Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-04

that the present law might prevent such
test. An enactment of Congress sew
eral years ago prohibited, under heavy
penalty. the use of any Of the currency
plates in the bureau for any purpose
than that prescribed by law. and the law
specifies, in explicit terms, that the paper
money shall be printed on hand presses.
But there is an exception, which gives
the proper official Of the government"
power to have the plates used for print
ing for the government, and under this
exception, some claim, the Secretary of
the Treasury could order the printing of
a run Of 10000 or more sheets of the
money on the power presses, each to be
marked specimen and not to be for
public circulation.
Under special order Of Secretary. Mac
Veagh about q year ago about forty bills
were printed on power press at the
government printing Office, but 1t is held
that this small number is not a fail in
dication of what the power presses could
do as that was the very first attempt
at the bureau to print money on power
presses. From that batch of forty were
taken the five that are mixed up with
ten hand press bills in the exhibit which
has been under disputation before the
committee since the hearings began.
Unions Representative Heard.
s. E. Beach, business agent of the plate
printers union, was heard yesterday aft
ernoon In opposition to the substitution
of power presses for the hand presses.
He was asked about the fifteen one-dOllar
bills which the committee has put in
evidence and asked to distinguish the
power press bills from those printed on
the hand press. He pronounced the test
an unfair one and declined to make
selections.
During his examination, Senator Gal
1inger, who is member OF the COM
mittee. told the witness that when this
question came up several years ago
he had opposed the substitution of
power presses for hand presses because
he was convinced the power press bills
were more easily counterfeited than
the hand press bills.
But this bunch of bills, some print
ed on power presses and some on hand
presses, 1 confess, has me puzzled, be-
cause I see no difference" he added.
Director Ralph, in a series of ques-
tions put to the wiS.ess, sought to
get him to admit that efficient plate
printers for the bureau could not be
obtained if the regular eight-hour day
were put into force in the bureau and
the institution met all the demands for
new money. The witness thought suf-
ficient plate printers could be develop
ed in the bureau, if more apprentices
were appointed.
1t developed from the testimony that
the III tAoI Souiu NC
appointed in the bureau was determined
by an agreement between the plate
printers union and the bureau ofhc1als.
and that now the number was limited to
one apprentice to ten printers. Asked il
the union would allow the appointment of
more apprentices, Mr. Beach said lie
personally would be willing to grant the
appointment of one apprentice for every
Ave printers. He added that he was sure
a satisfactory agreement could be reached
between the officials of the bureau and
of the union.
Ralph Renews His Promise.
When Senator Gallinger asked ques-
lions regarding the expectation of men,
bers Of the union that some plate print
ers would lose their jobs if power presses
were used for printing money, Director
Ralph renewed a promise he has made
before. saying:
81 want to say that il the law Is
changed to allow the use of power presses
no printer on the permanent roll of the
bureau will lose his job. l am on record
here as saying that there are about
inefficient. had in mind some men who
have only temporary appointments The
law that is proposed would not De man
datory and because of my friendship Tor
the printers who are there they can be
assured that I would not order the use
of power presses so as to jeopardiZe
their positions
With Mr.. Beach still on the witness
stand the committee adjourned to re-
sumo the hearings tomorrow morning at
10 o'clock.