The Washington times., 1910-11-24
Message Brings Joy to 700
Bureau Employees on
Thanksgiving.
ALL EFFICIENT MEN
WILL BE RETAINED
Question of New Presses Tbat
Would Save S77s,0OO q Year
Not to Affect Them.

director J z Ralph OF the Bureau Of
Engraving and Printing. has Thanks
giving message which should enable
each OF about 100 plate printers TO enjoy
his turkey today with additional peace
Of mind and contentment
No matter what may happen, says the
director. no efficient man VIII be de-
prived OF his job Even If power presses
are substituted for the hand presses
now used for printing all Of Uncle Sans
paper money and securities, thereby ef-
fecting an annual economy Of $500 IN
wages alone. no competent plate printer
viii be discharged, asserts Mr. Ralph
With this assurance, the energetic direc-
tor wished not only the 400 employees
under his supervision but everybody else
an enjoyable Than zsgiving
The present system OF printing money
and securities By hand costs the Gov
eminent S77s.0oo q. year more than would
the same WORK II performed BY machil-
cry. The possibility OF economy In this
direction has long been known 70 Gov
eTnment officials, and the amount OF
added expense has been increasing each
year.
Attempts Have Failed
Various attempts have been made 20
Introduce power presses into the Bureau,
but none have succeeded. II vas not
until 1917 that the revenue and postage
stamps were printed on power presses
This was accomplished only BY means
Of a joker II the sundry civil bill
The reason for these repeated fall
ures, continuous Tor twenty years. les
in the opposition Of organized labor
Since 1851 the Plate Printers Union has
successfully blocked every attempt to
replace the old hand presses with power
machinery An extensive lobby. il IS
said, Is maintained by the union, 70
keep watch OF legislation before Con-
ETeSs and head on al oils lead1ng 20
this end Il was not until the President
had signed the Dill OF lsIf mat they
discovered that Congress had author
lied the printing OF postage and reye-
nue. stamps By power presses
So far has the union opposition been
carried that $1,000 worth OF power
presses went 20 the scrap heap and
which Chsy were bought
To install power presses, say union
cessity for the employment OF more
than nslf OF the plate printers now el-
gaEed in printing the paper money,
This Is not disputed
As a further argument against the
abolition OF the hand press. the plate
printers claim that no power press can
bring as good results as the devtces
now employed L Is claimed that bills
would be more easily cOunterfeited II
printed on power presses These argu-
uents are most vigorously disputed by
those supporting the proposed economy
Officials Are in Favor.
Once more the agitation for the IL
staIIation Of the power press has been
renewed. Il Is deemed more than prob
able Congress, IN the interests OF Fed
eraI economy. viii be asked to authorize
their use Il is generally understood
- -E -
ment are unanimously In favor OF the
change They have not the power,
however. TO effect IL, as the statutes
now n force specifically direct the use
Of the hand press
While Director Ralph did not deny
that 2 saving OF SIlS-o0o would be ef-
cuss its advisa-5iIity for publication He
did, however, in no uncertain terms.
assert his positive conviction that the
hand press work could be abolished
without the necessity OF any printer
being turned away.
The matter IS entirely IN the hands
OF CcnS-ess,'' he said, and only before
q Congressional committee can I speak
Of the expediency Of Installing power
presses
However. 7 am confident that II the
change were authorized by Congress II
could be effected in such g manner as to
cost no efficient printer his position BY
making the change gradually, those men
not pUt 10 work on the power presses
could be placed in positions equally as
TeInUnerative as those thev now hold
The volume Of our work - expanding
ct the rate OF i per cent each year,
which neCesSitateS 2 larger force Al
so, BY Tefraining from taking on new
men, others Of the hand printers could
be absorbed In various branches OF the
establishment The working force OF
the bureau is constantly being depleted
by deaths reSfEnstiOnS, and for other
causes, thus ueCesSitatinE an induction
NJ Nc al .
stercminZ this infiOwing tide. places
could easily be found for any plate
printers not needed on the power
presses.
Skill Is Attained.
with 1900 men and women working
here continued the director, with en-
phasiS. a labOrinE force most highly
skilled, which IS turning cut annually
S, ,0O0, ,O00. 600 worth Of securities, and S12,-
o00. .O00.0O0 IN stamps, without the loss Of a
dollar or . stamp, I feel that the Gov
ernment IS under obligations to provide
permanent employment. Therefore, no
man who IS efficient IS going to be
turned of through anv changes in meth
Cd Of operation. Il I can help it
That the Director Is a strong believer
IL the use Of machinery. however, is
well known he has ln-$A-Uted many
minor changes in tSe bureau in this re-
spect- He says II IS often difficult 10
convince the man at the bench that t6e
introduction Of machinery viii ultimate
" work to the advantage OF the wage
Garner
Therefore, should the matter come be
fore Congress this winter as expected.
one has sound basis for concluding that
rect OF Ralph would advocate the in
stallatiOn Of power presses throughout
the bureau, and effect an annual sa\ug
OF S77S.O00. But, on the other hand. he
wishes TO make this q happy Thauksgiv-
ing by assuring the printers that what
ever happens, no efficient usIn among
them VIII be discharged through the
economy