The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-04-10

ton CT that office and that provision
for public inspection OF government
contracts be made through the Office of
the auditors Of the treasury in which
offices the originals OF all contracts are
filed. 1t also recommends the substl-
tuition Of a certificate for the affidavit
required to be attached to the contracts
Of the departments of war, the navy
and the interior and an amendment
OF the statute which now requires all
the contracts OF those departments to
be in writing. transmit letters from
the secretaries Of the departments re-
ferred to, concurring In the conclusions
and recommendation of the commits
sion. l approve the report and com
mend It to the favorable consideration
Of the congress.
Government Expenses For Travel.
The report upon ''trave expendi-
lures" of officers and employees of the
government (appendix No presents
n view of existing conditions that can
lead to but one conclusion-that under
the existing laws and regulations and
practices pursuant thereto the allow
ances for travel are as varied as there
are executive departments. The same
classes Of officers and employees are
receiving different rates of allow
ances, depending only upon the depart
ment or bureau in which they are en-
ployed. Under similar conditions there
should be uniformity. The report rec
ommends that all allowances in the
form of mileage be discontinued and
that actual cost Of transportation be
paid; that in lieu of payment Of actual
cost OF other expenses, commonly
known as subsistence, which would
include lodging, a scale of per diem
allowances be established by the presi-
dent for the several classes of officers
and employees. 1t is also recommend
ed by the commission that all ac-
counts for reimbursement Of travel
ing expenses shall be certified as to
correctness in lieu Of the requirement
of law in many cases that the verifica-
tion be by affidavit. The latter pro-
cedure is troublesome and expensive.
and the penalty for a false certifica-
tion is fully as valuable in its deter
rent effect as the penalty for making
a false affidavit
With the report are the comments
of the war and the navy departments.
made at my request. The report Of
the commission has my approval. and
the suggestions therein for a change in
the law on the subject are submitted
with a request for action In accordance
Herewith.
Handling and Filing of Correspondence.
The handling and filing of corre-
spondence constitute one Of the busi-
ness processes Of the government to
which, as pointed out in my message
Of Jan. II, the commission has paid
especial attention. The Investigations
of existing conditions have brought out
clearly that in many cases present
methods are inefficient and entail large,
unnecessary costs. The features of
present practices which stand out most
prominently as entailing large, unnec-
essary labor and expense pertain to
the briehng, press copying and record
ing and indexing Of communications.
A statement has been prepared giving
the results of an investigation of the
salary cost entailed in performing
these operations in the several depart
ments at Washington. 1t is the opin-
ion of the commission that the opera
tions Of briefing and press copying
letters can be entirely eliminated and
that the recording and indexiug of in
coming and outgoing letters can be re-
duced at least so per cent.
Though the commission is making
independent Investigations of methods
followed in handling and filing corre-
spondence In certain bureaus and serv-
ices, the results of which will be en-
bodied In reports describing such
pointing out wherein they
are defective and recommending
changes to make them conform to the
most approved practices, the general
policy pursued Is that of working In
close cooperation with the depart
ments and services through the means
of joint committees. To the end that
these committees might all work as
nearly as possible along uniform lines
and that the departments and estab-
lishments might have before them the
reached by the commits
sion relative to fundamental princi-
pies and the best practices In respect
to the performance of this class of
work. the commission has prepared
and | have sent to the heads of de-
partments a memorandum setting
forth the principles which should gov
ern in the matter OF handling and fl
ing Of correspondence. This memoran-
dunn also contains suggestions for the
use of labor saving devices In prepar-
ing and mailing letters. | am trans
hitting herewith copy OF this mem
orandum (appendix No. n.
On the basis OF this memorandum ac-
tive efforts are now being made in all
Of the departments for the improve
ment Of the methods Of handling and
fling of correspondence. These efforts
have resulted In radical changes in ex-
lsting methods and the effecting OF