The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-03-17
STILLINGS is OUT
Continued from Page one.

continued from rage Oncs
waste results only when the two branches
of the work are not properly adjusted.
II is a significant fact that while OBJ
viously the productive class may increase
indefinitely, Increase Of the nonproductive
class, after certain proportion has been
reached. becomes a rapidly growing bur-
den.
The increase in the nonproductiye class
of labor was doubtless one Of the causes
for the increased cost of printing which
has been the occasion of so much criti-
cisrn OF late. A considerable part of the
payments for nonproductive labor re-
suits from the establishment of an elab-
crate cost-accounting system.
Close figures have never been required
for legislative printing. but the cost Is
carefully watched In the case of execu-
tive printing, since the allotments for
such work cannot be exceeded. For the
latter class there must be units of charge
which should not change without due
notice. BY a simple plan an accurate
record of cost of product could be kept
and the relation Of the unit Of charge TO
cost could be ascertained.
Since the requirements OF the legisla-
tive printing are almost all emergency
work. necessitating the maintenance or
force Of employees. a special scale Of
prices should be formulated for Congress
sional work.
Attention is called to the fact that the
price established as the tentative charge
for the Government Printing Office is
based upon the average charge OF the
leading printers in the cities OF New
York. Philadelphia. Boston. and Balti-
more.
Method of Purchasing Supplies.
The committee composed OF representa-
tives of the Departments of Agriculture.
Commerce and Labor, and the Interior
have submitted a report concerning the
purchases and supplies Of the printing
Office. They state that Il IS evident that
there has been great extravaganza in
the purchasing of furnishings and equip
ment OF all kinds and that the purpose
Of the Public Printer seems 10 have been
10 make the Office the best-eduipped
printing Office in the world, mechanically.
and at the same time TIE most ornate.
The system of purchase and issue Of
supplies has become very complicated, and
frregularity In the bids is noted
Many purchases were made from The
Audit System without any competition.
and in some cases supplies were furnished
at a price much greater than that charged
by other companies for similar material.
Data are furnished to show that in some
instances larger supplies have been laid
in than were required.
A Encouragement in the storage rooms
would facilitate business 10 great ex-
tent. BY disposing Of all the old material
.skS 10 Al D auC IN "a
eminent printing. space enough would be
provided 20 furnish storage room for all
the documents In the l. street warehouse.
for which the government pays 5000 per
annum.
Poor judgment seems TO be shown in
the practice now in vogue OF removing an
old press 70 storage when a new one OF
more modern equipment is to be installed,
without first having the old one con
demned and sold while il can be OF use
to purchaser.
The committee reports the award OF a
contract for the complete refurnishing Of
the job room at a total cost OF $40, ..
Special designs appear 10 have been made
for all the furniture, and the material
and furnishings are 20 be Of a character
unusual in printing establishments out
side Of the administrative Office Ii is
the admitted aim Of the contractor TO
make this room a model for all the world
and monument TO the Public Printer. as
well as the envr- OF every officer connected
with the plant. The refurnishing Of this
room seems 10 be entirely unwarranted.
The action IN removing the pneumatic
tubes seems 10 have been unwise. This
system was IN use for about four years.
and was highly commended. out In Au-
gust 1877. the Public Printer ordered that
1t be removed and messenger boy service
substituted.
The number OF typesetting machines in
stalled in the Office seems 70 be larger
than necessary, as some Of them have
never been put into active service.
Attention is called TO a number Of other
items OF supplies which show more or less
extravaganza.
Expenditures for Travel
Between November, 1909, and November.
1905. twenty-nine trips were made by
employees of the Government Printing
Office at an expenditure of S92462.
From November, 1905, 70 February J.
1905 eighty-nine trips were made by
twenty-six persons at a cost Of s6,5lS.S3.
One trip. extending from July 4 TO Sep
TENDER 10. 1907 was made for the pur-
pose Of visiting various printing offices
and collecting information to assist in the
preparation Of national manual or style
The report of this trip contains mainly
such records as could be obtained by cir
cularizing. No progress has been made
upon the proposed manual
Examination of vouchers covering travel
by printing Office officials indicates very
liberal expenditure, the expenditure for
subsistence exceeding Sc per day in nearly
all the vouchers examined. The item Of
carriage hire also shows proportions I'M
usual in government vouchers.
Frequent trips TO other cities by officials
and employees Of the Office are a matter
OF policy. but excursions in the summer
season to the Canadian coast. Newport.
&c. are open TO adverse construction
The record OF employees OF the Govern
ment Printing Office indicates that great
economy and simplicity of organization
was maintained as late as 1903 At
present, however, the organization of the
office provides for six grand divisions and
the number Of persons receiving at least
5000 per annum includes 81 salaried off,
cials and n per diem employees.
The number of officials and clerks in the
administrative branch of the Office in
creased from ninety-five on July J. 1905,
to 253 on January !, 1908, and their com
pensation from $12s,O59.94 to $295, 47l44 The
increase in the six months preceding jan
uaTy ]. 1905 was IS in number and So. 934. 10
in compensation
The increase in the number and COM
pensation Of the present official and sub
official force clearly suggests that in
overcoming the defect Of under organiza-
ton the reformation moved to the other
extreme. This is shown especially in the
case of the time, bookkeeping. and ac-