Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-01
ORDER OF PRESIDENT TAFT
Four Hours Is Days Work Satur-
days During Next Three Months.
CLERKS HASTEN TO RESORTS
Many Avail Themselves of the OPP
portunity to Secure Brief
Rest From Duties.

The wheels Of the government slowed
down In Washington today. and at 1
o'clock this afternoon all activity in
the various departments and bureaus
stopped
In pursuance of an executive order
issued by President Taft authorizing
the heads of departments to allow
clerks and employees a half day holiday
on Saturdays during July. August and
September the various chiefs CLOSED
shop and thousands of government
clerks Immediately left the city for a
brief rest.
The majority Of government employees.
however, remained at home. while
others sought amusement at nearby re-
sorts.
Washington this afternoon is quiet.
bers of his cabinet out of the city, with
town and the Capitol closed. with all
banks and number of mercantile houses
closed and with the various libraries lock-
ed up, the National Capital presents an
air of repose hardly different from that
of any of the fifty-two Sundays of the
year.
Perhaps the only places In the city
where there is any activity are the Cen
ter market and the smaller markets.
Crowds Visit Resorts.
Every train for Chesapeake Beach and
Annapolis was crowded this morning and
the various steamers that run to resorts
OH the Potomac carried crowds of WASH
ingtonians the majority of them clerks,
who will spend this evening and tomor-
row where cooling breezes blow.
The forecast of the weather bureau to-
day for warmer weather induced many
to leave the city for the day.
At the government printing once the
5000 or more persons employed there
We're through work at noon; In the ma
jority of the bureaus of the government
the employees finished for the day at
o'clock. At the District building all WORK
ceased at noon. also.
The presidential order promulgated
two years ago provides that during
July. August and September, ana until
further notice, four hours exclusive OF
time for luncheon shall constitute a
days work on Saturday for all clerks
and other employees OF the federal
government Wherever employed 1t re-
pealed all executive and other orders
conflicting with it except the execu-
tive order Of April 4, 1903. relating to
certain naval stations.
Exceptions Are Made.
1t provided. however, for an excep-
tion to any bureau or Office OF the
government and to any clerks or other
employees that may for special reasons
be required to remain at work by the
head of the department having super
vision or control or where it would
be inconsistent with the provisions OF
existing laws.
Inquiries at the various departments
TODAY revealed that there were practt-
cally no instances today where any clerk
was required to remain at his desk after
| O'Clock.
1t was announced by Allen r. Boyd,
chief clerk of the Library OF Congress.
this morning that that institution would
close at l o'clock although all employees
who can be spared will be excused at
I2:3O O'Clock upon application TO the chief
of the division in which they are en-
ployed, but the divisions are to continue
open until l O'Clock. "
The law library at the Capitol will close
at 4::W O'Clock every day except Satur-
day during the summer. Saturday the
library will close at o'clock