Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-06
'ROSS|TER At HEAD
OF BIG PR|NTERY
Assumes Charge Temporarily
of Government Office.
BEGINS AN INVESTIGATION
Audit System First to Receive Con.
sideration.
VIEWS OF SENATOR LODGE
Boom Started for Oscar Ricketts, a.
Successor to Stillings-Ex-
cerpts From Report.
BEGINS AN INVESTIGATION
Audit System First to Receive Con.
sideration.
VIEWS OF SENATOR LODGE

cerpts From Report.
The investigation OF the man
agement of the government print
ing Office. as the establishment
was conducted by Charles a.
Stillings; the audit system and
the retained officials of former ad-
ministrations was begun by Will
liam s. Rossiter bright and early
this morning.
The echoes of the big whistle at the
printery announcing the beginning OF the
work day had scarcely died away when
Mr.. Rossiter entered the building and
proceeded to Mr. Stillings' erstwhile work
room Immediately west OF the fatefu I
front Office Without formality the
acting public printer at once delved into
the tangled skein which he will attempt
to unravel. He sent for documents ana
men and was soon deeply absorbed in the
task.
The officers OF the New York audit sys-
tenn. who, report says. have practically
controlled the workings Of the big plant.
were also on hand early this morning
and went at once TO their elsborately
furnished headquarters. Report also mas
il that their quarters were furnished IN
palatial style at Uncle Sans expense.
and that the furnishings in question wfii
be one feature oe the investigation.
Rossiter at Work.
When a Star reporter was usheYed into
the presence OF Mr.. Rossiter. who has
been named by President Roosevelt &"
probe, and probe deeply. into the anaars
of the printery he was surrounded by
masses OF documents.
When asked what probable part ths
audit system will play in the inquisition
Mr.. Rossiter said:
'The first matter I will take up viii be
the status Of that enterprise: what the
system has done. and what the conditions
are for the termination Of its contract. In
racf, r am working along those Hines
now"
Mr. Rossiter added that when he gets
the facts in hand he will promptly report
them to the President and await his de-
cision 1t is understood that there is
paragraph In the agreement between the
government and the audit company which
permits of the speedy termination Of the
contract under which the "system" was
installed
. Mr. Rossiter said he would send a conn
muntcatlOn
afternoon as a sort OF preliminary report.
He will also receive a visit this afternoon
from Representative Lands. through
whose instrumentality the investigation
was brought about
Reason for Suspension.
1t was stated that Mr.. Stil,ings was sus.
pended in order that the President might
take some reliable and conscientious man
from the outside to make most thor
ough investigation of the workings OF the
public printery. that has been so much
criticised. II is the opinion that such Q
man has been secured in the person OF
Mr. RosSter.
Mr. Rossiter said there is a. system in
the government printing ONCE which may
or may not be we'll organized. and which
should be amply able to conduct the af-
subject to the call OF the congressional
investigation committee. as well as the
call of the President, and that he is pre-
pared for any call In other words he
will be able to supply written or oral tes-
timony when 1t Is required.
"Of course" Mr.. Rossiter explained, II
want some time in which TO aoquaint my
self with conditions here and see what
can be done. Nothing can be accom-.
pished effectually in a rush"
1t seemed to be probable that the audit
system will be eliminated from the big
printery perhaps by the close OF the
present week, and that the President viii
approve the ousting OF the company.
friend of Mr.. Stillngs. referring to the
predicted termination OF the contract with
the system" said:
The public printer has been crushed
between the upper stone OF the audit sys-
tenn and the neither stone OF false friends
in the printery."
Inquiry to Be Thorough.
Mr. Rossiter believes il will require
H. ttzx
ing into the financial situation at the
printery. as we'll as the methods, charges
for departmental and congressional print
ing and other vital matters He said he
proposed to make most thorough in
quiry into the operations and methods OF
procedure OF the establishment.
Victor Ricketts,. secretary of the CON-
gressional printing commission. spent sew
eral hours yesterday afternoon with Mr..
Rosster at the Government Printing Of
flee. and together they went over many
OF the preliminary details OF the invests.
cation.
Several times today Mr.. Rossiter sum-
moned officials and employees Of the ONCE
into the public printers workroom and in
terrogated them along certain lines neces-
sary in the inqusition now in progress.
1t was stated that Mr.. Rossiters inquiry.
while il will be in a sense independent ~
the congressional investigation, will bs
carried on in cooperation wherever Ii
TO be more in the nature of an executive
investigation 10 furnish evidence and in
formation 10 the White House.
When Mr.. Rossiter was asked il any
changes had been made in the officiai
force of the government printing ofi1ce
he replied that none had been made thus
far AS to whether any will be made
during the course of the inquiry is prob
lematical.
Those OF the employees of the ONCE who
will be called upon to furnish information
to Mr. Rossiter to testify before the
congressional committee will be assured
that their positions will not be jeopardized
in any particular because OF their tesu-
mony. whether II be in favor OF Mr stiI-
ings and the audit system or against
them.
Statement by Senator Lodge.
weIl-informed sources around the White
House today express the opinion, based
upon inside knowledge. that there is moi
the slightest probability. not even possi-
b,lity. that Public Printer Sdillinss will
ever be restored to his former position.
Men of the highest station have il the