The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-17

 making use of mecha nical devices foI as are efficiently managed private en terprises. study has been made of the extent to which devices of this character are now being employed in the several branches of the govern ment and the opportunities that exist for their more general use. in order to secure information as to the various kinds of la bor saving devices that are in existence and as to their adaptabil- fty to government work. an exhibition of labor saving office appliances was held in Washington from July to 15. 1911. One hundred and ten manufac- turers and dealers participated. and more than 10000 officers and employees visited the exhibition. There is no doubt that the exhibition served the purpose of bringing to the attention of officers devices which can be employed by them with advantage. The holding of this exhibition was. however. but a step preparatory to the contemplated investigation.
 Unnecessary Cost of Copy Work.
 The efforts of the commission result ed also in the adoption by several bu- reaus or departments of improved methods of doing copying. The amount of copy work heretofore done by hand each year in the many offices is esti- mated to aggregate. several hundred thousand dollars. The commission ex- hibited at it's offices appliances that were thought to be especially adapted to this kind of governme work. Fol lowing these demonstrations methods of copying were introduced which have brought about q saving of over T5 per rent In. offices where used for six months. This change in one small cross section of office practice, will more than offset the whole cost of my inquiry.
 Waste h Distribution ef Public DOeu-
 m0nts.
 Going outside the office, one of the business processes which has been in vestIgated is the distribution of depart mental documents. This Is a subject with which both the congress and ad- ministration heads are familiar. The prevailing practice in handling depart mental publications is to have them manufactured at the government print Ing of1ce. Each job when completed Is deliv cred to the department. Here the books or pamphlets are wrapped and addressed. They are then sent to the postofice. There they are assorted and prepared for shipment through the mails. From the postofice they are sent to the railroad station. which is only few steps from the government printing office. whence they started The results of this laborious and cir cuitous method is to make the use of the best mechanical equipment imprac- dcable and to waste each year not less than a quarter of a million dollars of government funds in useless handling. to say nothing of the indirect loss due to lack of proiser coordination,
 WastefuI Uss of Prepertiss and Equip
 ment.
 The use of equipment is a matter which also has been investigated Up 10 the present time this investigation has been in the main confined to the subject of electric lighting. The gov srnment pays over $do0.0oo per year Tor electric current It has made large capital outlayr for wiring and fixtures. With the increasing demands in many buildings the present equipment is tax d to its limit. and if the present meth ods are continued much of this wir- lnR must be done oyer. Tn many places employees are working at a great physical disadvantage. due to made uuate and improper lighting and there by with reduced emciency In every place where the inquiry has been con ducted it appears that there is large waste: that without the cost of re- wiring. simply by giving proper atten- ion to location of lights and the use of proper lamps and redectors. the light efficiency at points where needed may be much increased and the cost Of current reduced from 30 to SO per rent. Other inquiries into the use which is being made of properties and equipment gre contemplated which promise even larger results
 Unnecessary Cost Of Insurance.
 It is the policy of the government not to insure public property against fire and ether losses. Question has been raised whether the government might not apply the same principle to other forms of risk. including insur- ance of the fidelity of officials and em- ployees. A report is now in prepara- ition on the subject which will show opportunities for large savings. I be neve that the present expense for in surfing the faithful execution of con tracts. which. though paid by the con tractor. is more than covered in the added price to the government. can be largely reduced without taking away any element of security.
 The importance of establishing and maintaining standard specifications is found not only in the possibility of very materially reducing the direct cost of government trading. out also in insurinG 10 the service materials. supplies and equipment which are bet ter adapted to it's purposes. One of the results of indehniteness of specif- cations is to impose contract condi- tons which make 1t. extra hazardous for persons to enter into contractual relations. This not. only deprives the government of the advantage of broad competition. hut causes it to pay an added margin in price to vendors, who must Ca riSG