The Washington herald., 1909-01-29

The Government Printing Office was
severely criticised and organized labor
taken sharply TO task on the floor OF the
House yesterday afternoon when il was
decided TO authorize the Director Of the
Census TO have the thirteenth and sub
sequent ceEsuses printed by private firms
# the government establishment could
not get ont the work as cheaply or ex-
peditiously.
Col Pete Hepburn declared the Gov
eminent Printing Office was run by an
organized force Of Iaborers composing IS
per cent OF the employees. who freeze
out" nonunion men Col. Hepburn stated
that he had been a Republican ali his lie
because he was IN favor Of the laboring
man having square dear against
capital. but he was opposed TO allowing
a particular branch OF the organized
force 10 run things 10 suit its members.
Not Opposed to Union labor.
Il do. not wish 20 be understood as op-
posing union labor said Col Hepburn
7 have always wanted 10 see the labor
ing men get a fair showing. but do not
believe It IS right for a few 10 dominate"
Representative Hitchcock. OF Nebraska.
made a strong defense Of union labor,
declaring that that phase Of the situation
should not enter into a discussion o. con
ditiOns at the Government Printing Once.
He said that the employees were given
their places at the Government Printing
Office through civil service channels. and
that organized forces did not enter into
the matter IN the competitions
Defends labor Organizations.
Union labor has come here 10 stay
said M Hitchcock. and in every 10
eality its strength IS being shown. It
has done more than anything else 10 up
lift the working class. and believe its
honorable undertaking viii assure it a
place as the world progresses"
Representative Hitchcock believed that
the work Of printing the census should
be done wherever II could be done the
best and cheapest. and thought the plan
Of giving the Director Of the Census more
power was good one
The labor organizations were also de-
Tended by Representative Dawson, OF
Iowa, who debated the question not on
the merits Of union labor, but on the
work that could be obtained there in
printing the census.
The discussion came I'D when Repre-
sentative Tawney, Of Minnesota, made q
motion that the House recede from It's
disagreement and concur in the amend
ment Of the Senate in the census apprO-
priation bin. The House was then con-
sideFing the conference report
Not Against Printing office.
Mr.. Tawney said mat the authority 70
be given the Director Of the Census
would not necessarily mean that the
work would be taken from the Printing
Office. but that it simply empowered the
director to act in case he found it neces-
sary or 10 the advantage OF the govern
ment he declared that whether the
Government Printing Office got the con-
tract 10 print the census or not, there
would be plenty Of work for the en-
pIoyes. and that there was no danger Of
the employees being thrown out Of en-
ployment.
Mr. Tawney told Of the printing OF the
Cuban census by q private concern. and
said that a saving OF 50 per cent had been
made By taking the work away from the
government Office. He then told Of the
enormous advance in prices at the Gov
eminent Printing Office during the last
SIX months
Fifty Per Cent Increase.
He said that the cost Of printing tab
uiated matter had Increased about 30 per
cent. and that the cost Of doing all
other work had increased about % per
cent.
In answer to a question by Col Hep
burn he said that the organized forces
Al the Printing Office had demanded Ger
tain increases in pay and that this had
been partly responsible for the increase
in the cost or the work
There j no excuse for any member
falling to vote to give the director the
authority OF having the work done where
he can obtain the best results" said Mr.
Tawnev. There Is not q particle o.
danger that the employees viii be affected
There VIII be plenty Of work for them
ell
Anyway. If the work is taken from
them. It viii be given TO other capable
and deserving labOTing men. So. as
say. there is no good ground for opposi-
ton 10 my motion"
Representative Lands said that he
would not oppose the motion 20 give the
Director Of the Census the right to have
the work done wherever ne thought best:
that lie believed he should have this ad-
ditiOnai leeWay
Mr.. Lands said that during the last
eighteen months the scale Of pay at the
Government Printing Office had been
changed three times. and that during
that period there had been four Public
Printers. He said that first the old scale.
which had prevailed for fifteen years, had
been changed
Put in Philippine ScaIe.
Last June. he said, the Philippine scale
was put into effect when a new Public
Printer was placed in the Office. Mr..
lands said he heard Of the proposed
change in the scale. and that he wired
the Public Printer to wait few davs.
that the secretary Of the printing com
mission would come to Washington n
talk the matter over with him. and that
he believed better arrangements could
lie made.
The secretary came to Washington. said
p. lands, but found that the scale had
zen changed. and that the tabular mat
To- which formerly had cost 81 was then
sting s16
we now have certain changes in
nd" said Mr.. lands. which. we hope
e. the future viii restrain the Public
I-riater from making these changes
Mr.. Hull, Of Iowa, said that IL the
snsendment was concurred In. all the
printing OF the census would be taken
away from the Government Printing Of
Zee Representative Hay, OF Virginia
advocated giving the Director Of the Cen
sus the priviisge OF pIacing the work