The Washington times., 1911-07-07
DEVICES WHICH Do
ALL EXCEPT THINK
SHOWN |. EXHIBIT
Government Committees On
Labor-Saving Machinery
Confer At Display.

The exhibition Of mechanical devices
to save energy, physical and mental,
to prevent errors and generally to ex-
pedite progress in nearly every class of
human endeavor, was opened again
this morning at the Union Building, 621
G street northwest.
committee from the Presidents
Commission on Economy and Efficiency
was in general charge. Its members
were M. o. Chance w. E. Wilmot, A.
I. A. Linberg, w. E. Geddes, and F. H.
Tonsmeire. They had a meeting at II
o'clock this morning, with special COM
mittees on labor saving devices from the
various departments of the Government
and discussed the exhibition. The de-
partmental committees were: Navy.
William NJ. Smith. Bureau of Yards and
Docks, and R. H. Moses. of the Secre-
tary's office; .Postoffice, J. E. Price and
w. Z. Fitch; Commerce and Labor, Vo-
! Ter V. Viles, Bureau of the Census. and
Nicholas Eckhardt, jr., Bureau of Sta.
tistics; Interior, Edward B. Fox, and
Laurence F. schmeckebier; State, How
ara K; Barnes; Chief Clerks office,
Wallach A. McCanthran. Diplomatic
Bureau; War, Capt. NJ r. Thorp, Sup
Ply Division: J. c; KEEPER. Adtutant
I.
Clark, chief clerk, Joseph Abel, Bureau
OF Animal Industry. The Treasury and
Justice Departments will be represented
at the other II o'clock conferences 10
ton.
Time Is Divided.
In order that a large number of en-
plcyes from each department might
visit the exhibition. the seven days dur
ing which 1t lasts, have been divided
into fourteen periods Of two and a half
hours each. Each department sends
each period one-fourteenth of the num-
Der Of the employees it has designated.
In that way there will be no crowding.
The number of visiting employees vary
with the departments. They are pro-
vided with blank cards on which they
express their opinions Of the machines.
There were three kinds of machinery
shown. of especial interest to the Gov
ernment. one or them. a mailing de-
vice that picks up, folds, wraps, ad-
dresses and packs in mail sacks
Another comprehensive scheme that
NAV affect the Government is a pneu-
matte tubo system that would link to-
gether all the department buildings of
the Government with the Government
Printing office and the Union Station.
The system. II is claimed. would be both
expeditions and economical. as 1t would
save much hauling of documents back
and forth across the city.
The third class of machinery already
has been demonstrated to the Govern
ment. 1t is for statistical tabulation by
machinery.
The exhibition is open each day from
10 o'clock to 8 O'Clock, through this and
the next week. II will be open to the
public tomorrow and next Thursday,
both from 10 to o'clock. and from Z !
to $50 o'clock.
Weird Machines.
There are weird spying machines that
tell a superintendent or manager when
every individual workman in his fac
tory or shop is industriously comport-
ing himself. or taking for a breathing
spell. There are machines that pick up
newspaper or any form of publica-
tion and put 1t in the mail bag without |
an error or any back talk. There are
dictophones. that make communication |
easy, instant and constant; and type.
once and seemingly in different places.
Ano the exhibitors say proudly that |
they not only save labor, but prevent I
fault and error. The machines are fool |
proof. One can't make a mistake and |
not know II. In some of the machines |
there are devices that prevent machines |
from proceeding. that tie UP progress, IL |
an error occurs. Frail. errant humanity |
is but the primary impulse that sets in |
motion the mechanical. incontrovertihle |
truth.
The Economy and Efficiency Comm1s-
sion expects that the exhibition will
make known methods by which the Gov
car save millions of dollars a
year.