The Washington times., 1912-11-13
COMMISSION ASKS
INFORMATION. Of
TREASURY COSTS
Marked Change Is Expected
i. in System of Purchas-
EA ing Supplies.

From Inquiries now being made by the
Presidents Efficiency and Economy
Commission into the amount Of supplies
purchased under the yearly contracts
drawn by the supply committee, OF the
treasury Department, 1t is confidently
predicted that marked change in the
method Of purchasing Government sup
plies will be nude early In the spring
Members OF the commission are un-
willing to say that they have reached
conclusions. being still busy In gather
ing facts.
1t is probable, however, that the year.
ly contract will be done away with.
That purchasing officers will be recon-
mended for several departments now
buying special supplies on their own
responsibility and that there will be
progress toward Il general purchasing
officer. an end once conceived and to-
ward which the supply committee repre-
sents the fartherst step.
Supplies common to the Departments
are now bought under yearly contracts
prepared by the supply committee. Two
faults are found with the system. Bid
ders are asked to be prepared to supply
certain quantities of supplies, and are
deliver the goods. This Is a case of
lost motion In business enterprises, and
on occasions has resulted In them ty-
ing up sums of money In articles for
Mnich the Government never Cuiied.
When yearly contracts are made on
commodities Of variable price. the con-
tractor, In order to save himself must
bid at price high enough to cover the
probable high point In the years mar
ket. This results In the Government
being forced ali during the year to pay
the highest price that may occur.
The Efficiency and Economy Commis-
sion Is sending inquiries to every bureau
and division. asking how much is
bought on yearly contracts and how
much outside. 1t Is expected that the
amount of supplies purchased outside
the supervision of the supply committee
VIII be startling when looted up and
compared with contract purchases.
Before the supply committee came in
purchased for each departm.n mt or bu-
reau separately II was found that the
Government was paying a half dozen
Inherent prices for the same commodity.
This was followed By system of open
ing bids of the same day, permitting u
comparison of the prices that manu-
facturers were tryin gto get from the
various departments. Following this
came the supply committee about three
years ago. The various systems repre-
sent constant Improvement but IL Is ex-
pected that the Efficiency and ECono-
my Commission Will attempt to make
Government purchasing more scientific
and saving than even now.
The recommendation cannot he made
before next spring at the earliest. The
commission has more than dozen re-
ports which must be filed with Con-
Eress before the first of the year. The
special report on the Patent Office must
be transmitted before December 10
several others must be sent to Con-
gress before December 81 and, as Con-
Eress adjourns over Christmas. this
means these reports must be sent to the
Capitol about December ii. This ac-
counts for the activity OF the commits.
sion during December Afterward. pro-
Viding II has no urgent special work
the investigation of Government pur-
Chases will require two months or more
and then viii come the writing of the
Iepor;. If IL special session OF Congress
Is held II Is extremely probable that the
report Of the commission on Govern
ment methods of purchasing supplies
will be published while that session Is
in progress.
The Postolfice Department now has Il
purchaalnG agcrt whose methods nave
been spoken Of with approval by OF
fiCials connected with the Commission.
The Postofice Department Is more
nearly un-functional than any other
department and the purchase of all
supplies by one official is much easier
than in a Department which embraces
II dozen OF more subjects or functions.
The Departments of Agriculture ind
the Department Of the Interior. cm-
bracing score Of divorce bureaus and
divisions, present problems In purchas-
ing that the Postoffce Department does
not encounter.
Several years ago there was much
discussion Of IA plan Cor single pur-
chasing bureau, covering all depart
ments. There Is strong group OF
Government accountants. however. who
believe that "A center purchasing agency.
supervising the purchase of both COM
mon and special supplies. would save
the Government much money