charging that insures to departments the
delivery Of printing at precise cost has
been introduced. and no logical or salts
factory excuse can now be advanced for
diverting government printing to other
channels.
Printers. pressmen. binders and other
opposed to the farming ont to 'middlemen
and sMa1l-frv commercial printers his
class of government work. because such
course would tend TO degrade the present
high standard Of government printing,
place much Of II in insanHary shops
where health conditions would not com
pare with the clean, well-lighted SAINT airy
workrooms in the fireproof government
office. and often at low wage scale and
long hours Of employment.
To Maintain Present Practice.
We expect to demonstrate to those in
terested that the government can do its
own printing to better advantage than by
contracting with Tom, Dick and Harry,
and shall use every honorable means
within our control to maintain the present
practice. which has the sanction of law
and Is wholly satisfactory to nine out OF
every ten men connected with the service"
In connection with the special meeting
of Columbia Union. it is said that Chief
Clerk Rossiter Of the census bureau. who
was acting public printer following the
removal from Office of Mr.. Stillings. pro-
poses to give out the printing of the
Cuban census to private printing con-
eern In this country ais a matter Of com
parison between the prices charged by
outside printeries and the rate charged by
the government printing Office. The ex-
penses for printing the census will be
borne by the government of Cuba
The authorities of the island placed the
matter I'm the hands of the United states
census bureau. but did not specify that
the printing should be done at the govern
ment prntery.
Printing Of Cuban Census.
Those members Of the union who arc
employed in the government printing
Office object to the printing OF the Cuban
census being given to private concern
They say it can be done more cheaply at
Uncle Sans print shop. because there is
no profit charged In government printing,
whereas outside companies must perforce
make a profit on all work.
At the meeting OF the union. which has
been called by Secretary George G. Sci
bold, it is said a representative committee
will be appointed to couate data on the
matter Of government printing In COM
parson with printing executed by private
firms or companies. and submit the find
ings to the highest authority. Including
the House and Senate committees on
printing.
Similar special meetings will be called,
1t was said today. by the unions of the
bcokbinders. pressmen, stereotypers and
other crafts that are interested They
will cooperate with the printers and a
Joint defense committee may be the re-
suit of the series of meetings