Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-17
GET CHANGE FOR PROMOTION
HIGHER PLACES OPENED TO
EMPLOYEES OF THE PRINTERY.
Advance Will Be Governed by the
Result Of Examination to Be
Held Next Month.

One Of the most important applications
of civil service rules to the government
printing service will become effective next
month. when an examination Of employees
will be held for the purpose of establish
ing an eligible list for promotion to
higher positions of workers in the COM
posing divisions
The civil service commission terms 1t
the printer examination" and although
its chief purpose at the present time will
be the classification of compoSitOrs having
knowledge of typesetting machines. OPP
portunity will be given every printer to
demonstrate his knowledge of any art or
science which might be useful in the big
prntery.
The subjects of the coming examination
will include the mechanism and operation
of the linotype, mechanism and operation
of the monotype. job composition. copy
editing. proofreading. jacket writing. esti-
mating. computing. etc. Employees per-
forming these duties at present will not
be require to take the examination. But
additions to the present force in the pre-
ferred situation class will be taken from
the eligible register.
The Former Custom.
Heretofore it has been customary for
the public printer to certify to the civil
service commission the names of those
selected for promotion to higher positions
from the ranks of compositors. The COM
mission accepted the judgment of the
public printer, and occasionally the COM
paint was made that the candidates Sc
iected by that method were not always up
to the highest standard. The commits
sion's experts are giving the subject close
attention. with assistance from the big
printery and it is confidently asserted that
each candidate for higher position will
now meet the same requirements and
have chance to demonstrate qualifica-
tons for the desired Job
The inclusion of Job Compositors in the
examination gives color to the persistent
rumor that something" would be done
for the printers employed in the job
room of the government printing office.
Some of these men were formerly car
ried as 'imposers." at % cents an hour.
their duties involving the composition.
makeup and imposition of entire jobs.
and recently their wages were raised to
"a cents an hour. and the rating OF
makeup was given to all job printers
The decision this summer of the con-
troller. however, placed them back at the
hfty-cent rate.
Effect Of the Machines.
The introduction of typesetting ma
chimes into the big printery some years
ago has changed the character of the
duties of many of the employees. Print
ere were allowed to learn the operation
of the iron typesetters on Office time, and
although their product has reached a
high average. no provision was made
for changing their status. 1t Is claimed
that already a better showing Is made by
operators, as the new rate Of 90 cents an
hour creates a desire to remain In the
operator class.
The different subjects Of the coming
examination will be elective. in that the
machine operator will not be required to
exhibit skill as a job compositOr. and an
aspirant to the position of jacket writer
or computer need not demonstrate eff
cheney as a proOfreader, or comma
chaser" as they are sometimes called by
compositors.
Although the matter has not been def
nitely settled, the special examination
may be held in the evening. 1t is expect
ed that practically all the job compos
itors and printers in the Office with
knowledge of the machines will take the
examination. If held in the daytime the
result would be that in some divisions
the big printery would come to standstlll.
Full particulars will be printed and dis
tributed to printery workers who are in
terested as soon as the details can be
completed.