The Washington herald., 1912-02-03
OFFICIALS UPHOLD
THE POWER PRESS
Division Chief at Bureau
Cannot "Find Expert
Hand Printers"
FORMER ~UNIoS MAN"

That printers can make twice as much
money with power presses as with hand
presses, that the notes produced by the
power presses are not more easily coun-
terfeited than the paper currency pro-
duced by hand presses, and that the rum
ming Of q power press is not as labori-
Gus TO the printer as working the hand
press were statements made yesterday
Afternoon by three witnesses who ap-
peared before the Joint Printing Com
mittee Of the House and Senate Senator
smoot being chairman.
w. c. Mckinney, chief Of the printing
division of the Bureau OF Engraving and
Printing, was the first witness. Ten 81
bills, hvs printed by power presses and
i've by hand presses, were handed him
and he was asked to show where the bills
printed by the hand presses were su-
pSrior In any way to those printed BY
power, but after giancing At the bills he
said he would not even attempt TO choose
the hand press from the power press
system
"Former' Union Man.
Under examination by Director Ralph,
OF the bureau, Mckinney admitted he
was q former union man and In sympa-
thy with the union movement He as
serted that there is no reason why bills
printed by power presses can be coun,
terfeited more easily than notes printed
on hand presses.
Senator Gallingsr said:
1T has been represented to me that the
power press notes given Mr.. Mckinney
were selected notes and not chosen
promlaguously from the product OF the
power presses. and that the hand press
notes were chosen At random"
Director Ralph answered that he would
produce q witness who would tell that
the power press notes were not selected
feet product of the power presses In order
that they could not be distinguished from
the notes coming from hand resses.
Attorney J. II. Ralston. representing
the plate printers. opposed TO the install
lation Of power presses, examined Nc
Kinney. and brought out the fact that
the five power press notes presented as
evidence were made at q time when only
forty notes were printed and that thirty
Senator smoot declared that this large
percentage Of waste always exists when
new work Is started on q press-
Director Ralph asked for legislation
authorizing him TO print Q million notes
by power press. IF you viii give me
this authorization" he declared, I VIII
have q million notes printed, and let any
number be chosen promiscuously and
compared TO the product Of the hand
press 70 see II any difference IN the note
can be discovered"
Attorney Ralston, resuming examine
tion Of Mckinney. procured an admission
from the witness that the finest product
Of the hand press Is superior to the
finest product Of the power press. but. ("
declared Mckinney, I'VE are unable 70
find expert printers who can produce the
fnest notes from hand presses Inferior
printers working hand presses win pro-
duce inferior notes"
witness on Crutches.
Charles H. Randall. the second wit
ness. appeared on crutohes. having left
his bed but q few hours before for the
nrst time since receiving an injury which
disabled him. He Is foreman Of the power
press room at the bureau. He said that
eighteen years ago power presses were
called rattle boxes" but since that time
great improvements have been made. In
answer to Senator Smoot, Randall said
he could not see why a power press note